CHARLIE Wyke’s exit from Wigan got the rumour mill running among excited City fans.

So too did the news that Peterborough have transfer-listed Romoney Crichlow.

There’s nothing like the sight of a former Bantam back on the market to stir up interest at this quiet time of year.

Would you take either of them back if the club were keen on a nostalgia trip?

Just for a bit of fun during the silly season, here’s a “bring them home” team made up of ex-City players who have been made available by their clubs.

GK: SAM HORNBY

Hornby spent two-and-a-half years with Colchester after leaving Valley Parade initially on loan on deadline day in January 2022.

The 29-year-old, who made 32 appearances in a City shirt, had a brief loan spell at Solihull Moors last season before U’s boss Danny Cowley brought him back to the starting line-up for the final five games as the Essex side beat the drop.

CH: KELVIN MELLOR

Not one of the most popular City signings of the recent era but the defender has enjoyed regular lower-league football elsewhere since.

After spells with Morecambe, Carlisle and Crewe, Mellor spent last season playing for Accrington Stanley.

He made 26 appearances in total – although was not involved in either defeat to the Bantams – but was left out of the squad for their final five games.

CH: ADAM THOMPSON

Remember the former Northern Ireland international who had a 14-game loan stint at Valley Parade under Stuart McCall for the first half of the 2017/2018 campaign?

Thompson was a League Two title winner with Leyton Orient in 2023 without being a regular choice for Richie Wellens.

He spent last season on loan at Barnet in the National League as they finished second and missed out on promotion.

CH: ROMONEY CRICHLOW

Monday’s announcement by Peterborough that Crichlow was up for sale produced some waves among the City fanbase.

Crichlow was a popular figure in the Mark Hughes team that got to the play-offs. Who could forget that dramatic late winner at Northampton which had us all briefly dreaming of the top three?

He is halfway through the two-year deal he signed with League One Posh but has been told by Darren Ferguson he can go for a price after making 32 appearances.

DM: JIM O’BRIEN

The 2018/2019 relegation nightmare was best forgotten but O’Brien did make an impression with his no-nonsense approach in midfield in a short stay.

The Irishman spent the next five years with Notts County and played a big part in their return from non-league in 2023.

O’Brien played 166 times for the Magpies and was even placed in interim joint charge after boss Luke Williams suddenly left for Swansea in January.

RM: JORDAN GIBSON

The winger became a pantomime villain figure with City fans after he left for Carlisle – and never held back with goal celebrations whenever the teams met.

Gibson was top scorer last season for the Cumbrians as they crashed straight back to League Two with a club record number of defeats.

He netted a hat-trick in their most memorable result of a miserable year when they shocked Bolton in October.

CM: LEE EVANS

The man whose goal booked City’s play-off ticket in Phil Parkinson’s final season has just returned from a series of long-term knee injuries.

That saw the Wales international leave Ipswich after two and a half years with the Tractor Boys.

As a free agent, Evans signed a short-term deal with League One champions Portsmouth at the start of March. He played four times, including in their promotion-clinching win over Barnsley.

CM: CALLUM COOKE

Having made 112 appearances for the Bantams, Cooke joined Hartlepool following his release in 2022.

He played 76 times on his return to his native north-east and featured in 35 National League games last season.

But the arrival of new boss Darren Sarll saw several experienced faces moved on.

LM: ABO EISA

Winger Eisa began last season at Grimsby with a bang after an injury-ravaged two-year spell with City.

He netted five goals in a six-game spell – with a couple of long-range belters. But Eisa played less for the Mariners as the season wore on and his last appearance was in mid-March.

F: LEE ANGOL

Angol returned to his south London roots from Valley Parade in January 2023 and went on to play 57 times for Sutton, scoring six goals.

Most famously, he fluffed a penalty on his return to BD8 during that first season.

He went on loan to Woking in March but played just 15 minutes in one sub appearance in the National League.

F: CHARLIE WYKE

Just imagine peak Charlie Wyke back in a City shirt after leaving Wigan!

Wyke’s three-year spell with the Latics finished with a half-season loan at Rotherham.

He scored once for the Championship basement boys – the decisive goal against Millwall in his only winning appearance.

Wyke, who scored 23 goals in his 18 months with the Bantams, hit five in the first five games for Wigan last season to win League One player of the month for August.