“I felt he had the potential to make history with us and become more than just a statistic and we discussed this following the cup draw,” according to Sparks. “I told him we’d do everything we could and hoped he’d follow through. I had a strong feeling that this was his time.

“If you give it your all, leave no stone unturned, and we all work together, I believe we will have a very special season.” “Graham clearly felt that things became more serious about extending his contract after January or February. However, it has been on my mind since the beginning of the season.

“I felt that if we could get to a point where we are building, which I believe we are, I wanted to extend his and Chris’ contracts.

“It is not something I have personally done, and I believe it is a reflection of what we are building that Graham is among the top three or four longest-serving managers in the last three decades. That is a significant milestone.”

Graham Alexander smiling on City’s open-top bus parade (Image: Thomas Gadd)

Stuart McCall was the last City boss to be given a new contract in November 2020, the same day Sparks was promoted to chief executive.

McCall’s contract extension, overseen by Julian Rhodes, lasted only a few weeks before his dismissal.

Less than a year into Alexander’s reign, Sparks believed he had demonstrated enough ability to deal with both difficult and successful times to lead the club in the long run.

“Graham joined the club during a difficult period. The ship had been steadied by one of the players taking over for a short period of time, but the team lacked confidence.

“The club was still recovering from the disappointment of missing out on promotion that summer. “It was the best opportunity we’d had in years, and sometimes in life, not being rewarded for your efforts can be difficult for people to accept.

“We probably didn’t deal with it well enough within the four walls, and I believe that bled into the following season.

There was a slight hangover from it. “Graham came into the club, and there may not have been an initial bounce, but I wouldn’t attribute that to him.

But we eventually got things under control and began to climb the table. “We had two memorable unbeaten runs around Christmas and near the end of the season.

Ryan Sparks began discussing a deal before the FA Cup (Image: Thomas Gadd). “Unfortunately, as I told Graham, we gave away too many points in the first third of the season.

“We had a mountain to climb, but he led us to the final game in a much tougher division, where we were outspent by six to eight clubs, and, of course, to an EFL Trophy semi-final.

“I was impressed with Graham’s behaviour throughout. It’s simple to position yourself when things are going well. “But there was a difficult period for everyone at the club in March, and Graham had to deal with that.

“There are only a few successful managers in Bradford City’s recent history. “It takes a lot to weather and recover from storms at our club, and he did it.

“Graham deserves a lot of credit for the connection he’s built with the supporter base and the way together, the manager, the players and the supporters have made Valley Parade a fortress.” Alexander has expressed a desire to do things differently at City than in his previous managerial roles.

Sparks has undergone a transformation during his 21-month reign. “I believe the manager we appointed is different from the one we have now, and for the better.

“We had conversations when he first started, and I felt he needed to slightly adapt and change his thought processes.

I believe he did that without prompting. “He’s done as well in management as he did as a player. However, as we discussed during the interview process, he was joining a club whose season-ticket holders from his previous three jobs were still lower than ours combined.

Graham Alexander in front of thousands at Centenary Square. (Image: Thomas Gadd) “He had suffered a setback in his career by committing to MK Dons without the necessary backing or time.

“We’ve been observing Graham’s work for some time. I considered bringing Graham to Bradford in the past, but he chose to go to Motherwell to further develop himself. “That was a little frustrating for us at the time, but I guess for him, it was the right thing to do, and he probably learnt a lot from it.

“Most relationships are based on trust and understanding. Sometimes things can be difficult, and you’re not always on the same page but the key is coming back from them and that shows there is a bond.

“I spoke with Graham and Chris at the start about purchasing the right to stay here and do what you want. When that works, you’ll have the necessary validation to continue.

“That’s not something we control as a club because it’s a results-based business and, to be fair to Graham, his win percentage is sat at nearly 50 per cent.” The agreement was reached ahead of the new season to ensure that the manager’s future, as he enters the final year of his original contract, does not become a distraction in League One.

“It was part of the longer-term plan to have the manager secured,” according to Sparks.

“It’s obviously about the reward, but it’s also a reminder of the confidence and trust placed in him and Chris. It’s good for people to feel that way.

After signing their new contracts, Graham Alexander and Chris Lucketti joined City’s head of football operations, David Sharpe, and CEO Ryan Sparks. (Image:

Thomas Gadd) “We could have easily completed the new contract sooner.” But things needed to be sorted out, and we were focused on assembling a competitive squad. “I believe people noticed on Saturday that we might have. “We’re entering a division where we intend to be ambitious. I do not want the manager and his assistant to be concerned about their own employment situation.

“We want the manager and the players to give their all in every game. Any doubt that they have will not help.

“We share the same belief throughout the club. We let our employees express themselves and try to help them as much as we can. “I’ve never felt I needed to motivate Graham. We are very similar in that we work on our fear of failure and do not want to lose. “We want to succeed and do not see a limit to that.

If I had a manager in the seat giving me a list of reasons why the next steps are impossible, there would be no point in continuing.

“I believe it’s a watershed moment for the club. We want to keep building, so having structures in place, including the same manager and assistant, is critical. “The events of May 3 will live on in people’s memories. Some have told me it was the best day of their lives.

“Graham has played his part in that, and it’s critical that he understands that we expect more from him. “If you make people feel valued, they will go through any obstacle for you. That’s what we try to do with everyone at the club, and Graham is no exception.“Graham delivered on our expectations and created something memorable at Bradford City.

Few people can say that. “Now we throw down the gauntlet to see where he can take us in the next three seasons and beyond.”

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