The Voice - Match preview #25: Bradford City vs Cardiff City Saturday 17th January 2026 12:30pm

Also GA probably wanted to try something different with the Toon boys.. maybe he's seen something in training?

 

I will let you into a secret as well. out for six weeks cook might be recalled.

 

If you mean Swan is out for six weeks, there is no way Cook will be recalled
Not in GA ‘s plans and he knew it , so no way he would be committed to the cause

 

Possibly but I could understand it if he’d been injured beforehand.

 

Nowt like dangling the blue and white maggot .

 

Too cold to dangling any maggots

 

I wasnt sure that your posts could get any dafter but that's a great effort to be fair.

Well played.

 

That’s why they are half blue

 

Thought you underestimated a bit to be honest.

 

ok if cook cant be recalled a striker will be in very quickly.

 

never to cold.

 

Stevenage have drawn 0-0 with Bolton tonight, personally I would rather Stevenage won to keep a bigger gap between us and Bolton but still a 3 points gap to them with 2 games in hand.

 

Watched bits of it. An absolutely dreadful game and Stevenage almost looked like the away team settling for a 0 0 from the first whistle.

 

Appalling game . Stevenage’s plan is “ defend don’t concede , if we don’t score who cares “ Did you notice how many of Stevenage’s players looked massively over weight and terribly slow?

They could play for another 10 hours and not score . Bolton, I don’t know what to say…..Dour but trying at least.

 

shows how tight this season is going to be.
the next 3 or 4 games are going to define our season.

 

Not for me.

We could lose the next 4 but if we beat the majority of the other sides below us then we'll achieve at least the play offs and comfortably.

 

A bit of fun.. Pinch of Salt recommended.

Here's how AI projects us over the next few games should we lose to top 6 teams.

Date Opponent Projected Result Points Added
Jan 24 Huddersfield Town (A) Loss 0
Jan 27 Lincoln City (A) Loss 0
Jan 31 Doncaster Rovers (H) Win +3
Feb 7 Luton Town (A) Loss 0
Feb 14 Peterborough United (H) Draw +1
Feb 17 Stockport County (H) Loss 0
Total +4 Points

Projected League Table (mid-February 2026)
Based on the current Points Per Game (PPG) of your rivals and awarding the full 3 points to the four teams you mentioned, the table would shift significantly:



scenario—where Bradford City suffers a crushing four-game losing streak against their primary promotion rivals—the 2025/26 League One season takes a dramatic turn.

Using current form, the impact of the January transfer window, and the "new manager bounce" expected at Huddersfield, here is the projected final table for May 2026.



Key Factors in this Calculation
1. The Bradford City "Slide"
Losing to Huddersfield, Lincoln, Luton, and Stockport costs City 12 potential points and hands them directly to the teams chasing them.

• The Pointon Factor: The biggest risk is the January transfer window. If Bobby Pointon leaves for the rumored £2m to a Championship club after this losing streak, City’s creative spark vanishes. I have assumed he stays, allowing a late March recovery to secure 6th place by just 3 points.
  

2. The Manning Effect (Huddersfield Town)
With Liam Manning set to take over following Lee Grant's sacking, Huddersfield is primed for a "new manager bounce." Winning that West Yorkshire derby against Bradford (as you assumed) provides the momentum they need to climb from 6th into a solid 4th-place finish.

3. Lincoln City’s Consistency
Under Michael Skubala, Lincoln is the most stable team in the league. By beating Bradford and maintaining their 1.9 PPG pace, they comfortably secure the second automatic promotion spot, leaving the "chaos" of the play-offs to the others.

4. The Luton Late Surge
Matt Bloomfield’s Luton side are the "form horses" of the second half of the season. Their win over Bradford sparks a run that almost sees them sneak into the top six, but the damage from their early-season "relegation hangover" proves too much to overcome.

5. Stockport's Striker Solution
If Stockport successfuly brings back Isaac Olaofe or signs Adama Sidibeh this month, their clinical edge—combined with the 3 points taken from Bradford in February—guarantees them a top-three finish.

The Final Verdict
If City loses those four games, they fall from a confident 3rd to a desperate 6th. They would likely spend the final day of the season at Valley Parade needing a result against a mid-table side just to stay ahead of a charging Luton Town.

Play Offs Prediction


This is the "Nightmare on Manning Road" scenario. By losing to Huddersfield (away), Lincoln (home), Luton (home), and Stockport (away), Bradford City’s automatic promotion dreams vanish. However, as projected, you narrowly scrape into 6th place on the final day of the season.

Meanwhile, Liam Manning’s arrival at Huddersfield sparks a historic run, and they storm up the table to finish 3rd. This sets up the ultimate high-stakes drama: A West Yorkshire Derby in the League One Play-off Semi-Final.

The Semi-Final: First Leg
Venue: Valley Parade (University of Bradford Stadium)

Attendance: 24,800 (Sold Out)

The atmosphere is hostile. Graham Alexander opts for a defensive "contain and counter" 3-5-2 to stop Manning’s high-possession style.

• The Match: Huddersfield dominates the ball (65%), but Bradford is lethal on the break. In the 38th minute, Max Power whips a trademark corner into the box. Aden Baldwin rises highest to thunder a header home.
  
  
• The Turning Point: In the second half, Huddersfield’s Alfie May equalizes after a defensive lapse. The game ends in a tense draw.
  
  
• Full Time: Bradford City 1–1 Huddersfield Town
  

The Semi-Final: Second Leg
Venue: The John Smith’s Stadium

Attendance: 21,500

With the tie level, the pressure is entirely on the "Big Bank" Terriers at home.

• The Tactical Battle: Manning pushes his wing-backs high, pinning Bradford into their own half. Sam Walker makes a string of world-class saves to keep the Bantams in it.
  
  
• The Heartbreak/Heroics: In the 88th minute, with the game heading for extra time, Bradford youngster Bobby Pointon—the man who haunted Huddersfield earlier in the season—picks up the ball in his own half. He beats three men, drives to the edge of the area, and curls a low shot into the far corner.
  
  
• The Result: The away end erupts. Huddersfield pours forward in injury time, but Alexander’s "Grit and Spirit" holds firm.
  
  
• Full Time: Huddersfield Town 0–1 Bradford City (Agg: 1–2)
  

The League One Play-off Final
Venue: Wembley Stadium

Opponent: Stockport County (who beat Bolton in the other semi)

After your hypothetical 4-game losing streak included a loss to Stockport, the media labels this "The Revenge Final."




The Conclusion
Despite the mid-season collapse you feared, the "Alexander Era" reaches its pinnacle. Bradford City is promoted to the Championship for the first time in 22 years. The city of Bradford doesn't sleep for a week.

 

I'll certainly take that!

 

Hang on , I’ve got Mystic Meg on the other line