Confidence restored for City play-off push

BRADFORD CITY defender Nathaniel Knight-Percival admits reputations are on the line as the club try to recover lost ground in the race for the play-offs.

The Bantams avoided an unwanted club record at the weekend by edging out Gillingham to end an 82-day wait for a league win.

With results elsewhere largely going for the Yorkshire club, manager Simon Grayson’s men head into Thursday’s televised encounter with Blackburn Rovers with renewed belief that a top-six place can be claimed.

“I am still confident,” said Knight-Percival about City trailing sixth-placed Peterborough United by four points.

“We have got enough games left to be able to make a play-off push.

“It is tight at the top for that last play-off place. For us it is just a case of going into games with confidence and hoping we can get some results.

“When you haven’t won in so many games confidence can be low, but we have enough good players to be able to pull through and deal with the tough times.”

Grayson, who will welcome back top-scorer Charlie Wyke at Ewood Park, has continually warned his squad that their futures will be decided by performances during the run-in.

“It is a big challenge for everyone in the team,” said KnightPercival. “But we have got to give our all in these last games to push for that last play-off spot.

“You are playing for your own reputation as well so don’t want to be under-performing.

“We are giving it everything in training and games and will do until the last kick of the season. Now (after Gillingham) we have to kick on and go on a run. We have got that result now and, hopefully, things will change from there. We all believe that.”