Bradford will bid to complete one of the biggest upsets in the history of English football this weekend in the Capital One Cup final against odds-on favourites Swansea, but winger Garry Thompson would prefer to win promotion.
Phil Parkinson's npower League Two side have already been labelled the biggest giant-killers of them all after a fairytale journey that has led them to Wembley. Thompson cannot wait for his day in the sun, but when pressed if he had to choose between more cup glory and promotion, the 32-year-old leans towards the club's longer-term plan.
"I think I probably would swap it all (for promotion)," said Thompson, who struck Bradford's opening goal in the quarter-final upset over Arsenal.
"That's what we set out to achieve at the start of the season. Promotion was the aim. The cup run has been absolutely brilliant for the players and Bradford's fans, to go and have their day out. But that's all it is. It's a day out and we want to spend the rest of next season in League One."
Cup fever has gripped the city with Bantams fans camping out overnight in the snow last week to snap up the last remaining tickets - 32,000 will head to Wembley - but Thompson is taking it all in his stride.
He has the benefit of two previous trips to Wembley with former clubs Morecambe, in the Conference play-off final in 2007, and Scunthorpe, in the League One play-off final two years later.
"Swansea are an excellent passing side," said Thompson. "I think they've been compared to Arsenal and obviously having watched Match of the Day and you see some of the goals they score, they are a good footballing team. But it's 11 men versus 11 men and that's how we look at it.
"We won't be scared of what they can do, it's all about what we do on the day. We don't have to say anything about who we've beaten to get here to be honest. Everyone knows what we've done.
"When you beat Wigan at their place and beat a team like Arsenal and then you go through against Aston Villa over two legs, what bigger hurdle is there to get over?
"It will be amazing. We just need to make sure nerves don't get the better of us and we go out there and play our football and stay in the game as long as possible. There's no reason why we can't go there and win."
Source: PA
