Omens

I'm listening to the BBC 5 Live football daily podcast, which was recorded in the aftermath of yesterday's Wembley win. It's fun to hear the Claret and Amber song and Status Quo in the background. The BBC is great, and don't knock it; those of us that have to suffer pale imitations of it miss it lots. Perma-tanned Southend manager Phil Brown has just opined "if you can guarantee you're going to win, this is the way to get promoted". Chris Kamara, manager in 1996 once said pretty much the same thing. The win in 1996 was seemingly inevitable the second the final whistle went after the second leg in Blackpool. Was yesterday's game inevitable? When you consider the following, maybe it was:

In 1995-96,

QPR were relegated from the top division

Gillingham were promoted from the bottom division

Bradford City had been in their current division for six seasons
They played 60+ games in the season
They conceded five goals in their elimination from the League Cup
They knocked Burton Albion out of a cup competition
They finished in the final playoff spot

They edged Chesterfield out of the last playoff spot

They met Chesterfield in the 43rd game of the league season

They knocked out the highest-placed playoff side (Blackpool)
They knocked out their playoff semi-final opponents in the League Cup in extra time earlier in the season
They lost the home playoff game and won away

They scored three goals away from home to make Wembley

Their goalkeeper was called Jonathan

He was eligible to play for Scotland

The playoff final opposition began with "No"
They won both league games without conceding a goal against them

The first goal in the playoff final was scored by a Bradfordian

In 2012-13.... all of the above happened. Sometimes, things are evidently meant to be.