Lee’s backing fans to raise the roof

LEE Johnson expects Athletic’s fans to raise the roof at Boundary Park when Bradford City join battle on Sunday in front of what could be the biggest crowd of the season.

The Bantams are in a play-off spot in the league and around 2,500 visiting supporters are expected to come from West Yorkshire.

Athletic’s manager reckons that level of support will stimulate extra noise from the home faithful - who haven’t seen their team lose at Boundary Park since the opening month of the season.

Given excellent recent form and with out-of-touch Bradford in their sights, Johnson is keen to grind out another victory to creep closer to the top six.

“I am really looking forward to it. The atmosphere should be terrific — they are expecting to bring over 2,000 minimum - and that raises the voices of our own supporters,” said Johnson.

“Bradford are a difficult team to play. I respect their style. There are many ways to win football matches and they have found one that works for them. They are a real threat to the division. It is up to us to prove that we are, too.”

With Athletic only five points clear of the bottom four — though with a game in hand — Johnson is taking nothing as read: “It was disappointing at Shrewsbury, but we still looked solid as a team,” he said

“We were a bit tired going into that game. It isn’t even the games themselves but the travelling. It can get you into a sluggish mode that’s hard to shake off.”.

James Dayton is expected to be fit to start, in a side likely to otherwise resemble that which finished the game at Greenhous Meadow on Tuesday.