Richmond Returns to Valley Parade

Tuesday 02 July, 2002

GR: We need your vote

Bradford City season ticket holders make up 10% of the 75% of creditors needed to agree with Geoffrey Richmond's plan to exit administration. Considering that the alternative to Richmond would seem to be not having a football club one might humbly suggest that whatever your feelings for the man he, and we, need you to vote for his plan. The players represent a further 25% of the creditors.

Geoffrey Richmond acknowledged that he had lost the trust of the City supporters but said he would do everything in his power to regain their trust. Said Richmond "I accept fully that I have to regain your trust and confidence and that is what I intend to do. Lessons have been learned and been learned for a lifetime. This is not about Geoffrey Richmond, it is about Bradford City. The only way this club will survive is by us working together. It is not about supporting me."

Just how grateful should we be to the PFA?

The PFA are being hailed as the saviours of Bradford City but there involvement at City has caused a split in BfB columnists. Michael Wood points out, the PFA and their attempts to have the club thrown out of the league were the biggest threat to City and asks Just how grateful should we be to the PFA? while Jonathan Jackson admits he was wrong when he criticised the PFA in the past a says 'Respeck' Mr Taylor

Richmond/Rhodes the only offer on the table

Geoffrey Richmond has dismissed the 23 other registered parties who were interested in buying Bradford City saying "We put together a bid that we thought could persuade the administrator that we could save the club. The other inquiries between them were not worth a bag of salt. All this talk about white knights waiting to save the club is a load of hot air. The truth is there was nobody out there."

Taylor praises Wetherall

PFA man Gordon Taylor has praised the work of City's representative David Wetherall and suggested that the City skipper would have a big future in the game after he finished playing. The world of Chemistry is expected to try stake a claim to the player soon.

Technically speaking

The company Bradford City (1983) Ltd is expected to come out of administration towards the end of July 2002 thus shareholders in that company will retain their stakes in the organisation.

25 year season tickets

Holders of 25 year season tickets will be pleased to hear that they will be honoured in full although may join Michael Wood's call to sell back 23 years for the Bantams.

Gibb to invest in the new City

Geoffrey Richmond confirmed that theme park owner Gordon Gibb was not currently involved in the consortium that is trying to acquire City although Richmond did suggest that he would see meeting with Gibb in an attempt to get him involved in the club at some future point.

Fees for Windass, Clarke to go to pay of PFA debt

The PFA have loaned City a significant sum of money to pay players wages as the club "gently" restructures from one a paying Premiership wages in the First Division to one playing fair money to the likes of Tom Kearney.

Geoffrey Richmond has confirmed that the money owed for Dean Windass and Matt Clarke would be going to pay off the PFA. Richmond pointed out at the forum that although the club had no cash, it did have a good squad of players and he had faith in those players. We are forced to agree here at BfB and have already been down the bookies to get our money on a 40-1 bet on City next season.

Monday 01 July, 2002

Notes from the forum

Geoffrey Richmond fronted to Bradford City fans at Valley Parade revealing a number of points in a generally buoyant meeting.

Friday 28 June, 2002

Deal done to take City out of administration

The club has confirmed that Geoffrey Richmond, Julian Rhodes and Professor David Rhodes have agreed fund continued administration for the club by paying a lump sum of £400,000 and to continue running the club when it comes out of administration or in common terms. Richmond is back in charge at Valley Parade.

As part of the deal done with the administrators the trio have agreed to honour all season tickets and to honour players contracts for those that want them honoured. A deal has been reached with the PFA that will allow the club to continue playing at First Division level.

Reactions to the return of Geoffrey Richmond
When can City start signing?

Early indications would seem to suggest that City can only start trading once more after an agreement with 75% of it's creditors has been reached. The meeting to determine this may not occur until the end of July meaning that City may have to wait a month before signing players.

Where is Gordon Gibb

Theme Park owner Gordon Gibb was involved in a deal to buy the club alongside Geoffrey Richmond but is not understood to be involved in the deal that will bring the Bantams out of administration. Questions will be asked as to how and why Mr. Gibb pulled out of the deal and some City fans will worry that without Gibb there is no voice to prevent City from being is the same mess as they are now in the future.

Will the creditors knock back this agreement?

City need 75% of the creditors to agree to the deal that Richmond and Rhodes put to them. If not then the club would be broken up and sold off. Realistically it is hard to see over 26% of the creditors believing it is in their best interests to have the club broken up when one considers that a great number of the creditors are the former board of the club, i.e. Richmond and Rhodes and other members include players who are set to be offered new contracts.