Off season news

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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
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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



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Official news

Season Ticket Guidelines
http://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/page/News/0,,10266~1712790,00.html




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The new kit - are stripes traditional? Check out a history of City kits
http://www.historicalkits.co.uk/Bradford_City/Bradford_City.htm



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Lee signs for Notts County
3:38pm Tuesday 30th June 2009

Graeme Lee has signed for Notts County on a two-year deal.

The 31-year-old centre half this afternoon became the first of City's top earners to leave Valley Parade.

Lee, who skippered the Bantams last term, missed only two games. But his future has been up in the air since Stuart McCall was told his wage budget had to be slashed.

Ironically, Lee's first game for his new club is likely to be against City at Meadow Lane on August 8.

Notts County boss Ian McParland said: "Graeme's a leader, a vastly experienced defender at this level, and we're absolutely delighted he has agreed to join us.

"I met with him and his agent last week and they were obviously pleased with what they heard from us because this deal has moved very swiftly."

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Graeme Lee admits he is still in shock at the way his City career came
to a sudden halt.

The former skipper started pre-season with his new club Notts County
today after signing a two-year deal.

But Lee, who only missed two games last term for the Bantams, revealed
that he was still coming to terms over the dramatic turn of events at
Valley Parade.

He said: "It's been a long summer and certainly not what I expected.

"One week everything was up in the air about whether Stuart McCall was
coming or going and I was phoning him up begging him to stay.

"The next the club were asking us to go and find somewhere else. Nobody
saw it coming but these things do happen in football.

"If I was a young lad put in that situation, I would have been
devastated but being a bit more experienced, I understood what was going
on and thankfully we've got everything sorted.

"And by me doing this, I'd like to think it helps Bradford a bit."

As City also returned for pre-season, Lee became the first of the higher
earners to move on. Paul McLaren could well follow but Michael Boulding,
who has offered to take a pay cut, and Chris Brandon are expected to stay.

Lee added: "It was never my choice to leave. Until all this happened, I
was looking forward to coming back next season and playing my part in
hopefully making up for the disappointment of missing promotion.

"But I'd like to thank everyone for their support and look forward to
seeing them on the first game of the season."

Lee's departure will add spice to City's league opener at Meadow Lane –
and he has already warned Peter Thorne to expect some close attention.

"I've been on the phone telling him to get ready to be kicked! But it's
a good game for me to start off with and then we've got Doncaster in the
cup."

Ambitious County are in the process of being taken over by Middle East
consortium Munto Finance, who have links with the Qatar royal family.

Lee, who also had interest from League One, said: "With the take-over
going on, they have got that expectation and plans of where they want to
be in three to five years.

"It reminds me of when I signed for Bradford. It's just a shame that it
didn't work out."

McCall was left with mixed feelings at losing his skipper.

The City boss said: "Spike was a great role model in the dressing room
and captain but obviously it was something I was told I had to do at the
end of last season.

"Notts County seem right for the lad because they are going to have a
real go.

"From our club's point of view, it's good because of the budget but he
will be a miss. He was very strong aerially with anything that came into
the box.

"But Spike knew the circumstances and the job I had to do and there was
no animosity between us."



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Boulding: I will cut it at City next season
7:40am Tuesday 30th June 2009

Michael Boulding has offered to drop his wages to prove his commitment to City.

The striker is one of the higher earners that the club have been looking to move on during the summer because of the much-reduced budget.

But Boulding is desperate to show his worth at Valley Parade next season on two fronts – by banging in more goals and doing the business on less money.

He reveal-ed: "I have talked to Stuart (McCall) and have said I would be prepared to take a cut. We just need to sit down and talk about it.

"It's difficult for me to say too much but I don't want to leave Bradford.

"As long as the club still want me, then I want to be here. I don't want to stay and sit around just picking up wages because that's no good to anybody.

"There's been no talk about walking away from the club. I don't want to because it's a great place to be and, for me, there's a lot of unfinished business.

"Last season was a very average one for me and I really want to stay and put that right by doing myself justice."

The future of Boulding – one of the highest-paid players – as well as Graeme Lee, Paul McLaren and Chris Brandon has been in the spotlight since City revealed the wage bill for next term was being slashed by more than a third.

But all four are set to return tomorrow alongside the rest of the squad for pre-season fitness tests.

Boulding has already put in plenty of hard work through the break to ensure he comes back in the best possible condition.

Boulding's form in front of goal tailed off last season as the team's results crashed around him.

He scored 13 times – half the tally he racked up the year before with relegated Mansfield. And Boulding notched only one in the last three months, a tap-in at Chesterfield in a dead game on the final day.

Boulding added: "There was certain stuff in my game that I stopped doing last season. This season I'm totally focused on what I need to be doing to play well.

"Some people thought that Thorney and I weren't that good together. We did well in fits and spurts but it got more difficult towards the end of the season when confidence was draining out of the team.

"The game at Chester was a perfect example for me. I had two snap-shots early on and, if one had gone in, I could have finished with a hat-trick but instead things went from bad to worse.

"It got harder as goals went against us and then teams would just shut up shop.

"But I've played with lots of different strikers in my career and I know we are both good players who can make it work.

"I also think the new lad from Macclesfield, Gareth Evans, is a great addition. He's a young lad with lots of energy which will really help."

Critics claimed that City did not do enough to fit in with Boulding's style of playing off the last defender and chasing balls in behind the back four.

He said: "Maybe there were times when they didn't but it doesn't really matter. I've played in teams where they lump it and others where they only pass all the time.

"As a striker I have to work around the strengths of the team rather than them working around me. It's up to me to adapt.

"For me personally, this season is completely different. I know what I'm getting with the manager; I know what the club and the fans are about, which will make it a lot easier."



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Kyle Nix has begun a trial with Mansfield, who last month signed Paul Heckingbottom


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Colbeck taking it a week at a time
5:50pm Monday 29th June 2009

Stuart McCall reckons Joe Colbeck is "gambling" on his future after rejecting City's long-term offer.

The winger is still a Bantams player and will rejoin his team-mates for the start of pre-season training on Wednesday.

But he will be operating on only a week-to-week contract, having turned down City's deal of three years plus an option.

Colbeck has convinced McCall he will be as hungry as ever for the battle ahead – and believes he can rediscover the match-winning form that earned him the player of the year mantle in 2008.

The City boss is backing him to deliver but admits, in the same position, he would have snatched up the money the club had put on the table.

McCall said: "I thought we made him a decent deal but we weren't able to agree with Joe and his advisor.

"Joe doesn't want to go and in his mind he's going to go out and be the best he possibly can for us, then come knocking on my door next year and asking for a contract he thinks he should be getting. It's his decision and I admire his focus and self belief. I genuinely hope the gamble – because it is a big one – does pay off.

"But the bottom line is that he stays on his wage from last year and misses the increase we were giving him. So we're getting a very committed individual with everything to fight for who wants to play every game for us and is doing that on less money."

Colbeck's decision mirrors that taken by Luke O'Brien, which is not surprising considering they share the same agent.

Both youngsters are backing their ability to earn a potentially more lucrative deal later on.

But McCall cited the example of Andy O'Brien's £2m move to Newcastle soon after he had penned a long-term contract as proof that security does not mean a lack of ambition.

He added: "Andy asked my advice at the time and I told him to take the money offered while it's there.

"Don't worry about the length of contract, if a club wants you they will come and get you. Newcastle came in eight months later and took him, yet he'd still upped his wage in that time.

"You don't know how football's going to go. At the moment there are so many people shunting down divisions and so many are going to be out of the game."

Because Colbeck is under 24, City would be entitled to any compensation if he did move. Given the time he has spent at Valley Parade, it could even approach six figures.

That fee is not affected by his week-to-week deal because the club had already made an offer that was better than his previous one. The fact Colbeck turned it down would make no difference with any transfer tribunal.

McCall could have done without the wrangle on the eve of pre-season but he knows the winger will remain as enthusiastic as ever.

He said: "If I thought it was the case that Joe didn't want to be here, I wouldn't stand in his way.

"If he was just signing a week-to-week because he was looking to go, I would pack his boots myself to get him out.

"But I've sat down with Joe and that's not the case. You can only take players on what they say to you and I trust him.

"He's determined to come back and do well again. He didn't rediscover the form he had before the injury last season and Joe knows that.

"But it's a clean slate, a new season, and he wants to perform just like he did when he was our player of the year. And there would be nobody happier than me if he comes knocking on my door again having done that.

"Julian (Rhodes) is laughing. On the face of it, we're paying him less money than we agreed to and we're going to have an even hungrier player."




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Furman joins Oldham on three-year deal
4:56pm Monday 29th June 2009

Dean Furman has joined Oldham on a three-year contract - with a glowing tribute from Stuart McCall.

The Bantams boss was gutted to miss out on the talented South African, who proved a huge success during his season-long loan at Valley Parade.

Furman loved his time with City but wanted to perform regularly at a higher level - and McCall admitted he could not compete with the prospect of League One football.

McCall said: "I had a good long chat with Deano on Sunday and wished him all the best. He's got a great future in the game because of his attitude and his ability.

"I'm sure if we'd managed to get promotion, he would still have been playing here.

"Deano wanted to play at a higher level. He's gone there for genuine footballing reasons and not bundles of money.

"League One is a good division next year and he wants to challenge himself against good players.

"I'm naturally disappointed but I knew from the onset there would be clubs from higher divisions wanting to take him. Oldham are building a good squad and I told Dave Penney they've got themselves a good one there."

Greg Abbott's Carlisle were also in the chase for Furman, who will cost Oldham £50,000 in compensation.

McCall added: "Deano gave us some great moments and he's grateful that we gave him his chance. He was as disappointed as anyone we didn't make the play-offs.

"But I will be on the phone to Rangers to recoup some of the money Oldham have paid. Because without playing here, he wouldn't have gone for that!"



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Jakes finds drop of courage
5:50pm Monday 29th June 2009

Wayne Jacobs is ready to take the plunge for charity – from several thousand feet.

The City number two is doing a sponsored sky dive above Lincolnshire on Sunday, August 2.

Jacobs will be jumping for the One in a Million charity, which aims to improve the lives of children who live in Bradford's inner city.

He said: "We help to mentor the youngsters and the aim is to allow them to have a positive outlook in their own community. The statistics over some of the young people's lives are not encouraging. It is in our heart that every child matters and the figures are there to be changed."

Stuart McCall's right-hand man will not be jumping alone. He will be joined by former City players Jamie Lawrence and Aidan Davison.

Jacobs can be sponsored at justgiving.com/jumpinjakes



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Lawn defends Bradford's new shirt
Bradford City's new home shirt
The stripes are missing for the first time in 37 years

Bradford City joint-chairman Mark Lawn has defending the club's decision to revert to an all-claret home kit.

It is the first time in 37 years that the Bantams' kit will not have the traditional claret and amber stripes.

"Some fans may not like it, but we have not always had stripes. We've had a lightning bolt and diamonds on them in the past," Lawn told BBC Radio Leeds.

"I think a change is as good as a rest and I think it will go down well on the whole, I'm hoping so anyway."

The League Two outfit's new look is modelled on Italian Serie A side AS Roma and Lawn has said the fans have actually asked for the change.

"Various fans have been coming up to us for years and saying that the claret and amber stripes don't work very well when they want to wear them as social wear," Lawn explained.

"So this year, just for one year, we are looking a something a bit different.

"Most people have said they like the way Roma use claret and amber in their kit, so we've gone with a little bit of tinge towards the Roma kit."


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Carlisle Utd reject Grant Smith joins Bradford City on loan
By Jon Colman

Last updated 13:31, Monday, 06 July 2009

Discarded Carlisle United midfielder Grant Smith could be on a collision course with Blues boss Greg Abbott again after joining Bradford City on trial.

Smith blasted the United manager for freezing him out of the first-team picture at Brunton Park last season, leading to his release in April.

Now he has linked up with the Bantams – and could face Abbott's side in a pre-season friendly next month.

Well-travelled Smith, 29, joined up with Stuart McCall's squad for the start of pre-season training last Thursday and is trying to earn a contract with the League Two club.

Carlisle go to Valley Parade for their final pre-season game on Saturdya, August 1.

There is little love lost between Smith and Abbott after the midfielder launched a stinging attack on the Carlisle boss when he left the club before the end of last season.

He accused Abbott of "double standards" regarding his lack of first-team opportunities.

"It was personal, rather than about my football," Smith said. "As a manager you have got to be a people person, but I didn't get that from him [Abbott]."



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Bradford plan to host open trials  
 
 Bradford City youth-trial dates
Monday, 27 July - Under 6's/7's/8's
Tuesday, 28 July - Under 9's/10's/11's
Wednesday, 29 July - Under 12's/13's/14's
Thursday, 30 July - Under 15's/16's
The trials will take place between 1000 BST - 1500 BST


Bradford City are giving young footballers the chance to win a year's place in their centre of excellence.

Players aged eight to 16 from Bradford's inner-city area can take part in week-long trials in July.

"We have done this to help the inner-city's development and encourage the spread of football," joint-chairman Mark Lawn told BBC Radio Leeds.

The trials take place at the end of July and players can register via the Bradford City website.

The closing date for registrations is Monday, 20 July and the club have warned numbers are limited, so places in the trials are on a first-come first-served basis.

Lawn explained: "There is a section in every city in the UK that struggles and doesn't get a real chance.

"So we are limiting these trials to the inner-city because they are not often given the chance to show their talents. This has never been done before.

"Every successful triallist will get a year-long contract for the school of excellence.

"It doesn't matter if they are not good enough to actually play in the side. They will get the year's contract to train and work with us.

"This will help develop football skills throughout the age-groups in the area and help the players who need that bit of extra training to bring them on," he added.

"They might not be quite good enough now, but who knows how training with us will improve them.

"This is something we can run on a regular basis. It will be interesting to see how it goes."

 


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