Another turbulent week in the life of Bradford City ended with the tonic of victory but it will take much more to restore self-esteem at Valley Parade.
It has become a miserable existence for their thousands of loyal and long-suffering fans, as the season nears its end with a humbling new local rivalry taking shape with Harrogate Town halfway down the fourth tier.
Old foes Leeds United, meanwhile, stretch further into the distance, with sights on a return to the Premier League.
Bradford have spent five years languishing in League Two.
There remains an outside chance of a late dash for the play-offs but it would involve a most radical reversal of form.
Bradford have spent five years languishing in League Two and disillusion reigns at the club
It has become a miserable existence for the side’s thousands of loyal and long-suffering fans
The Good Friday win against Tranmere Rovers ended a sequence of four defeats, three of which came at home before a 3-0 thumping down the road at Harrogate, which proved an embarrassment too far.
Fans activated plans for protests against owner Stefan Rupp and the fanzine site ‘Width of a Post’ issued an eloquent open letter, imploring him to intervene or sell.
It is a competitive field for terrible owners in the EFL and Rupp is in the running.
He is largely absent from Bradford, spends most of his time in his native Germany and admits football isn’t really his thing, he is more of a motorsport kind of guy.
Rupp and Edin Rahic bought the club together in 2016. At first, Rupp left it all to Rahic, who quickly destroyed a well-run operation in the style of tin-pot dictator until forced out within two years.
Rupp stepped in, promising supporters they deserved better, although, in truth, not a lot has changed.
Protests against owner Stefan Rupp (right) have implored him to sell but fallen on deaf ears
Managers still come and go with remarkable regularity and the club should be capable of more
Managers still come and go with remarkable regularity. There is a skeleton board and most of the control lies with Ryan Sparks, an inexperienced chief executive promoted from a role within the media department.
The irony is communication reached an all-time low with Sparks in charge.
Hundreds of fans joined forces to tackle the culture of silence and wrote to Rupp. They bundled up the letters and shipped the package off to his business address in Bavaria only to find it returned with a note to say not wanted by the recipient.
Season ticket prices, competitively priced for many years, are set to increase and the lease on the stadium is up in 2028, reheating rumours that they might move in with rugby league neighbours Bradford Bulls at the Odsal Stadium.
The backdrop to all of this is that the football club with its proud history and the city with its population of more than half a million should be capable of so much more.
Little more than a decade ago, they were on a riotous run to the League Cup final as a fourth tier club, topping that achievement with promotion.
Most of the control lies with Ryan Sparks, an inexperienced CEO promoted from a media role
Bradford had pushed for promotion to the Championship before tumbling down the leagues
They were challenging for promotion to the Championship under Phil Parkinson when Rupp and Rahic first appeared on the scene.
Then came relegation and after five years in the EFL’s basement, everyone is demoralised.
Crowds appear to have held up at a glance, although official figures are bolstered by 15,000 season-ticket holders and do not chime with the swathes of empty seating in evidence at recent games.
Fearing the dangerous onset of apathy, sections of the disgruntled fanbase set to organising a protest, and Rupp tried to head it off with an open letter.
‘Not good enough’ and ‘hugely disappointing,’ he conceded. He vowed to do better, to bring in more expertise and address ongoing problems. He also apologised for his personal absence and the remote nature of his ownership style.
It was the full bingo card of contrition. Rupp also reiterated he would consider offers from potential buyers, although is thought to want back the £10million he paid, a price that seems unrealistic since the club has been so badly damaged since.
Graham Alexander is now in charge but Bradford are likely to miss out on the play-offs
It was not particularly well-received by those who feel they have heard it all before.
‘We are pleased that Stefan Rupp has made the effort to communicate some of his intentions for the club,’ said Steve Hamilton, chair of Bradford City Independent Fans Group.
‘However, he has made previous statements with promises which were not actioned. The club was challenging for Championship football when he bought it and have regressed to a lower half of League Two.
‘Our supporters require regular communication and a short, medium and long-term plan that shows ambition and represents the sizable support given by Bradfordians over many years. This club should be flourishing and it is not right now.’
Disillusion reigns with Bradford bound for Grimsby Town.
PS: Admittedly not his most pressing concern, but Bradford City boss Graham Alexander has been dislodged from top spot in the ranks of Britain’s high-scoring defenders. The title now belongs to James Tavernier, Bradford-born Rangers captain and right back, who scored his 131st goal on Saturday, against Hibernian.
FALKIRK ROMP TO TITLE
Last week’s look into Farnham Town’s unbeaten campaign in the Combined Counties South sparked correspondence about fond memories of similar achievements over time and I will try to return to as many as possible before the end of the season.
This week, however, the accolades are Falkirk’s, who clinched the Scottish League One title with six games to spare after a 7-1 romp at Montrose, their biggest away win in 55 years to mark the end of five years in the third tier.
John McGlynn’s team, which includes Aston Villa midfielder John McGinn’s brother Stephen, have 25 wins and six draws are now five games from an unbeaten league season. Another promotion next season would have them back in the SPL in time for their 150th anniversary celebrations.
Happy days once again for Falkirk, a club that set a world transfer fee record 102 years ago, when they paid West Ham £5,500 to sign England international centre forward Syd Puddefoot from under the noses of Arsenal and Tottenham.
Falkirk clinched the Scottish League One title with six games to spare after beating Montrose
VINDICATION FOR RUBEN
Cesare Casadei turned his back on Inter Milan to sign for Chelsea. He was promptly loaned out to Reading, one of the most extreme basket-case clubs of English football. Then to Leicester where it was going nicely until his recall in January.
Leicester have not been quite the same since and the 21-year-old midfielder has since been restricted to a total of 17 minutes in three appearances for Chelsea, all from the bench. Inter, meanwhile, are running away with Serie A.
This was once the maddening existence of Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who finally escaped Stamford Bridge last year and is now into double figures for goals in his first season at AC Milan after scoring in a 2-1 win at Fiorentina on Saturday.
Young midfielder Cesare Casadei has been restricted to just 17 minutes so far for Chelsea
