Bradford City fans saw their team win automatic promotion for the first time since 1999
Bradford City claimed a dramatic late victory over Fleetwood Town to win promotion to League One after six seasons.
It looked like the Bantams, who started the day in third, were destined to drop into the play-offs but Antoni Sarcevic redirected a George Lapslie shot into the bottom corner with just seconds to play.
Elated home fans then streamed on to the pitch and it took over 15 minutes for the game to then be completed, with the players initially being taken off the field.
The final whistle was blown shortly after they returned to the pitch to allow the celebrations to begin in earnest.
They join Doncaster and Port Vale in being automatically promoted to League One.
Promotion-specialist Sarcevic comes up trumps
The Bantams went into the final game of the season in third, knowing that they they would go up as long as they bettered Walsall's result at Crewe.
With mid-table Fleetwood having only pride to play for and Bradford boasting the best home record in the league it looked to be a mere formality.
However, the home side were indebted to goalkeeper Sam Walker keeping out a Matty Virtue effort in the first half as the away side nearly took the lead.
Calum Kavanagh's header was turned on to the crossbar at the other end before the break as Bradford looked for a goal to cool nerves both on and off the pitch.
Those nerves were made worse when news of Walsall's opener at Crewe filtered through and, despite having the lion's share of possession, the home side struggled to mount a serious challenge on the Fleetwood goal.
With time running out, defender Jack Shepherd was sent up front and he saw a well-hit volley hit the post before Sarcevic somehow fired over from close range.
Just when it looked like their top-three hopes were over, however, promotion-specialist Sarcevic - who has now gone up a remarkable eight times in his career -stuck a leg out at Lapslie's mis-hit shot.
The club could well find themselves fined as fans entered the field in celebration, but the match eventually concluded and Bradford's 26-year wait for an automatic promotion is over.
Bantams can party like it's 1999
Bradford City boss Graham Alexander has led the club to a first promotion since Phil Parkinson in 2013
Boss Graham Alexander won the division's manager of the year award at the EFL awards on Sunday after overseeing a great turnaround in their season.
The West Yorkshire side were 12th on Christmas Day after a 3-0 defeat at Notts County on 21 December but a club-record run of 10 straight home victories set them on their way for their first automatic promotion since 1999.
Alexander replaced Mark Hughes as Bradford boss in November 2023 and led them to a strong end to last season, as they finished two points outside the play-offs.
Hopes were raised for a promotion push this campaign but they struggled for consistency in the first half of the season and the 3-0 loss at Meadow Lane left them closer to the bottom two than then-league leaders Walsall after 20 matches.
However, they bounced back from the dismal showing in the East Midlands with eight wins in their following 10 league games, despite losing top scorer Andy Cook to a season-ending knee injury on 1 January.
Home form, so often their Achilles heel in previous seasons, has been key to their success and Saturday's stunning victory means they end with 17 home successes from 23 matches.
The 10-match run was brought to a surprise end by struggling Tranmere on 15 March but, boosted by reduced price tickets, they bounced back in front of their fourth-tier record attendance of 23,381 with a thumping 4-1 win over Colchester the following week.
With previous runaway table-toppers Walsall floundering, the 2-0 home victory over play-off chasing Crewe on Saturday, 5 April saw the Bantams end a day on top of a league table for the first time since September 2008.
Oddly, those home successes were their only two victories in a run of 10 games going into the final day as the pressure looked to weigh on the team.
Thankfully for their long-suffering fans, Sarcevic's intervention came just in time and they will now hope to carry this momentum into next season and a first third-tier campaign since 2018-19.
A promotion for the city as well as City - Analysis
BBC Radio Leeds' Bradford City reporter Jamie Raynor
The scale of what Graham Alexander and his staff have achieved should not be understated.
Home form has often been the failing of Alexander's predecessors. Yet in the 2024-25 season, Valley Parade has become a fortress, boasting the third best points return in the EFL behind Championship winners Leeds United and runaway League One champions Birmingham City.
The fans believe in the players and are once again proud to support their club.
2025 was always going to be a big year for Bradford.
The title of UK City of Culture has offered hopes of future prosperity, while the region remembers one of its darkest days with the 40th anniversary of the Valley Parade Fire disaster.
This promotion represents more than just footballing achievement. It shines a light on Bradford. It brings together the city's past, present and future. It's a moment for the region just as much as it is for the club.
Its people deserve this moment and it serves as a firm reminder what a simple game of football can do for the area it represents.
