The day after the 9-0 thrashing against Manchester City, Valley Parade was quiet. Too quiet.
The usual banter in the locker room? Gone. The confidence that had carried Bradford through League Two? Shattered.
Jake walked into the training ground, finding his players already warming up. No one spoke much. Heads down, focused, but the weight of that defeat was still on their shoulders.
Paul Roberts, his assistant, leaned in. "They're still thinking about it."
Jake nodded. He had expected this. Losing was part of football, but getting humiliated? That stuck with you.
He clapped his hands, gathering everyone.
"I know what you're all thinking," Jake began, looking around. "You're embarrassed. Frustrated. Maybe even questioning if we belong at the top."
No one said anything, but their eyes told the story.