Harry Lewis loves stick from home fans on Bradford City away days

But a particularly clued-up Gillingham fan made him enjoy last week’s victory even more than usual.

City’s form on their travels has been exceptional with nine wins going into another week of back-to-back road trips.

Lewis loves the confrontational edge to taking points from someone else’s backyard particularly as the goalkeeper, being the closest player to the crowd, has usually copped the most stick from the home support.

He’s pretty much heard it all as City’s one ever-present this season - until the Priestfield Stadium banter took it to a new level.

“Gillingham was fantastic,” he laughed. “I got some great abuse from behind the goal.

“It was heavily-researched abuse! They knew how many games I’d played in the Scottish Championship and how many times I sat on the bench for Southampton.

“I loved it. To win those games is so sweet.

“There’s something about going to someone else’s ground and ruining the day for their fans.

“Maybe we thrive on a bit of abuse - I don’t want to say that in case people at Valley Parade start having a go!

“But I’m here for all that. Football fans are great and they are a massive part of this game.

“At our core, we are all one.

“In our dressing room there are (Man) United fans who are obviously going to be a little bit quiet after what’s just happened.

“We’re all football fans and I like to think we all love playing. We get to do it for a job - there are worse things you could do.”

Lewis has been positive about City’s chances throughout. But with five wins out of six going into tomorrow’s clash at Walsall, he can sense the optimism is spreading fast.

“Things are great. I can’t speak for everyone but I think people are starting to believe.

“I like to think I’ve believed all along but maybe others are looking at the league table and thinking, ‘wait a minute, maybe this lot can pull this off’.

“I had a conversation with the gaffer after the Mansfield home game and said that I think we do better when we play Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday, Tuesday.

“Nothing against his training but when you play that often you face problems and have to sort them out there and then. It’s easier to go on a bit of a run.

“Remember back to December when we went weeks without games and it was really hard to get into a rhythm. So, I think this busy schedule has really helped us.”

The elation at the final whistle on Saturday was something special for all concerned. Lewis was as wrapped up in the scenes as anyone.

Harry Lewis has played every minute of the season so far (Image: Bradford City FC)

But with Walsall tomorrow and then Newport, there is no time for resting on laurels.

Lewis warned: “We’re five wins out of six but we can’t afford to sit back thinking how nice it was on Saturday and Andy (Cook) has scored another goal. We don’t have time to think like that.

“All we’ve got to do is be relentless. There are 13 games left of the season and we’ve got to win a lot of them.

“There’s a lot riding on each one and that showed with the outpouring of emotion when Andy got his goal on Saturday.”

They say a mark of a good team is finding a way to win when they haven’t played particularly well. City had mustered only one shot on target going into the double salvo in stoppage time.

Lewis was delighted to get “another monkey off the back” - however late on.

“The Stevenage game was the first time that we’d come from behind to win a game and then there was Saturday.

“We haven’t been as good at Valley Parade as we have away, for whatever reason. That’s just a fact.

“We’ve had a couple of 0-0s at home and you were thinking, ‘oh no, we’ve let all these people down and this fantastic support’. But we found a way to do it.

“If that doesn’t tell you that there’s something special about this team and that the spirit and confidence among the lads is sky high then nothing will.

“This stage of the season is all about bottle. It’s a test of all the teams who are up there.

“It’s who can deal with the pressure and beat those teams you are expected to?

Harry Lewis saves a penalty in the home win over Walsall (Image: Thomas Gadd)

“We’ve got to go to Rochdale yet, who on paper we should beat. But there are no easy wins at this stage.

“All the logic pointed to Stevenage beating them at the weekend and look what happened.”

That’s why he will not be drawn in by the fact that Walsall are without a win since New Year’s Day - a barren run that has included seven draws.

“As a man who enjoys a stat I know they’ve conceded the second lowest amount of goals in the league - 29, the same as us.

“They don’t have a leaky defence and they get a lot of draws. They haven’t won for a while but that can be quite misleading, especially at this stage.

“Fatigue will creep in from our side. A few lads have had a lot of minutes and we’ve had the same team playing the last three.

“But what really impressed me on Saturday was showing how strong this squad is.

“My mate Easty (Ryan East) comes on for the last half hour and I think he’s been brilliant every time he’s been called upon.

“He’s a credit to himself and the attitude he brings every day when he’s been in and out the side. He’s so dependable.

“Banksy (Scott Banks) comes on and gets his goal and I’m absolutely delighted for him. Chappy (Harry Chapman) put the ball in for Andy’s header.

“The guys waiting in the wings are ready. That keeps standards high when you’ve got someone breathing down your neck and they come on and show how good they are.

“The gaffer keeps saying it but we’re going to need everybody. There are 13 massive games to go.”