New kit announced / Other news, signings

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Help the CFML help others

I ask for your support for the daughter of a long time Bradford City fan and CFML subscriber as she prepares for a

London-Paris charity bike ride. Emily has also produced a wonderful recipe book which is available to buy from Ebay

(link below). It is a perfect (late) Mothers Day present, birthday present or a stocking filler (admit it -

Christmas is just around the corner).

Please forward this information to your friends, post on your myspace, twitter or facebook page and lets all help

Emily raise money for this excellent cause.

About Emily
http://www.justgiving.com/emilybeardall

The Recipe Book (Over 100 copies sold!)
http://bcfc.gregshepherd.com/link.php?id=28

Emily's facebook page
http://bcfc.gregshepherd.com/link.php?id=29

Whether your support is vocal, promotional or monetary the CFML Thanks You!

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League Fixtures

http://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/page/News/0,,10266~1690612,00.html

CFML editors note - generally many fixtures are redated by Clubs so a summary of changes will be compiled in the

upcoming weeks.

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Official news

*** HOT ****
Seat Reservation Deadline June 30th
http://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/page/News/0,,10266~1704845,00.html


New Kit
http://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/page/News/0,,10266~1698742,00.html
http://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/page/News/0,,10266~1704872,00.html

O'Brien and Colbeck
http://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/page/News/0,,10266~1697376,00.html

Another Charity do!
http://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/page/News/0,,10266~1704557,00.html










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  Rehman: City move felt right

Zesh Rehman signed a two-year deal with City last night after snubbing
higher-division interest.

Luke O'Brien, Joe Colbeck and Leon Osborne are also putting pen to paper
as Stuart McCall's squad continues to take shape.

Rehman said: "There were a couple of other clubs from a higher league
but this just felt right.

"My gut feeling told me to sign for Bradford and I've absolutely no
regrets.From day one, I felt at home here. I'm fortunate enough to have
played in all the divisions and I see this as the next step of my journey.

"I'm 25 now and still feel the best years are ahead of me."

McCall revealed that Rehman, like Peter Thorne, has taken a hefty pay
cut to commit to the club where he spent the second half of last season
on loan.

Rehman was believed to have been targeted by Oldham, who have been
linked with many out-of-contract players this summer, including Dean
Furman.

McCall said: "We know the differential from what Zesh was getting paid
last season and this season is huge. And I know he could have got more
money from a club at a higher division.

"When that's the case you're never sure you're going to get the player
but Zesh has shown great commitment to us and he is desperate to do well
here.

"He's settled into the place and enjoys everything about it. Zesh is
certainly not signing for Bradford for money – he wants to be a success
here and it will be great to have him on board."

Rehman made 17 appearances last term right across the back four but
McCall intends to utilise the Pakistan international in his favoured
central-defensive role.

The City boss added: "He is versatile and played full back and centre
back last season. I thought Zesh was outstanding at left back against
Gillingham and had some good games on the right but we're looking at him
to be a centre half.

"Simon Ramsden is adept at playing right back and centre back but we
definitely see Zesh playing in the middle."


===========================

  Evans opts for City over Lincoln

Striker Gareth Evans today became City's third summer capture.

The 21-year-old chose Stuart McCall's side over Lincoln and has joined
on a two-year deal, subject to a medical.

McCall believes the frontman's all-round ability and youthful enthusiasm
will work well alongside the experience of top scorer Peter Thorne.

He said: "Gareth is a really good signing with a lot of promise and I'm
delighted the club have come to an agreement with Macclesfield. I know
he had a choice of clubs to go to but once he'd come down to the ground
that virtually made his mind up.

"He's at a great age and has a lot of ability. He's decent in the air,
can run the channels, holds the ball up well and has good energy.

"No disrespect to Macclesfield but he got 13 goals last season playing
in a struggling side. He played on the left and right as well as central
striker so the stats can be misleading but he wants to play up front in
a two and that's how we see him.

"We finished third top scorers last season and do create lots of
chances, so hopefully his goal ratio will improve. And if he's playing
up there with Thorney, he can do his running!"

Meanwhile, McCall has revealed that it was Luke O'Brien's call to sign
only a one-year contract after the club had made him a longer offer.

McCall said: "If I was his age, I'd look for the security and go for two
years. That's not me talking as the manager but just my opinion.

"You never know what can happen because a year's a long time in football
but hopefully he'll do as well next season as in the last one and we'll
be sitting down again this time next year looking at something longer."

McCall also insisted there was nothing sinister in the delay in Joe
Colbeck signing his new contract. The winger, just back from holiday,
met with the manager yesterday.

McCall added: "It's only a few minor things and not a case that he's
hanging on.

"It's just the length of the contract, because Joe comes up to 24 in a
couple of years' time and the club have got to safeguard that he doesn't
walk away for nothing.

"He loves this club and likes playing here so I don't foresee a problem."

===========================

  Furman set to shun City pursuit

Stuart McCall will reluctantly call off City's chase for Dean Furman.

McCall has been desperate to bring back the all-action midfielder, who
was a storming success during his season-long loan from Rangers.

Furman played 33 times, scoring four goals, and quickly became a firm
favourite with the fans for his non-stop performances in the middle of
the pitch.

But McCall expects the young South African to opt for a League One club
instead, with Oldham strongly tipped as his destination.

McCall said: "We've been very good for Deano and he's been terrific for
us. I know he loved his time here and would like to come back but, in
fairness, he wants to play at the highest level possible.

"As much as we've done everything we can to get him back, I think he'll
be joining a League One club if they can come up with the (compensation)
money that Rangers are looking for.

"We've waited a little while to try to get him and I'm disappointed but
I can see that he wants to play at a higher level if the chance is there."

Having missed out on top targets Furman and Nicky Law, McCall is still
after one more central midfielder this summer.

He has brought in three recruits so far but the wage budget is now full
up with the high earners still on the books.

And unless circumstances suddenly change, McCall expects to see Graeme
Lee, Michael Boulding and Paul McLaren back for the start of pre-season
on July 1.

He said: "I've not heard anything otherwise. There are a lot of players
out there in the market these days and everyone knows that, apart from a
few clubs, finances are being cut.

"Whether anyone can match their wages, and whether the lads want to go
to these clubs, we'll have to wait and see.

"At the moment I expect to see the lads back for pre-season and we'll
take it from there. It's a difficult position."

===========================

It's payback time for Bullock
7:30am Wednesday 24th June 2009

Lee Bullock did not think twice about accepting a City pay cut, insisting: I owe THEM.

The combative midfielder signed a new one-year deal at Valley Parade on less money than last term but maintains the

drop in wages was never an issue.

Having missed much of last season due to a serious knee injury, Bullock has taken the refreshing stance of

believing he is actually still in debt to the club.

"There's been a lot reported about pay cuts and all this carry on," said the former York battler.

"But I missed three-and-a-half months of the season, so in a way I need to give a bit back.

"It was an unfortunate, rubbish and horrible injury but these things happen and the club still have to pay you

while you're doing nothing.

"They looked after me and I'm more than happy to pay them back."

Indeed, Bullock says he would have gone public sooner had circumstances been different.

He explained: "It was never in doubt I was going to sign again. As soon as the manager offered me a new contract, I

told him I wanted to stay.

"It's just he went away on holiday, then I got married and went away on honeymoon, so it couldn't be announced for

a few weeks. From the moment he told me though, I was always on board.

"When you play in the lower divisions like we do, there's no better place than Bradford City to be playing your

football and I can't wait for it all to start up again."

Newly-wed Bullock will swap the sunshine bliss of the Maldives and the Indian Ocean for some lung-busting training

in Apperley Bridge's less glamorous surroundings next week as pre-season kicks off.

But he is eager to get his fitness built up and fire into 2009-10 after being crocked for much of last term.

Bullock, 28, caught his studs in the turf at Shrewsbury last September, tearing knee ligaments and being sidelined

until January.

He found it tough winning his place back in the starting line-up upon his return, although he did finish the

campaign strongly.

And Bullock wore the captain's armband on the final day at Chesterfield, a sign of the respect Stuart McCall holds

for him.

He recalled: "It was quite a bad injury. Even though I was saying I was back fit, it did take a lot out of me and

it wasn't until that last month when I got back in the side that I felt strong again.

"Now I'm looking forward to getting a full pre-season under my belt and getting back to work. We've signed a few

new players, kept a few of the others on and it's all exciting."



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Rangers youngster Dean Furman is still to sign a new deal at Ibrox as he craves regular first-team football next

season.

The 21-year-old midfielder is out of contract this summer but has been offered fresh terms to extend his stay with

the Scottish Premier League champions.

Having spent last season away from the club on a season-long loan with Bradford, Furman does not want to spend next

term in the Gers' reserves.

Bantams boss Stuart McCall recently admitted defeat in his bid to sign Furman on a permanent deal, claiming clubs

higher up the English league rankings were interested in his services.

Furman believes his future will be resolved in the coming fortnight and will only commit to a club where he is

confident of being involved regularly.

"I'm out of contract. There's an offer on the table from Rangers but as yet I've not accepted it. So much is up in

the air at the moment but hopefully in the next couple of weeks things will become clearer," he told the Daily

Record.
Best option

"I'm looking at my best option. I absolutely loved my time at Bradford and it was disappointing the last few weeks

of the season went downhill after we'd been in the play-off spot for most of the campaign.

"Regular football was the big thing. It was senior football as opposed to reserve outings. It was the next step in

my career and it has made me a better player.

"I want to be somewhere I can get the chance to play every week because the past season has given me a sniff of

that level and I've loved it.

"Rangers are a different level but I feel I can handle the pressure of playing in front of 50,000 fans every week.

"My best option is to go where I can get the chance to play and hopefully over the next couple of weeks that can be

resolved."

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