Bradford City eSports general manager Paul Rinkauskas has spoken of his excitement as he continues to see his side grow.
Competing in Virtual Pro Gaming’s (VPG) second tier - the Premiership North - for the first time, this season, the Bantams sit fifth in the table, just a few points outside the top two.
At the halfway point of the campaign, Rinkauskas is proud of the progress his side have made and hopes to see them build further towards a top-two spot.
He said: “This season, we set ourselves quite high targets by choosing to play in VPG’s second tier, the Premiership North.
“This is a paid league with prizes for finishing in the top two. This was our aim from the start - though was perhaps optimistic, given the opposition.
“As this is a paid league, there are a lot of very good teams who have been well-established in the world of eSports for a number of years.
“It is no walk in the park. So far, we are doing very well, sitting in the top five - just after the halfway point - only a few points off our top-two target. This is a very exciting time for us.
“What makes this even better is the fact we are also competing in another competitive league, the eSports Premier, which has all of the sponsored teams in one league competing against one another.
“Once again, we are performing above our expectations and find ourselves in the top three.
“Given that some of the teams below us are in higher leagues - or have players that have played in these leagues for a number of years - it is extremely satisfying to see us matching those sides.”
In addition to success in the league, Rinkauskas has also set his sights on a run in the North Cup.
He has heaped praise on the manager of the side for keeping motivation within the camp high and believes - on the back of this - anything is possible.
He added: “We enjoy a good cup run, and this season is no different. Last time out, we lost in the final of the Danish League Cup.
“This season, we have currently qualified for the semi-finals of the North Cup - which includes all the teams in the northern sections of all leagues.
“Liam, the manager of the team, has done a tremendous job of keeping the team motivated. The time and effort he puts in to get the players going and ready is a credit.
“I am really excited to see where we finish this season and whether we can bring back any medals and trophies.
“If we can do that, whilst remaining competitive in all competitions, then I will be a very happy general manager.”
Supporters can catch tomorrow’s fixtures (Thursday February 20), against CSV FCSB and REDEMPTION, from 8.45pm via the club’s official Twitch channel.