Wheeler joined
Bradford City as manager in June 1968. He was the first full-time manager since the death of
Grenville Hair in training in March 1968, with coach Jim McAnearney and captain Tom Hallett taking over first-time duties in the intermediate period. Wheeler had instant success at
Valley Parade and secured promotion from
Division Four in
1968–69 which included a record-breaking sequence of 21 games without defeat to come fourth. The following season started well but results tailed off and the team came 10th in
Division Three. Wheeler had been booked just once during his 16-year playing career, but on 6 December 1969 in an
FA Cup tie at home to
Lincoln City he fell foul of the
FA during a touchline outburst. Wheeler was fined £35 and censured and instead had a direct telephone line installed between his seat in the stand and the bench. In the
1970–71 season, City escaped relegation by just a point with Wheeler's former team Reading occupying the final relegation spot. By the start of the following season, results failed to improve and Wheeler resigned after the fans turned against him. ==See also==