The Voice - Match preview #42: Swindon Town vs Bradford City Saturday 12th April 2025 12:30pm

EFL League Two Fixture #42
Saturday 12th April 2025 12:30
Swindon Town (14th) vs Bradford City (1st)
The County Ground

Record:
Games Won: 15
Games Drawn: 14
Games Lost: 18

Last 5:
25 Oct 2022: Bradford City 1 – 1 Swindon Town
18 Apr 2023: Swindon Town 1 – 0 Bradford City
07 Oct 2023: Bradford City 1 – 0 Swindon Town
27 Jan 2024: Swindon Town 2 – 0 Bradford City
14 Dec 2024: Bradford City 1 – 0 Swindon Town

Swindon Town:
Swindon Town have certainly been competitive since mid-January, losing just 2 of their last 15 games, both 1-0 defeats away from home. At The County Ground specifically, Swindon Town haven’t registered a league defeat since a 3-2 loss to Morecambe way back on 23rd November 2024 – although Birmingham City did edge past them 2-1 in the EFL Trophy courtesy of an 89th minute own goal from Harry Smith.

That all seems a world way from Swindon Town’s poor start to the season, wherein they won just 1 of their opening 12 games across both league and cup. Manager Ian Holloway, who took the reigns back in late October, has a respectable record of 14 wins, 10 draws and 8 defeats in his 32 total games in charge, a record that would have had Swindon Town pushing for the playoffs had that form been extended across the opening stages of the campaign. Full credit must go to Holloway, then, despite the very early signs of disenchantment among a fan base some of whom appeared to fall out with Holloway in the early days of his reign. A 1-0 defeat at Valley Parade back in December saw Swindon Town fail to register a shot either on or off target, much to the fury of the travelling fans.

Things have been much improved since then, however, despite a run of 4 successive draws in March. The fact is, Swindon Town have dramatically increased their goalscoring output, and will have counted themselves unlucky to draw 3-3 against rivals Cheltenham Town – especially considering they restricted Cheltenham to just 2 shots on target (the other being an own goal from Will Wright).

Most recently Swindon Town have rattled off a 2-1 win over AFC Wimbledon followed by a 4-0 away victory at Fleetwood Town. Striker Kabongo Tshimanga (9) finally looks to be settling in having scored 3 in those 2 most recent games, although it should be noted all 3 were penalties, and 2 of them both last minute penalties to steal victory in that home game against Wimbledon. He is only the club’s second highest scorer, however, with 6’5 stalwart Harry Smith (13) leading the way. Defender Will Wright (6) and midfielder Daniel Butterworth (5) are next in line, with all of Paul Glatzel, Ollie Clarke, and Joe Cotterill on 3 goals apiece.

Such has been the measure of Swindon Town’s improvements that Ian Holloway recently signed a contract extension until the end of the 27-28 season, while Fleetwood Town manager Pete Wild said he expected Swindon Town to be a top League Two side under the charismatic Gloucestershire man. Everything seems to be trending in that direction, and one might expect the side to challenge for promotion next season.

If they can tighten up a leaky back line, this current iteration of Swindon Town certainly looks to have the goals to compete. With a total of 61 scored and 57 conceded (that’s 7 more scored and a full 23 more conceded), Swindon Town have become one of the most reliable sides to watch for goalmouth action!

Fleetwood Town 0 – 4 Swindon Town


AFC Wimbledon 1 – 2 Fleetwood Town


Bradford City:
It felt a matter of time before Bradford City would overtake Walsall at the top of the League Two table, and it did eventually happen last Saturday afternoon courtesy of a 2-0 win over Crewe Alexandra at Valley Parade. The fact is, recent results have been up-and-down, and it took perhaps longer than it should have done with yet more disappointing away results.

There’s no time to worry about any of that, though. Even with a less-than-stellar away record, Bradford City have finally done it – they have reached the summit of the League Two table, the first time they have led any league table since September 2008! The drought has been long and excessively punishing for a still well-supported Bantams side that have long deserved better. Now, it’s Bradford City’s turn to defend their spot.

While there is nothing in City’s recent away record to suggest they will turn Swindon Town over at the County Ground, and while facing an on-form side might be a more promising proposition on home soil (it certainly doesn’t seem to work the same away from home), there’s still no denying that Bradford City deserve to be where they are right now.

A truly remarkable run of form from early December right the way through to early March saw them lose just 2 league games from 19, both predictably away from home (of course), but nonetheless getting at least a point at all of Crewe Alexandra, Barrow, Carlisle United, Newport County, Bromley and Salford City. Not all bad news on their travels, then!

Now the question is, how do City react now that they are the best side in League Two according to the current table? While some have accused City of developing nosebleeds while ascending to 2nd position, this is uncharted territory for fan and player alike – Graham Alexander now has to simultaneously keep his players’ feet on the ground ahead of what promises to be a pulsating home straight.

Not one of City’s remaining 5 games looks easy on paper. All 5 sides have shown they can both compete and disrupt against the better sides, with all but Fleetwood Town ranked in the top 6 in the ‘Form’ League Table across their last 6 outings – and even then, Fleetwood Town have hit a run of form away from home…

It’s going to be nerve-jangling stuff, but all City can do is hit the ground running each and every game and show why they are where they are – starting with Swindon Town who rarely lose on home soil…

Bradford City 2 – 0 Crewe Alexandra


Port Vale 2 – 0 Bradford City


Prediction:

Any hopes that Swindon Town might have headed to the beach mentally can be readily dismissed. The Robins have been a fixture of the top 7 in the ‘Form’ League Table throughout the last 12 games, and the way they besieged AFC Wimbledon en route to two last minute penalties was evidence of a side full of players very much fighting for their futures. Their impressive 4-0 dismantling of Fleetwood Town saw them carve out chance after chance, at least after going ahead thanks to yet another penalty.

Swindon Town are dangerous in the wide areas, capable of both working the ball in field as well as swinging in dangerous crosses, and they combine that by pressing well with a high work rate. Not dissimilar in essence to Graham Alexander’s Bradford City, Holloway has long been a critic of the ‘boring’ styles imported by the likes of Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, but it’s not just blood-and-thunder either. Swindon are increasingly looking like a very good footballing side at this level, often (but not obsessively) dominating possession and frequently carving out the majority of chances.

Their excellent home record since Holloway’s tactics effectively kicked in will make this a devilishly difficult away tie for a side that haven’t travelled well all season but who will be desperate to maintain top position now that they (finally) achieved it. Now, whatever issues City seem to suffer on the road must be addressed, and quickly. There are no easy games left, and indeed the form table suggests the run in could scarcely be much harder. What happens now will be the difference between the playoffs, automatic promotion, or maybe even clinching the league title.

So how does Graham Alexander life the away day gloom in time for Saturday’s early afternoon kick off in Wiltshire? Well, news that Antoni Sarcevic was back in training this week will be greeted with delight by the City fanbase, but a start likely remains off the cards for now. Neill Byrne and Alex Pattison both avoided injury repercussions from Saturday’s win over Crewe and will be in contention, and the hope must be that Pattison and City academy product Bobby Pointon can finally help City turn their away form around.

Calum Kavanagh, ever diligent up front, is likely to retain his spot after scoring 3 goals in his last 2 home games, but few will forget that the whole City side drew a pair of away day blanks in between those 2 home victories. Kavanagh in particular now has to prove he can do the job away from Valley Parade, and I am backing him (and the Bantams) to do so. While the hard empirical data suggests Bradford City will struggle to win away at Ian Holloway’s Swindon Town, I am banking (hoping) that something finally clicks – that Bradford City’s back line is more resolute and their hard working and dangerous front line exploit the inevitable cracks in a shaky Swindon Town back line.

I can see players like Alex Pattison and Bobby Pointon in particular achieving success at the County Ground en route to a 2-1 win – with confidence inevitably surging throughout the club as a result. This could be where the top team in the division put the final pieces of the puzzle in place.

Final Score:
Swindon Town 1 - 2 Bradford City