News/Friendly etc - June 1st

The "Jigsaw" incident.
http://www.boyfrombrazil.co.uk/2009/05/26/maintaining-dignity/
http://www.redimps.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10440~1667249,00.html
http://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/page/News/0,,10266~1666459,00.html

From Official website...

CLUB CONDEMN INTERNET SALE ITEM
Posted on: Mon 25 May 2009

A jigsaw of a graphic photograph of the devastating Bradford City fire which
claimed 56 lives has been withdrawn from sale after outraged fans branded it
"sick".

The item was being sold through an internet site, which is thought to have
been acting as a vendor for a third-party company.

On Friday night outraged fans noticed the item for sale, and within 24
hours the offending item had removed it.

Club secretary Jon Pollard said the club was intending to determine who was
actually selling the jigsaw - thought to be of a news picture showing the
devastation of the blaze in 1985 - and would be speaking to the manufacturer
about it this week.

Speaking to the Telegraph & Argus he said: "We are very disappointed that
someone has tried to get commercial gain from such a disaster - it's
ridiculous.

"We are glad it has been removed and we will take it up with the company
this week.

"You cannot get commercial gain from something like that."

The fire in the main stand at Valley Parade claimed the lives of 56 people
and injured another 300 when the tragedy struck just before half-time
against Lincoln City on May 11, 1985.

City Supporters Trust chairman Alan Carling also said he was glad the jigsaw
had been taken down from the website.

Talking with the Telegraph & Argus he said: "I think it is reprehensible
that people should try to exploit the disaster either for commercial gain or
sensationalism.

"When this has happened in the past we have managed to persuade the company
to take down the offending items and I am glad the same thing has happened
this time."


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Other News

Robbie Blake
http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/bradford/Wembley-triumph-beats-my-promotion.5301715.jp

Midland Road sponsor sought
http://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/page/News/0,,10266~1666798,00.html



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http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/q/qpr/8057426.stm


Miller among five released by QPR

Queens Park Rangers have released five players, including Republic of Ireland midfielder Liam Miller and Pakistan defender Zesh Rehman.

...

Former Fulham man Rehman, 25, made only 49 appearances in three years and had loan spells at Blackpool and Bradford.

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  Todd and Windass in Darlo double act

Former Bantams boss Colin Todd is poised to become Darlington manager,
with Dean Windass joining him in the north-east as player-coach.

Todd - who has also managed Middlesbrough and Bolton - will succeed Dave
Penney as Quakers boss.

He has been keen to get back into English football after two seasons in
charge of Randers FC in Denmark.

Windass has always wanted to move into coaching and has spent a
frustrating season being frozen out of home-team club Hull City's plans
in the Premier League.


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Windass set to face Bantams
By Simon Parker (T&A)

Dean Windass will be back at Valley Parade next season - against City.

The veteran hitman is poised to be named as Darlington player-coach now that
Colin Todd has taken charge.

The T&A understands that Windass has also thrown his hat in the ring for the
vacant Chesterfield job.

Interviews to replace Lee Richardson, who quit after the final-day loss
against the Bantams, will take place next week.

Windass has the qualifications to step into management below the Premier
League after passing his UEFA A and B badges. But he is more likely to link
up again with Todd, giving him a first taste of coaching while combining it
with one last year on the field.

Despite turning 40 in April, City's third all-time leading scorer is
desperate to play again after being frozen out by Hull.

After returning from an abortive loan spell with Oldham, he made just three
appearances in the reserves and has spent the last month training on his own
away from the club.

But Todd will not rush into any appointment. He is currently working with
coaches Neil Maddison and Craig Liddle, who survived the administrators'
cull.

Todd said: "Deano is the name that I've touted around but we're just going
to have to be patient."

Todd reckons turning Darlington round will be a tougher job than when he
took over City during their financial crisis five years ago.

He has only seven players on the books, including four rookies.

Todd added: "I'll have to work the oracle as I did at Bradford. I brought in
the likes of Taylor, Doyle and Holmes on loan who were all better players
when they left and it will be a similar situation here now.

"There are an awful lot of players available. They have to realise if they
want to stay in football then they'll have to accept what the clubs are
putting forward.

"Bradford have had a go and splashed a bit of money last season and are
cutting back. It's the same with everyone and people have to realise that.

"There are a lot of teams on a similar budget. You look at the likes of
Dagenham and Exeter and what they've achieved, although they have had that
stability."

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TRIO HANDED BANTAMS PRO CONTRACTS

Bradford City manager Stuart McCall has handed youth-team players Rory
Carson, Louis Horne and Luke Dean their first professional deals.

Midfielders Carson and Dean and defender Horne will all be part of McCall's
first-team squad next season and youth-team coach David Wetherall has
challenged them to make the breakthrough.

Wetherall said: "All three of them need to focus on working hard to improve.

"It's fantastic to get your first pro contract and be able to call yourself
a footballer, but they haven't made it yet.

"Now they have to go from players who shine at youth level to those who not
only play in, but are outstanding in the reserves.

"It's about giving displays that make the manager sit up and eventually pick
them for the first team."




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From the official website

Less to travel
http://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/page/News/0,,10266~1670077,00.html

Carling Cup draw June 16th
http://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/page/News/0,,10266~1669857,00.html



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From Official website...

PRESEASON: CITY TO FACE BURNLEY JULY 11
Posted on: Fri 29 May 2009

Owen Coyle will be bringing his newly promoted Burnley side to the Coral
Windows Stadium as part of their pre-season build up as they look ahead to
starting life in the Premier League.

Wade Elliott blasted the Clarets back into top flight football with the only
goal of the game at Wembley last Monday in the Coca-Cola Championship
Play-Off Final against Sheffield United and their visit to Bradford City on
Saturday 11 July will be the first game as the managers of both clubs will
parade their new-look sides ahead of the 2009/2010 campaign which will kick
off for the Bantams on 8 August and a week later for Burnley.



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http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sportbcfc/sportbcfcheadlines/4407198.More_loan_deals_suit_needs_of_McCall/

More loan deals suit needs of McCall
6:40am Saturday 30th May 2009

Stuart McCall is ready for another delve into the loan system next season.

The City chief returns to his office this week after a fortnight's break to step up his team-building plans.

McCall's options remain limited unless he manages to shift the club's biggest earners but he is certain to utilise the temporary market again.

McCall, like many League Two bosses, has relied heavily on loan players – and would love to bring some back to Valley Parade on a permanent basis.

Dean Furman, Nicky Law and Steve Jones are all on his dream shopping list after last season's successful spells. Zesh Rehman is also considering a deal following his four-month stint from QPR.

McCall refutes the idea that long-term loan recruits do not share the same passion for the team as someone there on a full-time deal.

"It's getting more common in our division for players to get one-year contracts, so to bring someone in for a season-long loan is no different," he said.

"The argument that they wouldn't have the same feeling for the club doesn't hold up.

"The striker Chris Martin went from Norwich to Luton for the whole of last season and did really well.

"We got the same with Deano (Dean Furman). You couldn't say he tried any less just because he was on loan.

"Sometimes these players don't want to go back to playing reserve-team football again. You give them that sense of belonging and feeling part of it and they really respond."

But City will have to be patient with their loan targets, as most are not made available until well into pre-season.

"People get the players back, have a look for two or three weeks and then decide if they are ready to go out," said McCall.

"Premier League and Championship clubs want their kids to go out if they aren't playing and get some experience.

"Manchester United probably let out at least seven or eight players on loan since Christmas and Liverpool as well, although not as many.

"That's the way football is going, though it makes it tough for players at the lower levels who may have to be filtered out to non-league clubs."




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http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sportbcfc/sportbcfcheadlines/4409025.Odsal_still_on_City_agenda/?ref=rss

Odsal still on City agenda
7:20am Monday 1st June 2009

City have lined up fresh talks with Bradford Council to see how they fit in with the Odsal Sporting Village.

The club are keeping close tabs on the ambitious development scheme as a fall-back if they cannot strike a deal with Gordon Gibb over Valley Parade.

Town hall will decide tomorrow whether to go with the preferred £75million or £57million projects that are left on the table. City have scheduled more discussions with officials for next week when the dust has settled.

Buying back Valley Parade from the former chairman's family pension fund is City's top priority and they have reopened lines of communication with Gibb.

But with the constant cash drain from paying the 25-year lease on the stadium, the option of a ground-share with the Bulls in a brand new Odsal remains firmly on the agenda.

City's head of operations David Baldwin will meet with senior council officials on June 9.

He said: "At the moment they are still talking about the whole capital cost. We're not involved with that discussion at all apart from if we were to go there what criteria of stadium we'd need to have, bearing on which project they go with.

"We've been kept very much in the loop as to what the council's proposals are and what options they have on the stadium and the outlying area.

"The ball is back in their court in order to put together some costings as to what the implications of Bradford City being there would be and how much we'd have to pay.

"Once we've got that information we can evaluate which is the most cost effective way forward.

"But that doesn't mean that we're not exploring the situation with regard to ownership of the stadium here at Valley Parade."

City have always insisted that uprooting to Odsal – which could be up and running in 2011 – is more than a sabre-rattling exercise to Gibb, whose family bought the ground for £2.5million in 2004.

Baldwin said: "We've outlined to Gordon Gibb what the options are to us and obviously asked the question about Valley Parade. We had a reply back that was basically asking what proposal we would make.

"We've gone back with an offer, based on valuations we've been given and obviously the current market place and now we're waiting for a response on that. Once we've got that, we can make a more informed judgement."

City are aware of the strength of feeling that upping sticks from Valley Parade would cause and canvassed supporter opinion with several open forums before home games last season.

Baldwin said: "The fans' feeling is my feeling. The Coral Windows Stadium at Valley Parade is our home and nobody wants to leave their home if they don't have to.

"But if you can't afford to live in your house and it's about sustaining yourself as a business in the long term, then you have to consider any option presented to you that's way beyond the one you currently have.

"That's the position we have with the council and the Odsal project. They know our stance on it and our motivations behind it.

"If someone told us we could stay here for nothing then there wouldn't be a question at all.

"But economics dictate this is a very expensive place to be and we are, when all's said and done, a League Two team. As such, the incomes we receive are very much League Two distributions."





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