Manager Still not settled / Odsal (again) / New training ground agreement

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May 11

BANTAMS SHORTLIST DOWN TO TWO

Bradford joint-chairman Mark Lawn says the vacant manager's job at Valley
Parade is "between two and always has been".

It's understood interim boss Peter Jackson and Dagenham manager John Still
are in a straight head-to-head battle to take over the reins next season.

But Lawn has stated that no decision will be made until the club's stadium
crisis has been resolved.

Lawn told the Telegraph and Argus: "We're in a state of flux at present.
I've told Peter Jackson and Colin Cooper to look at things as though they
will be the management team.

"We haven't made our decision yet and can't do that until we sort out the
bigger situation.

"More people have applied and some of them are established names as well.
But it's whether we go down that route or not.

"I think for Julian (Rhodes) and myself, it's between two and always has
been. Whether we would start to re-interview or not, I don't think so."

Speaking about the Bantams' woeful season - the club's lowest league finish
in 45 years - Lawn added: "There's nothing I can do about it now. I made the
wrong choice (of manager).

"Hindsight's a wonderful thing and you'll still get fans turning round and
saying they didn't fancy Peter Taylor for the job. But 99 per cent would
have picked him."

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Still happy at the Daggers

...

However John has already sat down with Chairman Dave Andrews and discussed the season ahead. He has an idea now of the budget for 2011/12 and has began talking to his current players about their futures at the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham Stadium as well as identifying the players he wants to bring in.

"I've read that I've been linked with some big and well supported teams in the last few days", Said John.

"However, I've made it clear to the Chairman that I'm perfectly happy at Dagenham & Redbridge Football Club and my work is already in preparation for next season".


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May 14

Talks to keep City at Valley Parade will step up a gear over the next few days.

Jack Tordoff has been brought in as a mediator in the negotiations to solve the club's problem with the stadium overheads.

City have confirmed that delicate discussions with the stadium's two landlords have already begun and more are planned as they look for a solution to suit all parties.

David Baldwin, City's director of operations, confirmed: "There have been discussions already and there are meetings planned within the next week."

The presence of former chairman – and long-time club sponsor – Tordoff will add a more objective approach around the table as they look to hammer out a deal with Gordon Gibb, whose family pension fund own the stadium, and office block landlords Prupim.

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May 16

http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/sportbcfc/9028463.Winter_of_content_beckons_for_Bradford_City_players/

Winter of content beckons for Bradford City players

7:10am Monday 16th May 2011

By Simon Parker

Mark Lawn reckons City's "Premier League" training base next season will stop anyone grumbling.

The club have struck a long-term deal with Woodhouse Grove School to use their facilities alongside Apperley Bridge.

City will continue to train on the outdoor pitches at Rawdon Meadows but can now work on the school's artificial surfaces and in their indoor sports hall. A state-of-the-art fourth generation pitch will also be ready from January.

Lawn said: "It's a great deal with Woodhouse Grove and we've had to sign a 12-year lease to get it.

"It's going to be as good a training facility as the Premier League. The players won't be able to moan about the training ground now.

"But we will still use the same pitches down there because they are good pitches. The trouble is that sometimes it floods, although not as much as people exaggerate.

"Nine times out of ten, the problems come from the ground freezing up, not flooding. But then a frozen pitch will be a frozen pitch wherever you are.

"But now we'll have a proper facility inside. And it's a private school so they're not scrimping on what they are putting on."

The training facilities are not dependent on whether City stay at Valley Parade or not. But the players will be able to eat there, which cuts out the need to drive back to the stadium for meals after sessions.

Lawn added: "We'll have full use of the swimming pool, gyms, physio facilities, a feeding area and sprung indoor sports hall. And the current 3g (artificial) pitch is being lifted two metres so there is no risk of flooding.

"We'll have inside and outside training, which is the most important thing in the winter. The players will train and eat there and then go home – they will only need to come to the ground for matchdays.

"They can do one session, eat, then train again in the afternoon. You couldn't do that very easily before because you had to come to and from Valley Parade.

"You look at the gym facilities and they are better than any round here. So there are no excuses."



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NEW TRAINING FACILITIES AT WOODHOUSE GROVE

Bradford City have secured a deal for state of the art new training
facilities from the start of next season.

The Bantams have agreed a 12-year lease agreement with local school
Woodhouse Grove to allow the League Two side to use the state of the art
indoor facilities during spells of poor weather.

City will have access to the school's artificial playing surfaces, indoor
sports hall, swimming pool, gym and physio facilities.

Chairman Mark Lawn believes the new facilities will also curb any complaints
from the playing staff.

He said: "It's going to be as good a training facility as the Premier
League. The players won't be able to moan about the training ground now.

"You look at the gym facilities and they are better than any round here. So
there are no excuses."


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May 15

Q&A WITH BRADFORD CITY'S JOINT CHAIRMAN MARK LAWN
By Simon Parker (T&A)

With the club's dire financial situation and a potential move away from
Valley Parade the hot topics of discussion among City supporters, T&A
reporter Simon Parker asks joint-chairman Mark Lawn the questions the fans
want answering.

SP: Let's start with the obvious question. Are the club any nearer in
succeeding in reducing their Valley Parade overheads?

ML: It's at a delicate stage but we are moving forward.

Commercially, we've signed a contract and he's (Gordon Gibb) got every right
to want to stick to that. But then we can't stay at Valley Parade, that's a
fact.

The offer of staggering payments we've put to both landlords is that they
will be far better off if we get to the Championship. They won't be far off
what they're getting now if we are in League One; if we reach the Premier
League, they'll be smoking cigars.

SP: Obviously these negotiations have to be settled quickly, one way or the
other. Have you got a specific deadline day in mind?

ML: I feel that we've got to get this done by the end of the month, really.
Mid-June is the maximum point but I'd like to have it sorted out before
then. If we can't be at Valley Parade for some reason, we need to inform the
Football League.

SP: You have kept the Football League updated with developments. Do you
sense any sympathy with the club's current dilemma?

ML: Their new chairman said at the last chairmen's annual conference that
the league cannot keep going as it is now. He thinks that by 2015 or so, the
league could be as much as £1.5 billion in debt.

We're not in debt right now but we'll be heading that way unless we do
something about it. We know what's going to happen if things don't change
and we're trying to be pro-active.

If you've got a millstone round your neck, do you try swimming with it – or
do you cut the rope?

SP: Is it true that the club have been talking to an administrator?

ML: There's not been an administrator involved but we have taken legal
advice, as you've got to do. At present, we're okay but we can see problems
looming quickly.

SP: Presumably you would lose the sponsorship deals currently tied to Valley
Parade if you had to leave. How would this affect you financially?

ML: Funnily enough, a few of them have talked about staying with us if we
have to move. I'll be speaking to the Bulls, obviously, about what happens
on our matchdays. We wouldn't be moving to Odsal unless it was financially
better.

But while we're just saying Odsal at the moment, we haven't talked to
anybody else yet. Bradford's metropolitan area is massive and there are
other stadia.

SP: I understand that City would not be allowed to use the terraces at Odsal
because the club have been in the top two divisions for more than three
consecutive seasons since the Taylor report. How would you get round this?

ML: There are 5,600 seats there already and we own 25,000. We own the Valley
Parade seats, floodlights, the generator, the lifts, the sound system and
anything else that is loose. If we go from here it will be an empty stadium,
not a football stadium. Those seats could be replaced back at Odsal.

SP: City sold around 6,000 season tickets during December. How are those
supporters affected by what might happen and when will tickets go back on
sale?

ML: That's a question that's unfeasible for me to answer until we decide
where we're going and what we're doing. But we understand those loyal fans
and we'll make sure we do the best for them.

We need to get things sorted out so we can put season-ticket sales back on
again. You cannot buy one at the moment. It's not fair for me to sell a
ticket unless you know where we're going to be.

SP: You have said the manager's situation cannot be sorted out until the
club's position is resolved. But you have allowed Peter Jackson to draw up
the retained list and target new players?

ML: If we sign any players now, we're signing players any manager would
want. He's identified them but the ones we're talking to anybody would be
looking at.

SP: Are these players put off because of the uncertainty surrounding City?

ML: I think some of them would like to know where we are playing. And so
would we.

SP: What will happen to Valley Parade itself should City decide to move out?

ML: It's not our responsibility once we've gone but you've just got to look
at Thrum Hall. When Halifax rugby left it, I think they had a call-out every
week for a fire or vandalism because someone had broken in. That could
happen here quite easily without the security. It will be a shell if we go.

SP: Do you have any idea how much it would cost to clear the site for
redevelopment?

ML: We talked to the Council and apparently Valley Parade is built on
contaminated land. They say it would cost £3.5m to get (the stadium) down
and clear it up. The land would be worth £2.5m but those are only their
figures, not mine.

SP: And what about the knock-on effect for the city centre and Manningham
itself?

ML: Bradford Council say they are doing Manningham up so they certainly
don't want to be leaving the stadium empty. And who is the biggest visitor
attraction in the area?

People come into the city, drive down the main arterial route on Canal Road
and see the stadium. What are they going to see if we've gone?

SP: There are some big decisions to be made. But how tough would it be to
walk away from City's home?

ML: I know the history of this football club and the sentiment that
surrounds this stadium with the fire. It may mean making some harsh
decisions but if we go into the Conference while we are here then we do not
exist. So let's sort something out now so we make sure that the club can
carry on.


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