CITY today denied their free travel offer for fans this weekend is a softener for transfer market frustration.

The Bantams have already seen a good take-up from supporters willing to make the trip to Bristol Rovers.

The club are confident they will beat the 700 who backed Stuart McCall's team in a 1-1 draw at the Memorial Ground last season.

Chief operating officer James Mason insists it is purely a gesture aimed at lifting spirits on the back of two poor defeats – and not papering over the on-going wait for signings during the current window.

Mason said: "You can rarely win with anything you do off the pitch in football. There will always be doubters to your motivations of goodwill.

"That's disappointing in itself but we can't let that cloud this was a genuine combined effort from both owners, Stuart, Greg (Abbott) and myself.

"We know we're depleted with injuries and desperately trying to get new bodies in to freshen things up.

"Things can happen very quickly in a transfer period, so nobody can promise when the next signing will be.

"But this wasn't a PR stunt just to cover up any bad news down the line. It was a case of what could we do as a club to show we are aware of what people are saying in the stands.

"We all want the same thing – none of us want to lose matches, whether it's Stuart, the players, the board or the fans.

"Yes, Greg and Edin (Rahic) have got to work extremely hard to get the players in. Stuart has got to work extremely hard to galvanise his team and I've got to work hard to motivate my staff and the fans."

City are set to face another blow in the hunt for reinforcements after leaders Wigan joined the chase for Blackpool right back Kelvin Mellor, who has been a target since last week.

The scenario with Tony McMahon remains up in the air but Rahic is reluctant to budge with Scunthorpe's offer.

Yet Mason hopes City's decision to transport fans for free on Saturday will go some way to improving the mood around the club.

He said: "The reaction has been really supportive. Naturally you'll get the doom-mongers but this is not smoke and mirrors.

"We're not covering anything up. What will be will be in terms of the signings but this can only help on Saturday.

"Yeovil aside, there have been some wonderful trips this season. There have been the likes of Shrewsbury, a battling performance to come away with the win, Portsmouth as well and closer to home Wigan.

"They were all games we went into knowing we'd be up against it and came away with the points.

"Bristol Rovers aren't in the top six but we know it's going to be a really vociferous atmosphere. It's an old-fashioned football ground where the fans come early.

"We wanted to give Stuart and the boys the maximum backing with a groundswell of support.

"If fans go down in a positive mind and they are up for it from the start, who knows what might happen."

Meanwhile, Adam Chicksen came through his first outing since tearing his thigh against Oldham in October.

The left back played the first half for the reserves before coming off as agreed at the interval in yesterday's 3-2 win against Doncaster.