GILLINGHAM 4 CITY 0

GARY Jones, James Hanson, Rory McArdle, Billy Clarke, Filipe Morais, Jon Stead – names sure to stir the blood in every City fan.

An impressive team sheet from the club’s recent pomp and all back in the building at Valley Parade on Tuesday to pay tribute to Stephen Darby, another driving force behind the modern-day success.

Now compare with the sorry, shivering bunch who rolled over meekly in deepest Kent. And shake your head bitterly.

Proof of how far Bradford City have crashed will be on display for all to see when those figures who made such famous memories will be rolled out again.

The only similarity with the City of October 2018 is the club badge – and there are very few right now who are fit to wear it.

This lot are unrecognisable from those who breathed such pride into the Bantams and made them a footballing fairy-tale that was known around the world.

The present set-up is fast becoming a laughing stock – a riches-to-rags story that seems to be hurtling to only one conclusion.

David Hopkin talked during the week about how vital it was for City to “stay in touch” with those immediately above them before the potential sanctuary of the January transfer window.

That in itself looks a mighty task on the evidence of the shocking surrender of the second half at Gillingham.

Hopkin refused to face the media afterwards but he was not the only one dumb-struck at how willingly his team capitulated from the moment the home side broke the deadlock.

The fact that City have still not managed a single point this season when the opposition have scored says all you need to know about the collective backbone.

Like a boxer with a chin of finest glass, hit them once and they’re out for the count, slithering down the ropes, knees turned to jelly, resistance futile.

They are not helped by a powder puff punch – chance after gilt-edged chance spurned before the inevitable implosion once the retaliation arrives.

A massive week, Hopkin had described the clashes with Rochdale, Coventry and Gillingham. The result? Three defeats and 10 goals conceded.

The gap to safety is four points – as many as City have mustered in the Scot’s 10 games in charge.

But Saturday was something else against a team whose form guide had looked just as barren.

One win in 12 against one win in 11 – even Eddie Hearn would have had his work cut out selling this one.

By the end of it, Gillingham had the swagger of Anthony Joshua having blown away their worries with a flurry of goals that left the Bantams dazed and destroyed.

Home boss Steve Lovell had been feeling the heat after a midweek loss at Plymouth that left his chairman promising free tickets for those away fans who had suffered it.

He’d even sent a couple of players home from training because he felt their attitude was dragging down the squad.

Hopkin hasn’t got that luxury because of the on-going lack of numbers. But the dressing room looks a broken one.

Lovell’s post-match sympathy for his coaching compatriot was heartfelt because he knew the score. Pretty much every other manager can see the problems that make the Valley Parade helm so uncomfortable.

Stefan Rupp’s “vote of confidence” message on Friday afternoon indicated that he will be making his first appearance of the season at the club he jointly owns in the coming weeks.

But the anger against him and Edin Rahic increases by the day as the stark reality of City’s situation hits home.

How has it come to this?

Hopkin’s arm was tied so far behind his back on Saturday that he had to pick a subs bench that included four players with one solitary game between them.

Sean Scannell was nowhere to be seen at the end of his suspension, apparently failing a fitness test on his back. Joe Riley, the only available right back, was also missing in action with a slight thigh injury.

It meant yet another enforced reshuffle of the resources on hand – the City tactics board continues to resemble a Rubik’s Cube with all the twisting and turning involved to try to solve the puzzle.

And yet for the first 45 minutes, the Bantams produced one of the more confident displays of this thoroughly miserable campaign.

Gillingham played their part by allowing them plenty of space to use the ball and the chances stacked up. Chances that were entirely squandered.

Luke O’Neill saved the hosts with two timely interventions in front of his own goal as City set the early pace.

Jack Payne clocked up the shots and Eoin Doyle somehow contrived to miss from a couple of yards out when Lewis O’Brien’s low cross struck his standing leg.

Josh Wright should also have scored against the team he once captained but put a free header straight at the giant but flappy Tomas Holy in the Gills net.

The customary slice of bad luck followed when David Ball nodded in from close range – only for the assistant to flag it away for a marginal offside.

You sensed that the Bantams had blown their opportunity as the half finished goalless. So it proved.

Gillingham, ordered by Lovell to “play in their faces” during the break, needed only three minutes to deliver a killer blow of their own as Regan Charles-Cook fired through Richard O’Donnell.

The City keeper hit back by saving a penalty from Tom Eaves but the striker had his goal soon after as he powered home at the near post from Darren Oldaker’s long pass.

Sub Elliott List, one of those rollicked after Gillingham’s Home Park horror show, needed only three minutes from his introduction from the bench to net a third. It was too simple, taking the ball off Hope Akpan and easing past Thomas Isherwood’s half-hearted challenge.

Eaves could have had five as Gillingham attacked at will – City had simply wilted.

But he did claim his seventh goal in the last nine games when he easily turned home Barry Fuller’s cross. The sorry second half was complete.

At least City fans have the chance to wallow in the nostalgia of far happier times this week with the reunion of characters they were proud to call their own.

“Lock them all in for the Portsmouth game” suggested one supporter on Twitter. There are a lot worse ideas than that.