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Bradford City
League One Playoffs | Final
May 20, 2017 at 3pm UK
 
Millwall logo

0-1

FT(HT: 0-0)
Morison (86')

Preview: Bradford City vs. Millwall

Sports Mole previews the League One playoff final clash between Bradford City and Millwall at Wembley.

Bradford City and Millwall head to Wembley in the League One playoff final with the sides having faced each other during the semi-finals of the promotion gauntlet last term.

That campaign saw Millwall win out before losing to Barnsley in the final, leaving City with the chance to enact the sweetest of revenge tales by earning progression into the Championship this time around.


Bradford City

Billy Clarke of Bradford City rises for the ball with Bruce Wilson of Chesham United during The Emirates FA Cup Second Round match between Bradford City and Chesham United at Coral Windows Stadium, Valley Parade on December 6, 2015 in Bradford, England.© Getty Images

The Bantams come into the final looking for retribution after being eliminated from last season's playoff semi-final by the Lions, who eventually went on to lose against Barnsley.

City might feel that they have the slight edge over Millwall going into the game, after finishing one place and six points above the Londoners at the end of the regular season.

Bradford boss Stuart McCall could have history on his side come the weekend, though, considering that Bradford have won promotion on both of the occasions they reached playoff finals in any league - first against Notts County in 1996 before pushing past Northampton Town in 2013.

Many Bradford fans will be looking towards Charlie Wyke in this contest. The youngster has been directly involved in more goals in all competitions than any other Bradford player, having only made his debut back in February.

City showed enough steel last time out as they built on a 1-0 first-leg victory over Fleetwood Town with a goalless draw at Highbury Stadium in order to secure their progression to Wembley.

Recent form: DWDWLW


Millwall

Shaun Cummings celebrates scoring for Millwall against Leicester City on February 18, 2017© SilverHub

Millwall have been here and done this on many occasions, having featured in the playoffs four times in the last eight years.

Last season ended in heartache for the Lions as they were brushed aside 3-1 by Barnsley in the playoff final, preventing them from securing an instant return to the Championship following their relegation during the 2014-15 campaign.

Despite finishing one place below Bradford in the League One standings, the Lions have looked good value for money during their playoff run-in, whereby Lee Gregory and Steve Morison starred in their close-run elimination of Scunthorpe United in the semi-finals.

Gregory also has a fantastic record against the Bantams with three goals in his last three matches. The forward scored in both legs of the semi-final when Millwall dumped City out of the playoffs last term too.

Millwall will be aware that the side that finished sixth last season were able to secure promotion from the playoffs, although back-to-back promotions from sixth place in the third-tier playoffs has not occurred since 1997.

Recent form: WDWLLW


Team News

Lee Gregory of Millwall celebrates scoring against Bradford City at The Den on May 20, 2016© Getty Images

Neither side have any new injury concerns following their exploits in the semi-finals.

Wyke and Billy Clarke are likely to continue up top for Bradford, while further creativity will come from the likes of both Mark Marshall and Josh Cullen.

Millwall should keep much the same side that knocked out Scunthorpe, with Gregory and Morison featuring up top.

It is likely that Aiden O'Brien will also get the nod in attack, after being given a breather for the final 20 minutes of the Lions' semi-final decider.

Bradford City possible starting lineup:
Doyle; McMahon, McArdle, Knight-Percival, Meredith, Marshall, Vincelot, Cullen, Law, Clarke, Wyke

Millwall possible starting lineup:
Archer; Romeo, Webster, Hutchinson, Craig, Wallace, Abdou, Williams, O'Brien, Gregory, Morison


Head To Head

Contests have been tightly fought between the two clubs this campaign and each of their two meetings this term ended in 1-1 draws. Prior to those fixtures, Millwall claimed the edge over the Bantams by beating them across two legs in last season's playoff semi-final.


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We say: Bradford City 1-2 Millwall

Given the history between the two sides, this battle will be a close one to call. Millwall might think that they have the edge after what happened last season, while Neil Harris and his charges also have some vital experience in finals, despite losing the majority of them. With that in mind, the Lions might just snatch promotion by a slender margin.



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A general view of outside the ground before the Sky Bet League One match between Bradford City and Brentford at the Coral Windows Stadium on September 7, 2013
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