Stuart McCall is ready to boot out tradition and kick first towards the Kop more often.
Down the years, City have always preferred to attack the home end in the second half.
But Grimsby forced them to switch direction on Saturday and, far from leaving the City players disorientated, they responded by netting twice under the noses of the away fans to bag a come-from-behind success.
McCall was even happier to see Joe Colbeck's winner flash in during stoppage time, killing off the ghosts of previous last-gasp defeats that have haunted the Bantams boss in recent months.
The Bradford End has witnessed a few dramatic winners this season yet until this weekend they had all come against City.
McCall admitted: "That goal holds nightmare visions for me. I can still see Stockport's goal going in after 90 minutes - and Bury's and Rochdale's ...
"But it's nice feeling now as if everything's been wiped away. All I can remember now is Colbeck smashing the ball into that bottom corner.
"Maybe it's the thing to do from now on and go that way in the second half. Whoever the new captain might be for next year, I might have a word with him if we win the toss."
That could be a bonus for the City fans who are going back into the TL Dallas Stand next term as the club crank up their season-ticket drive.
John Hendrie had popped up on the pitch at half-time to bang the drum about tickets - a thankless task, given the unconvincing home display in the first 45 minutes.
Though given the turn-around in the second half, perhaps the City legend has a budding career as a motivational speaker during the break!
The opening half matched the Barnet game in that City weren't very good. Their touch was off and they struggled to find any space to work in with Grimsby's smothering five-man midfield.
A blustery wind hardly made for attractive, end-to-end football, although it didn't seem to harm the Mariners when they pushed forward in numbers.
For a side that had lost five on the trot, Alan Buckley's men did not turn up with their chins on the floor and signalled their intentions from the second minute when Ryan Bennett fizzed in a dangerous cross that was cleared with some difficulty.
McCall kept faith with Luke O'Brien at left back after his promising debut at Brentford but the youngster found himself two-on-one on several occasions and was powerless to stop Grimsby scoring after nine minutes.
Darren Williams was caught in possession on the other side of the box by Nathan Jarman and Ciaran Toner's drilled centre was turned in by Peter Till despite O'Brien's close attentions.
The pair collided and the scorer stayed down, the goal proving to be his final touch as he left the action on a stretcher.
Bennett's overlapping runs were a constant cause for concern, while Jarman rattled the advertising board beside Scott Loach's goal with an effort that was too close for comfort.
City could not get themselves going. Tom Penford, in particular, was having a game to forget in midfield, where his usual control deserted him against the combined factors of Grimsby's pressing and the unhelpful conditions.
He sprayed one trademark pass to release Colbeck but the winger drove in a harmless cross behind both strikers, summing up City's first-half frustrations.
They still could have had a penalty but assistant referee William Smallwood decided to change his mind after initially raising his flag for handball against Rob Atkinson.
But equally it should have been 2-0 at the break as City enjoyed a huge slice of good fortune. Substitute Nick Hegarty, on for Till, beat Loach into the far corner but Bennett - who was in an offside position in front the goal line - decided to touch it and make sure.
McCall said: "That would have been game over. We got out of jail. That was our lucky break of the day and I told the lads we've got to capitalise."
Thankfully they did with a much-improved response after the break.
There were signs approaching half-time that City were finding the next gear. Twice Peter Thorne set up Omar Daley but the Jamaican snatched horribly at the first chance and then drove straight at keeper Phil Barnes.
But City came back out with far more purpose and straight away Thorne peeled free to nod wide from a Colbeck free-kick, although the same combination got it right just after the hour to fashion the equaliser.
Grimsby defender Tom Newey sensed no danger as he set out to retrieve a ball heading for the touchline but Colbeck refused to give it up as a lost cause and set off in eager pursuit.
Panicked by the winger's sudden arrival, Newey turned and passed a blind square pass towards Barnes with his weaker right foot.
Thorne anticipated it perfectly - earning a lavish comparison with Ian Rush from his manager - and expertly steered the ball round the stranded keeper. It was still no gimme because of the tight angle but Thorne showed great presence of mind to beat Nick Fenton's desperate efforts on the line.
McCall said: "Thorney senses where the danger is going to be. Like Rush used to do, he'll appear from nowhere in just the right position - but that's the sign of a very good striker."
Colbeck's role in forcing the error had been just as important and was another indication of the way his game has come on leaps and bounds over the past eight months.
A few hours later, Joe Calzaghe was climbing off the canvas in Las Vegas to battle back and silence the doubters in style. City's own Joe C has certainly conquered his early-season knockdowns to come back firing and convince all but the hardest Valley Parade judges.
He will find out on Tuesday whether that's enough to earn the coveted player-of-the-year accolade from the fans but if there was a most-improved trophy, Colbeck would win it by a mile.
The goal handed City fresh impetus and Kyle Nix spotted Barnes slightly off his line with a perfectly-judged chip that the Grimsby keeper just managed to finger over the crossbar.
Substitute Barry Conlon just could not get enough on a close-range chance and McCall also threw on Luke Medley, remembering how the young gun had wreaked late havoc at Blundell Park in October.
Grimsby were going for it too as Buckley threw on an extra striker and O'Brien showed real precision to whip the ball off Jarman's toes as the Mariners looked to break.
But there was still time for the customary late fireworks from the Bradford End. Medley laid the ball off to Johnson, who chested it into Colbeck's path and the outside of his right boot did the rest.
It's an ending that Valley Parade has seen before - only this time the late twist was provided by a City goal.
| BRADFORD CITY |