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Club News

WE WILL NEED ALL OF THE SQUAD

5 February 2015

Club News

WE WILL NEED ALL OF THE SQUAD

5 February 2015

Bantams boss Phil Parkinson says he is confident pretty much all of his squad will be needed over the coming weeks as City prepare to begin their mammoth forthcoming fixture schedule.

Kicking things off with a trip to Port Vale this Saturday and then a televised home match with Milton Keynes Dons the following Monday, Parkinson's men are set to play 13 games in the next 43 days.

The busy run of games will see City play twice a week until 21 March.

With such a hectic period in the season on the horizon for Parkinson and his side then, the City chief knows every player in the camp will have their part to play. 

This could mean a recall into the side either against Port Vale or MK Dons for the likes of Mark Yeates and Billy Clarke, both of whom lost their place in the side through injury around the turn of the year but are now fully fit.

Parkinson said: "It is a big run coming up for us.

"We have a big eight days really for the club. Obviously our main focus is on Port Vale on Saturday, but we also have a Sky game at home (vs Milton Keynes Dons) on the Monday and then the (F.A) cup game on the following Sunday against Sunderland.

"It is an exciting period for the club but, as I say, our focus in purely on Port Vale at the moment.

"We want to start this period off in good fashion. If we play like we did in the second half against Colchester United, we'll give ourselves every chance.

"We will pick the best team possible we feel for Port Vale and then decide on what is best for Milton Keynes when we come in for training on the Sunday.

"This is a period where everybody will be used.

"There are players like Mark Yeates and Billy Clarke who lost their place in the side through injury and have been unlucky perhaps not to get back in the team. Everyone will be utilised now though.

"We have brought Gary MacKenzie in from Blackpool to add to what we have already because I feel we will need everybody over this forthcoming busy period."

City's visit to Vale Park - home to one of the biggest pitches in the league - will be the Bantams' ninth match with the Valiants since Parkinson's arrival at the club roughly three and a half years ago.

Parkinson added: "They are a team we know well - we have always had tight occasions against them.

"Even going back to when we were both in League 2, we always had honest, committed encounters against Port Vale, and I am looking forward to this one.

"We will think carefully about the team selection for this one because we need to pick a side that is athletic enough to cover the ground.

"All of the supporters coming to the game on Saturday, I know they will understand the importance of this game. Hopefully they can continue the fantastic away support they showed us at Chelsea a couple of weeks ago."

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