One of the many things that make soccer special are the twin concepts of promotion and relegation. They add so much drama to a sport filled with it, whether you’re the team clinching a move up to the next tier or commiserating the end of an era and sinking down to the level below you. Saturday’s scenes in English League Two, involving Bradford City, were the perfect illustration of just what it means to go up.
Bradford City have experienced their fair share of both in their 122-year history, but Saturday’s promotion clinch with a 1-0 home win over Fleetwood Town marks another unforgettable moment for Bantams fans worldwide.
I mean, how amazing is this?
ABSOLUTE BEDLAM IN BRADFORD 😱😱😱
THE SCENES. IMMACULATE. ❤️
Bradford City secure their promotion to EFL League One with a stoppage time goal over Fleetwood Town 👏 pic.twitter.com/VoDthtKreM
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) May 3, 2025
Saturday’s burst of emotion came after a truly rollercoaster season. Bradford City were in 12th place on Christmas Day 2024, with promotion just another word in the dictionary. Then, after 12 wins and one draw from their next 15 games, the Bantams surged up to second place, only for a run of two wins and three draws in their next 10 games to put everything on the line heading into Saturday’s final round of games.
In third place before kickoff, the math was simple: match or better what fourth-place Walsall could do at Port Vale in order to clinch that third and final automatic promotion spot to League One. Walsall took the lead in their game at Port Vale with 30 minutes left, putting them in third place while Bradford and Fleetwood were locked at 0-0 going into second-half injury time.
Then, in the 96th minute — literally the last minute of injury time — Andoni Sarcevic deflected a shot by teammate George Lapslie beyond Fleetwood Town goalkeeper Jay Lynch, sending the home fans into absolute delirium. The pitch was invaded by fans who couldn’t resist getting an early start on celebrations, which prompted a game stoppage of 15 minutes in order to clear the field of supporters and debris before referee Martin Coy could finish the game as planned.
Sarcevic is no stranger to promotion, with EIGHT in his 14-year career: twice at Chester and Plymouth Argyle, once with Fleetwood Town, Bolton Wanderers, Stockport County and now Bradford City. (By contrast, Bradford City have only been promoted nine times in club history.) Also, it marks the club’s first promotion since 2013, when they escaped League Two under Phil Parkinson, the mastermind behind Wrexham’s remarkable back-to-back-to-back promotions from 2022-25.
Isn’t this what soccer’s all about?
