Skip to main content Skip to site footer
Club News

We must keep going

18 March 2013

Club News

We must keep going

18 March 2013

Ahead of this Tuesday's rearranged game with Wycombe Wanderers at the Coral Windows Stadium, Bantams boss Phil Parkinson has reiterated his determination to make sure that City's season doesn't finish with a wimper.


Saturday's loss at Exeter City, albeit a harsh one, left Parkinson's men ten points off the Play-Offs with only nine games remaining.


But, as he did directly after the Exeter match, Parkinson has again expressed a desire to ensure that the Bantams keep playing until the very last kick of the season - whether the campaign ends up with Play-Offs glory or not.


Parkinson said: "It's clear we've given ourselves a lot to do (to qualify for the Play-Offs), but we just have to concentrate on finishing the season well.


"We owe that to ourselves as players and staff members, but we owe it to the fans as well.


"I think a lot of reputations have been enhanced this season but those reputations can quickly be diluted down some what.


"From now until the end of the season, we have to make sure we finish the season in good form.


"I believe we have been playing quite well recently - against Aldershot, Plymouth and York - and it is only really the first half at Exeter where I think we have been second best in the last few weeks, and we got punished for it.


"We have to finish the season well - that is clear - and the only way to do that is by working hard for each other."



City's defeat at the hands of Exeter at the weekend was played out on a muddy and damp St James Park surface following several heavy pre-match downpours. 


With a number of sleet and rain showers hitting the Bradford region over the last day or so, Parkinson knows tomorrow's match could well be played out in similar conditions.


Parkinson added: "If you look at (Exeter City manager) Paul Tisdale's comments after Saturday's game, they were all about how he felt his side had played the conditions really well.


"We had the lads in yesterday (Sunday) to look over the video of the game and have a constructive meeting about what we need to do between now and the end of the season.


"In football, especially in England and in the lower divisions, you have to adapt to the conditions. You can't just say this is how we are going to play regardless of the conditions.


"I thought Exeter played the conditions very well.


"They were quite direct, even though they are perceived as a passing side. We set out to play a certain way ourselves on Saturday but we didn't execute it as well as Exeter did and that was really disappointing."


City's date with Wycombe this Tuesday will be their second with Gareth Ainsworth's men in less than a month following the Bantams' 3-0 win over the Chairboys at Adams Park back in February - strangely enough in another rearranged game.


Parkinson added: "Gareth Ainsworth has done a good job at Wycombe since he took over and really energised them - he's got them playing with real hunger. We did a good job of matching that when we played there last month.


"We played excellently that night, and I thought it was one of our best performances of the season - home or away."



Advertisement block

iFollow Next Match Tickets Contact