THEY took the Bantams into the top flight for the first time in 77 years.

STUART McCALL kicks off our new series on City team-mates, as he gives the first part of his own personal assessment of the players from the glorious 1998-1999 season.

GARY WALSH

Walshy was a top-quality goalie who played a huge part in us getting promotion.

Everyone remembers the goals we scored but he was a big figure in our success. I wanted to give him some stick about thinning on top but he actually had a bit of hair back then!

He had a dry sense of humour and was one of those who just wanted to train.

He was intense in everything because he was so driven and Mark Prudhoe, the goalie coach, was good because he helped to lighten him up a bit.

STEPHEN WRIGHT

When Jagger (Paul Jewell) asked me about a right back, I had no hesitation in recommending Stephen.

He had a bad knee injury when I was at Rangers, otherwise I think he would have gone on to play for Scotland.

We had a car school because there were five of us living out Harrogate way, Whalley, Millsy, me, Beags and Wrighty.

He was a classy full back but the lads used to put round the rumour that we’d signed him because I needed a gardener!

I once told them that he used to do my garden when we were in Scotland and he’d get a lot of stick.

LEE TODD

He only played 14 games but was another footballing full back, who was clever on the ball.

He didn’t get off to a great start in the first game of the season against Stockport, his old team.

It was a bit like me because I got injured and then he gave a penalty away.

He got some stick afterwards in the dressing room with people telling him, ‘You play for Bradford now not Stockport!’

He had a few injuries that season but, like Wrighty, he’d give you quality from the full back areas.

DARREN MOORE

Mooro played all but one game that season – Jagger left him out of our third-to-last game against QPR. He took it like a real pro.

Westy played, scored and then got sent off so Daz went straight back in.

You could see his determination on the pitch but he was a gentle giant off it.

We went to Spain after we got promotion and he was our minder. We’d have a drink in one bar and then it would be time to move on – Mooro would shout, ‘Bradford City lads with us’ and everyone followed him.

ANDY O’BRIEN

I used to call him the rash because he was all over you. I’d played with Martin Keown at Everton and OB was the same.

He always got a foot in, he was quick. He also got a lot of stick from Beags, who used to call him Postman Pat because of the size of his beak and hum the theme tune when he walked in for training!

OB was another quiet one who would just take everything in but he was a good pro who went on to have a good career.

JOHN DREYER

We used to share it around who played alongside Mooro and Tumble was another good character.

He would come out the shower after games and just sit there in a towel, legs crossed like Dave Allen, the old comedian. Then he’d just hold court.

It wouldn’t be about the game but he’d have all these general stories.

He was really funny but also had a lot of experience, which you needed at times to calm things down.

ASHLEY WESTWOOD

Westy was another one who came in and out at centre half. We called him Psycho for good reason.

I’d played with Pat Van Den Hauwe and Westy had that same stare at opponents.

He was very fiery, shall we say. He was also a bit of a Del Boy as well and would always bring stuff in with him.

We never knew where he got it from but if you ever needed anything, you just had to see Westy.

WAYNE JACOBS

Mr Reliable and Consistent and he had a calm head. But he also had a streak in him.

He was a bit of a wild child when growing up, apparently, but he obviously channelled his aggression into being a really good footballer.

He was such a good pro and had a great relationship with Beags down the left side.

Jakes was known as the dummy man. He’d make that many overlapping runs, when the full back would have an eye on him, and Beags would cut inside.

But if Beags lost it, Jakes would then have to bomb back the other way. We didn't have GPS then, but he must have covered more ground than anyone in the team.

Don't miss part two of McCall's take on his City team-mates online tomorrow.