It could be the friendly to beat all friendlies at Valley Parade.

When Bury’s pre-season visit on August 4 was announced a while back, it was greeted with the usual shrug of a shoulder.

City facing a League One club in the build-up is hardly news. Though at least it’s not Carlisle for a change.

But now you could have an away end packed out with 10,000 travelling fans and the attention of the national media zooming in on BD8.

That’s if the original “club 12” from Scotland are allowed over Hadrian’s wall to set up camp at the home of the black pudding.

Rangers and Bury sounds an alliance as likely as Jimmy Carr and HMRC but that was the crazy story that sprung from north of the border at the start of the week.

With their own future in the Scottish Premier hanging in the balance, some bright sparks claimed this was the opportunity Rangers were waiting for to sneak into the English system through the backdoor. Or more like the little gap that leads down into the cellar …

Newco Rangers, as they are nattily known, would reinvent themselves as Bury for the forthcoming season and take over their fixtures. Surprisingly, though, they would keep home games at Ibrox rather than Gigg Lane.

Unfortunately, just as we all started to get excited about the imminent visit of this new Bury with bells on, the real club decided to pour a gallon of cold water on the suggestion.

Yes Bury would welcome a shed-load of new cash - though whether new Rangers owner Charles Green could supply that is a moot point - but would never consider any switch from their traditional base and identity.

So the silliest story of the summer is put back in the box. And the Bantams sadly miss out on a re-run of the infamous Stuart McCall testimonial …