Bradford City new boy Steve Davies has high expectations of his new side this season.
Speaking to the Telegraph and Argus, Davies has highlighted the play-offs as something that should certainly be an aim for the club this year, and something that is certainly possible, he believes.
Bradford have what it takes to make the play-offs
The striker told the local paper that the fans have "every right to expect a play-off place this season," saying it will be a "travesty" if City do not finish in the top six.
Davies spent the end of last season on loan with Sheffield United, who made the play-offs but were knocked out by Swindon Town, who then went on to be defeated by Preston North End in the final at Wembley. Going by his first impressions at Bradford, Davies believes that there is little difference in quality between his new club and Sheffield United, and so City really should make those play-offs.
He admitted that, whilst "there are some very good players at Sheffield United," he doesn't think "there is any more in their squad than [in] the one [City have] got."
City finished one place and four points off the play-offs last season, their cup runs perhaps taking their toll as they entered the all important final weeks of the season. The race for promotion was extremely tight though and the 27-year-old striker is expecting more of the same this season, though he is "sure" that Bradford will be one of the "number of teams up there" challenging for the play-offs.
Davies is hopeful of playing a key role to help City have a successful season too, as he has "ambitions to play for the best teams" and stressed that this "hasn't changed just because [he's] dropped down a division." He believes that Bradford "should be up there" "at the highest level," where Davies himself "want[s] to play."
The striker said it would be "perfect" if he could "take Bradford back up [to the Championship]" and is confident that the team have "got a chance" having "look[ed] at the players" the club have and having "listen[ed] to the manager's plans."
Incredible support to play a part
Having joined Bradford from Blackpool, Davies is "good mates" with another new signing this summer, Tony McMahon, who also came from the Seasiders. McMahon enjoyed a short loan spell with City last season and has informed his teammate that, during the 2014-15 campaign, Valley Parade "was buzzing."
This is another factor that can help drive Bradford towards "get[ting] out of League One," which Davies has stressed has to be "the main aim." City have sold over 17,500 season tickets already this summer, and are believed to be on their way to even passing 18,000.
The club's average home attendance last year was 15,639, whilst their average in the their first Premier League season in 1999-2000 was only 18,030, so to pass this number would be an incredible boost and surely help the club make Valley Parade a fortress this season.