Sorting by

×

Bradford City eye busy end to transfer window in effort to spark promotion bid

When Bradford City opened up their League Two campaign in front of a crowd of more than 16,000 last weekend it was testament to the fact that hope springs eternal in that part of West Yorkshire.

It was the fourth biggest crowd in the bottom two divisions and larger than four clubs in the Championship, the tier the Bantams aspire to be in. But they have much work to do to get there as they begin a sixth year in the basement division.

Bradford’s German owner Stefan Rupp, who was stung into penning an open letter pledging greater financial commitment after a slump in form last season, was present and observers noted a new-found enthusiasm despite a slightly disappointing 0-0 draw with Salford City.

Rupp has committed to investing a seven figure sum to support the club this season, including a beefed up wage budget that has allowed the club to tie down existing players to new contracts and trade in the transfer window.

But it is a measure of life in League Two that there are other bills to pay on top of the owner’s budget commitment. A host of remedial works took place at Valley Parade over the summer, including floodlights, upgrades and fixing a rusty water tank, each for a five figure sum.

It cuts to the heart of the issue at City, where Valley Parade is the most impressive ground in League Two but also remains one of the biggest issues that the club have to settle. Owned by the pension fund of Flamingo Land owner Gordon Gibb, there are clauses in the lease that state City must pay for upkeep as well as rent worth more than £500,000 a year. It is up for renewal in 2028 but Rupp has pledged to try and buy back the ground before then.

i understands that significant moves in that direction have been made this summer in face-to-face meetings with Gibb. Wresting back control of the stadium, sold in the club’s second administration more than 20 years ago, would feel like a big moment for the Bantams and now feels closer than it ever has been.

But generating a feel-good factor will depend on maintaining the momentum of a seven-game unbeaten run that concluded last season and nearly landed them an unlikely play-off place.

Responsibility for that falls to Graham Alexander, the pragmatic, promotion-winning boss hired to replace Mark Hughes last year. He has had a big say in a recruitment drive that has provided strength in depth as well as what insiders feel is an uplift in quality.

Rupp’s pledge of financial support means the Bantams have a top four budget in a year where the distorting effect of big spending Wrexham and Stockport Town has disappeared in League Two. The division looks wide open but City have already beaten League Two promotion favourites MK Dons, one of the few clubs whose wage budget is understood to outstrip theirs.

It promises to be a busy final week of the transfer window at Valley Parade. It is understood City are closing in on a loan deal for Joe Adams, the Wigan Athletic midfielder who has experience of League Two with Morecambe last season, and believe that represents a coup.

The club managed to sign most of their priority targets, including Stockport’s serial promotion specialist Antoni Sarcevic, and now have cover across most of their squad, having lacked strength in depth when injuries bit last season.

Perhaps most interesting will be outgoings, with at least one of a group of strikers that comprises of Jake Young, Tyler Smith and Vadaine Oliver set to depart. Young – who scored 16 goals on loan at Swindon Town last season but is yet to start this season – seems the most likely to go and he has suitors in League One but no firm offers yet.

If the goalless draw against Salford took some wind out of the club’s sails it is interesting to note that one of the points made in the club’s end-of-season debrief was the number of times Bradford unnecessarily lost home games through poor game management.

A couple more draws would have pushed them into the play-offs and there is a belief that more savviness is required when unfancied opposition teams, perhaps inspired by their surroundings, come to frustrate and play on the counter.

That’s why Saturday’s game at EFL newcomers Bromley feels like a bit of a litmus test. Andy Woodman’s side have made an excellent start and will provide a real test of both attitude and ability for a club tip-toeing towards a new era.

Source link

Related Articles

Back to top button