Bradford will not change approach - Alexander

Bradford City manager Graham Alexander has said he is not going to move away from what the side have done all season when they face Bolton in the second leg of their League One play-off semi-final.

The Bantams host Wanderers on Thursday trailing 1-0 from Saturday's first leg.

"There's clarity - we have to win the game," he told BBC Radio Leeds.

"The way we have approached all of our home games for the past two years is 'we have to win'. We've never gone into a game targeting any less than that."

He added: "We have to look at what we've done over the past two seasons and just this season at home and the blueprint is there for us.

"We're not going to change. I don't think I'm giving any secrets out there, we're not just going to come up with some masterplan. I don't want it to be about our opponents, I want it to be about us."

Alexander, who took over from Mark Hughes in November 2023, is looking to lead the club to successive promotions for the first time in their history after they went up from League Two last season thanks to a last-minute win over Fleetwood.

The former Scunthorpe, Salford and Motherwell boss believes that moments like that, and the team's strong home form, have bonded the squad with the supporters.

He said he did not feel the need to give the fans a rallying call because "they know" what impact they can have.

"What the fans have bought into and played their part, we've seen it so many times over the past two seasons," he said.

"The last game of last season where we were throwing everything at it and it was just constant encouragement, or this season when we were down to 10 men and we went on to win it - it's those moments, and there will be moments and lulls, when the backing of supporters can keep players alive.

"When we first came here we saw how it could be perceived to be a negative but it's nothing but a positive now. The faith the supporters have shown in the team has been unwavering.

"I see a lot of times when it comes down to this point the manager pleads with the supporters to do this and that but I don't think I have to - I think they know. There's no big request from me. I know they are going to be there for the players and we're looking forward to it."

The Bantams boss is hopeful midfielder Bobby Pointon could return after missing the past five games with an ankle injury, while wide player Tyreik Wright is in contention to start after making his own comeback from injury as a substitute in the first leg on Saturday.