Exclusive: Bradford City play-off claim made - what is "really promising" highlighted | OneFootball

The Bantams have made a fine start to life back in League One

Don Goodman believes there is every chance that Bradford City could mount a bid for the League One play-offs after an impressive start to the 2025/26 season.

The Bantams enjoyed a strong end to the League Two campaign last term, which resulted in a dramatic final-day promotion-clinching success over Fleetwood Town at Valley Parade, and Graham Alexander's side have continued such positive momentum whilst also making an array of shrewd dealings in the transfer market.

On paper, City had been handed several tricky assignments upon their return to the third-tier for the first time in six years, but they have passed the majority with flying colours, and such performance levels and results have only increased expectations regarding what might be possible when the season reaches its conclusion in May.

Don Goodman issues exciting Bradford City, play-off prediction after unbeaten League One start

Bradford are currently one of just four teams to have maintained their unbeaten records following the conclusion of the season's first four matchdays, alongside Stevenage, Barnsley and freshly-relegated Cardiff City.

City kickstarted the campaign with a victory over Wycombe Wanderers before a goalless draw away to Northampton Town - a game which they were still the dominant force. Since then, they have also defeated promotion favourites Luton Town and Stockport County, with the latter also making last season's play-off semi-finals alongside the aforementioned Chairboys.

Prior to their promotion success, Goodman told FLW that Bradford "could certainly be challenging in the top half." Now, after watching Alexander's side put three sides expected to challenge for the top-six to the sword, as well as defeating Blackburn Rovers of the Championship at Ewood Park in the EFL Cup, the former City striker believes that they could make a run for the play-offs themselves.

"The early signs are really, really promising for Bradford City," Goodman exclusively stated to FLW in his new claim.

"Obviously, I said just a couple of weeks ago, that them consolidating themselves somewhere in the middle of League One would be an excellent season.

"But, when you look at the calibre of the teams they've already got positive results against, maybe they can aim higher and be play-off contenders," he claimed.

"They've already beaten Luton, Stockport in the last game, started off beating Wycombe Wanderers, and the only one they'd be disappointed with is drawing away at Northampton, but even then, they were the dominant force in terms of chances created and shots at goal, and they dumped Blackburn Rovers out of the EFL Cup.

"It's all looking really positive, and I'd be silly, really, if I were to say I don't think they could do it because they've proved, in the early exchanges, that they're going to be a really competitive team in League One this season, and I'm really pleased about that," Goodman concluded.

Bradford City have shown they don't fear any opposition in League One

As Goodman alluded to, the signs are there that Bradford can at least assert themselves as a highly-respected outfit in League One, which stems from the quality of players they had in League Two capable of making the immediate step-up alongside smart recruitment and a vastly experienced manager at the level in Alexander.

Both they and Doncaster Rovers have showcased how to immediately make a mark on the division after promotion, although Grant McCann's men came slightly unstuck against Huddersfield Town at the Accu Stadium. However, Bradford also have an advantage of an extremely large following at the level, with Valley Parade a notoriously hard place for any side to take points from, and that has already been shown in the opening two encounters.

City also continued to show the determination which runs through the squad in the victory against Stockport, rectifying a below-par opening period to claim all three points against a side who some have tipped to go one better than last season's exploits.

It remains to be seen whether such form can be consistently maintained in the remaining 42 games, but if it continues in the coming weeks, Goodman will have every right to believe his claim regarding one of his former clubs may just come to fruition.