Bradford City manager Gary Bowyer is starting to show real signs of transforming the Bantams' mentality and get the club into a very strong position to challenge for promotion from League 2 this season.

The Bantams endured a torrid campaign last term, suffering 27 league defeats as they finished bottom of League 1 nine points adrift of safety, with Bradford getting off to a poor start under Michael Collins before he was sacked in September, and his replacement David Hopkin failed to transform the losing mentality in the squad despite some improved displays, meaning the club were all but relegated when Bowyer replaced Hopkin in March.

Bowyer used his time in charge towards the back end of last season to assess which of his players he could take forward into a challenging League 2 campaign this term, and also identifying areas in the squad that was in desperate need of improvement ahead of the new season.

Bradford are now beginning to reap the rewards from that with Bowyer managing to get together a squad of players who are capable of turning around the Bantams' losing mentality, and that has enough quality to make them strong contenders to mount a promotion challenge this campaign.

The Bantams, as was probably to have been expected, made a slow start to the season with two successive and frustrating draws against Cambridge United and Grimsby Town in their first two games, before they managed to record promising-looking victories at home to Oldham Athletic and away to Stevenage.

However, that was followed by back to back defeats at home to Forest Green Rovers and away at Crewe Alexandra, which would have been leaving Bradford's supporters wondering whether the Bantams were still suffering from a lack of belief and confidence from last season.

Bowyer's side, though, have swiftly put any doubts to one side by claiming three wins in their last four League 2 matches, including a 3-1 win against Carlisle United at Valley Parade last time out which showed Bradford's character to come from behind and still earn a vital three points, meaning the Bantams have climbed to 6th place heading into Saturday's clash at struggling Scunthorpe United.

That highlights the fine job Bowyer has done at the start of the season in helping to instill a winning mentality and a resilience into his squad, which added to with the quality players they possess in the likes of James Vaughan, Clayton Donaldson and Harry Pritchard to name just a few gives the Bantams a real opportunity to battle for promotion this term.

It is important now that Bradford begin to consistently show their quality and manage to go on a positive run of form to cement themselves as promotion contenders, so far Bowyer deserves real credit for turning around the losing mentality from last year and having done so the Bantams could now be a real force in League 2.