Alan Connell 'privileged' to play part in Bradford City history makers

HE WAS the unnoticed support act when Nahki Wells went off to a standing ovation with promotion secured at Wembley.

He sat unused on the bench through the Capital One Cup semi-finals and final.

But a decade on, Alan Connell still beams at the mention of City’s magical 2012/2013 campaign.

“I’m very proud to have played a part in the club’s history,” he said.

“I wasn’t a main player as it turned out because of the form of Nahki and James Hanson.

“But I think everyone over that season had a role at different times and, looking back, all my memories at Bradford City are amazing ones. I feel privileged to have had that success there.”

Connell started in 18 of City’s marathon 64-game schedule but only once, Wimbledon away on the eve of the Swansea showpiece, was he not in the 18.

Of his eight league goals, five came as a sub - and four of those within a 15-minute window of Phil Parkinson bringing him on. They accounted for two equalisers and two winners.

While rarely in the headlines himself, Connell’s contribution to the history-makers should not be underestimated.

“That impact is part and parcel of the modern game, even more so now with the five subs,” he added.

“What made that group special, and I’d like to think I contributed, was the character of the players.

“Phil Parkinson and Steve Parkin deserve huge credit not just for the players they brought in during the summer of 2012 but the people.

“We had a team of different ages but everyone was hungry for success. Something just clicked.

“When Bradford wanted to sign me, I knew it was such a big club. I remember them being in the Premier League when I was younger and I’d played there before as an away team.

“I was probably a little bit reluctant to move back up north after getting settled in the south again. But it was an opportunity I just couldn’t turn down - and one of the best decisions I made in my career.

“I had no injuries, so I was in every squad. There were a lot of minutes and great experiences.”

It was on the night-out to end their pre-season tour of Ireland that Connell first sensed this group was a bit special.

As the black stuff flowed among the players in Temple Bar in Dublin, he could feel the tight bond developing. A promotion winner previously from the division with Bournemouth and Swindon, his hunch was spot on.

Alan Connell came on for the last five minutes in the play-off final (Image: Newsquest)

“I knew at that moment that we had the right people. Something special was brewing.

“The club had had no real success for the previous decade and the supporters just identified with a real unit of players that gave everything.

“The fans got behind that and created such a special atmosphere.

“At times we were frustrated because we obviously wanted to play more. But we always backed our team-mates.

“Training was very competitive and everyone genuinely loved being with each other every day.

“I remember we did Exeter and Plymouth there and back in the space of a few days. We had so many nights in hotels.

“We trained at St George’s Park before Aston Villa and had a three-day build-up staying at the Grove leading up to the League Cup final. Then we were down at Wembley again for the play-off final, there were so many hotels.

“I’ve got some special and funny memories from all those times, not just on the pitch.

“Even though we’re all over the country now and don’t speak to each other a lot, when you do bump into someone it’s just like old times.”

Winning at Wigan was the moment things really took off for Connell as the players lapped up the first of what would be three Premier League scalps in a cup run that will never be matched.

“That was the point when everything snowballed. It felt like the group had been together for years rather than four or five months.

“All of a sudden, we were in the quarter-finals and that’s when it hit you. I was in the changing room afterwards, thinking to myself, ‘blimey, we’re in the last eight of a major competition’.

“We carried on that momentum and although we had that dip later in the season, we had another resurgence at the end and showed our resilience to get over the line.”

Even when City’s form inevitably wobbled in the aftermath of the League Cup final, Connell’s confidence did not waver. Parkinson’s squad were determined not to finish empty-handed.

“I did have faith with the manager and Steve Parkin. Even though it was frustrating at times, the togetherness they created and the healthy respect we had for each other meant the season was never going to fizzle out.

“If you’re playing for Bradford City, there’s no way you can allow that. You have to give everything, not just every game but in every single day in training.

“As players, we were well aware of the size of the club, its history and the responsibility we had with the city.

“That was a real motivating factor to keep going. We knew that with any momentum we could get, we’d have a big chance with that crowd behind us - as was proven right towards the end of the season.”