GRAHAM Alexander says City fans should relish “coming out the shadows” in the West Yorkshire derby.
The Bantams and Huddersfield clash on an equal league footing for the first time since 2007.
Since the fierce rivals last shared a division, City have been stuck in League Two for six years while the Terriers spent two seasons in the Premier League.
“The supporters will have been living in the shadows of Huddersfield for 16-17 years being at a different level,” said boss Alexander.
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“Seeing them play in the Premier League while Bradford were competing in League Two would have been a tough watch.
“I’m sure when fans were in their everyday life there would be work colleagues in the same building supporting each club. It’s difficult because you probably don’t feel you’re competing against them anymore.
“When you get into the same division, we have the same level of competition. We can look at it and justify why we are at the same level.
“They have an excellent squad and are highly fancied. But we’ve played several teams already this season with that sort of profile.”
There is an added intensity to tomorrow’s showdown because it has been so long. The crowd at the University of Bradford Stadium could beat the 24,033 that saw City’s promotion game in May.
Alexander added: “There will be kids and teenagers that have never seen the two rivals play against each other.
“I was speaking to a fan a couple of weeks ago at a game and he was saying the same thing. He was 17-18 and had never been to one.
“But we need to have an ice-cool demeanour about ourselves with that aggression and competitiveness inside us to compete at the right level.
“Going and making some stupid tackle for the wrong reasons isn’t proving anything.
“We know the levels we can compete at within the laws of the game and we have to make sure we hit those.
“I want our fans to be proud of where we’ve enabled ourselves to go in the last 18 months.
“I think it’s brilliant for the supporters when we play Blackburn, Stoke, Huddersfield, Luton who were in the Premier League two years ago and we’re going to Newcastle in a couple of weeks.
“It’s brilliant for the players and for me and the staff.
“We’ve all looked forward to these games. It’s why you want to compete and raise the level you play at so you can test yourselves against the bigger and better sides.
“If we handle ourselves as well as we have done in the other games then we’ll be fine. We’ll be at our competitive best.
“I don’t think the result is a guarantee but it’s a good outlier based on your performance.”
Curtis Tilt is a doubt after limping off near the end of City’s first loss of the season at Doncaster. Matt Pennington came through a closed-doors game in midweek and could be in contention.
Alexander will also decide whether to risk involving Andy Cook, who also got some more minutes in Tuesday’s practice match.
The City chief, who missed out on the League One manager of the month for August award to Cardiff's Brian Barry-Murphy, is confident his side can rise to another big challenge.
“It’s a chance for the individuals to come together as a team to show that we’re better than the level we’ve been at and we’ve got the potential to be better still.
“We want to continue to test ourselves. It’s a really good motivational tool and I think the players have been inspired by that but it doesn’t make the job any easier.
“It will be a tough game, without a doubt, but certainly the atmosphere at Valley Parade will be off the scale.
“I want the fans to get excited but we must have that demeanour where we’re in control of what we try to do.”
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