Colin Todd is calling on City to "do a Huddersfield" and come from nowhere.
The Bantams visit Yeovil for the first time in their history tomorrow, chasing a much-needed win to chip away at the eight-point gap from the play-offs.
Todd does not accept that a top-six finish is beyond them with more than a third of the season to go
- and highlights neighbours Huddersfield as the template for City to follow.
With only nine games left last year, Town were languishing in 15th spot - five points nearer the bottom four than the promotion places.
But they embarked on an incredible run to bag 25 points out of a possible 27 and only missed a play-off spot after conceding a last-minute equaliser to Colchester.
Ironically, the Essex side are
currently on a similar surge with ten wins from 12 games to roar into
second. That is the kind of hot form Todd would love to see City produce.
"The belief within the Colchester players must be incredible at the moment," he said. "Confidence plays such a big part and when you're on
a run like that you go out there expecting to win every single game.
"Anything can happen in football. Just look at Huddersfield and the way they finished last season.
"We beat them at home and they were still looking over their shoulders at relegation. Nobody expected them to end up with an opportunity of making the play-offs but they came bursting out of the pack.
"Now, with 18 games left, our aim has got to be to try and match that."
Todd is expected to stick with the
3-4-1-2 formation which finished so strongly against Swansea.
Danny Cadamarteri is back from suspension and likely to replace Joe Brown up front. Tom Penford is in line for his first start since May 2004 in central midfield.
Penford said: "It's just great to be travelling with the squad, whether I play or not. I'm over the moon to be involved because it's been such a long time."
Dean Windass will play just behind the front two, with Todd confident his head has not been turned by news of Barnsley's failed transfer bid.
"The Wigan offer at the start of the season was a much bigger one so I wouldn't expect any problems," he said. "These things happen but Deano is experienced enough."
Steve Schumacher, Andy Cooke and the newly-signed Richard Edghill have not made the long trek because of injuries and Tom Kearney is a slight doubt with a back problem.
But despite his stretched resources, Todd is looking for City to carry on the form they showed in last week's fightback.
He added: "I can't ask any more than what I'm getting from the majority of people. You cannot fault the overall commitment and passion."
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