Jordan Gibson was delighted to be back in a City shirt after featuring in the Bantams’ opening pre-season outing - at Guiseley.
The winger, who spent half of last season on loan at Stevenage, appeared in the second half of a 2-0 victory at Nethermoor Park.
And the midfielder believes both he and his team-mates are beginning to reap the rewards of an intense two weeks of pre-season training.
He said: “The last couple of weeks we have been working really hard in training, with a lot of running.
“It is great to get 45 minutes under our belts - and a win - to begin our pre-season campaign.
“The first couple of days of training were tough but it has paid off. We came in very well prepared.
“You always need to blow a few cobwebs off over the first few games, but everyone feels fit, strong and sharp. Overall, we played pretty well.”
Having spent the second half of last season away from the Northern Commercials Stadium, Gibson is determined to show his worth to manager Gary Bowyer.
The 21-year-old believes his loan spell taught him a lot and he is looking forward to working hard in pre-season to force his way into the manager's long-term plans.
Gibson added: “I am really pleased to be back in Bradford. I learned a lot on loan last season, which has really given me the drive to kick on this time around.
“Before I came back (from Stevenage), I thought long and hard about how much I wanted to push and prove myself this season.
“A good pre-season is vital. I needed to come back fit and show the manager what I could do because I was not here when he came in last season.
“It is a clean slate and I am determined to prove why I should be starting and make this season a good one."