RICHARD O’Donnell has applauded City’s “phenomenal” efforts in avoiding any Covid cases.

The Bantams have gone through the entire season without a single positive test involving the players or staff.

More than 40 have undergone checks twice a week during the season.

But unlike several other clubs in the division, City have not reported one instance of an individual having to take time off to isolate.

O’Donnell believes director of operations Paula Watson and chief executive Ryan Sparks deserve huge credit for managing a clean slate.

The club captain said: “The work that Paula and Ryan and everyone at the stadium and training ground have done throughout lockdown from March last year to the beginning of the season was phenomenal.

“I saw it at first hand and was speaking to them day in, day out. It’s paid off and touch wood we’ve been very fortunate.

“Sometimes you can do as much as you can but then it doesn’t take much to go and pick up the germs.

“So, we’ve been lucky as well but you can’t overlook the work people have done behind the scenes to keep us all safe and well.”

O’Donnell admits it has been a “bizarre” campaign playing behind closed doors.

He added: “Early on in the season, something new was cropping up every week. Games were getting called off and this, that and the other.

“Nobody was really sure how far we’d get with it. A lot of teams weren’t going to break the bank and sign too many players to have huge squads and have to pay them.

“Football has done extremely well to get through with minimal disruption.

“Obviously certain clubs have had to miss two or three games here and there but, generally, football has applied itself really well through a very tough situation.”

City’s season is ending on a downer as they head into this afternoon’s final appearance at Morecambe.

While the home side are still eyeing an automatic promotion place, the Bantams have dropped back into the bottom half with only one point in six games.

O’Donnell, who has lost his starting spot to Sam Hornby, says there has been a lack of consistency throughout League Two – and feels the situation surrounding the pandemic has been a factor.

He said: “There was a lot of uncertainty last summer with salary caps and the financial state of play. It was difficult for teams to carry a big squad.

“So, if you find yourself with a few injuries and playing Saturday, Tuesday for weeks in a row then it’s going to cause a lot of issues for people.

“We had that earlier on in the season when we had loads of injuries and it was difficult.

“There are a lot of things tied in with it, injuries, salary caps, financial worries. There’s a lot of reasons why it’s been so up and down at times.”