 McCall still had one year left on his Rangers contract in 1998 , but much of the team that Walter Smith had built had left and McCall was allowed to leave on a free transfer by new manager Dick <unk> , as long as he joined an English club . Barnsley and Huddersfield Town were both interested in signing McCall , but he rejoined Bradford City as club captain . Rookie manager Paul Jewell put together a squad which emerged as surprise promotion contenders after two seasons spent battling relegation , adding other new signings , including central midfield partner Gareth <unk> and striker Lee Mills , who went on to be club 's top goal @-@ scorer . The season started off slowly with just one win from the first seven games , but by the latter half of the season , City were vying with Ipswich Town and Birmingham City for the second promotion spot behind runaway leaders Sunderland . Loan signing Lee Sharpe and Dean Windass were added to the ranks and City had the chance to seal promotion in their penultimate game against relegation @-@ threatened Oxford United . The game finished as a 0 – 0 draw , with McCall heading over the goal in the final minutes , taking the promotion bid to the final game of the season . Days later he was named the club 's player of the year . A 3 – 2 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers at <unk> on 9 May 1999 ensured promotion to the Premier League and denied Ipswich Town – the team that had thwarted McCall and Bradford 11 years before . 
