Life after Spud: Peter Jackson will be the permanent Bradford City boss
Bradford City have announced Peter Jackson as the club's permanent manager following an 87-day tenure as interim boss.
Jackson has signed a one-year deal and his assistant Colin Cooper has also agreed a 12 month contract.
The former City skipper has now promised to put everything into dragging the League Two club out of the doldrums after their lowest finish since 1966 when they finished 18th after a miserable season.
Jackson spoke to www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/: "The Peter Taylor era has gone now. I will be judged on my team, my results and my performances and I'm really excited by what's ahead. This club cannot go any lower and the most important thing is to build for the next couple of years. There has been far too much doom and gloom surrounding the place and that's got to change."
Poor old Spud, but if the best supported club in the bottom tier do get it right next season, we better all beware.
Whether Jackson is the man to do it we will have to see, he certainly seems to have the backing of the Bantams faithful.
Jackson told www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk: "I've had some tremendous highs and some real lows during my time here, but the most important thing now is to look to the future. Now that it is all sorted and all out in the open I can build for the future, and I'm excited by that prospect. The squad and results from last season have gone now. I know that I will be judged by my players and my results and performances. Being at Valley Parade is also another huge bonus for us all - no-one really wanted to leave in the first place. We need stability at the football club and hopefully these two announcements over today and yesterday will help to bring that. I know that I have had to be patient and wait for this deal but I am just glad it has all been sorted. I have had a great time over these past few months."
The local view:
www.boyfrombrazil.co.uk/2011/05/peter-jackson-to-be-confirmed-as-bradford-city-manager/
Valley Parade; it means a lot to a Bantam that they won't have to move away
And the news that Bradford City would certainly remain at Valley Parade for at least the near future was another reason to put a spring in the step of the West Yorkshire club's loyal support.
Speculation had suggested the Bantams were contemplating a move away from their home of 108 years across the city to Odsal Stadium, the home of rugby league side Bradford Bulls, after worries over rent on an office block next to the stadium.
However, joint-chairmen Julian Rhodes and Mark Lawn and shareholder Professor David Rhodes have set up their own parent company, BC Bantams Ltd, to purchase the block, owned by Prupim, which incorporates the Bantams Business Centre and the club's ticket office.
Julian Rhodes said: "This move does help to ease all of our more pressing problems and means that we are saving the club a lot of money in the process. I'm not saying it solves everything but it means we will be able to stay at Valley Parade next season."
Once again, the boys are back:
www.boyfrombrazil.co.uk/2011/05/bradford-city-to-stay-at-valley-parade-next-seasons-planning-begins/
Life at the Bottom
| 16 | Northampton Town | 46 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 40 | 33 | 3 | 10 | 10 | 23 | 38 | 11 | 19 | 16 | 63 | 71 | 52 | -8 | ||||
| 17 | Cheltenham Town | 46 | 6 | 6 | 11 | 24 | 32 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 32 | 45 | 13 | 13 | 20 | 56 | 77 | 52 | -21 | ||||
| 18 | Bradford City | 46 | 10 | 3 | 10 | 27 | 30 | 5 | 4 | 14 | 16 | 38 | 15 | 7 | 24 | 43 | 68 | 52 | -25 | ||||
| 19 | Burton Albion | 46 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 36 | 31 | 3 | 7 | 13 | 20 | 39 | 12 | 15 | 19 | 56 | 70 | 51 | -14 | ||||
| 20 | Morecambe | 46 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 26 | 31 | 7 | 4 | 12 | 28 | 42 | 13 | 12 | 21 | 54 | 73 | 51 | -19 | ||||
| 21 | Hereford United (-3) | 46 | 4 | 11 | 8 | 23 | 30 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 27 | 36 | 12 | 17 | 17 | 50 | 66 | 50 | -16 | ||||
| 22 | Barnet | 46 | 8 | 5 | 10 | 30 | 35 | 4 | 7 | 12 | 28 | 42 | 12 | 12 | 22 | 58 | 77 | 48 | -19 | ||||
| 23 | [R] Lincoln City | 46 | 7 | 4 | 12 | 18 | 41 | 6 | 4 | 13 | 27 | 40 | 13 | 8 | 25 | 45 | 81 | 47 | -36 | ||||
| 24 | [R] Stockport County | 46 | 4 | 12 | 7 | 31 | 51 | 5 | 2 | 16 | 17 | 45 | 9 | 14 | 23 | 48 | 96 | 41 | -48 | ||||