Colin Todd has insisted that City's pre-season show must go on.

Todd's threadbare squad returned to training two days ago and are due to kick off their warm-up programme at non-league Harrogate Town on Friday.

The new manager has seen troop numbers slashed in recent weeks and currently has no senior goalkeeper after Alan Combe and Mark Paston both moved on.

But he still wants to press on with a game against the part-timers if at all possible.

Todd said: "It's vital in more ways than one that we can play that game. It's so important for the football club, the players and the supporters to get that first one out the way and be playing football again.

"From the view of a PR exercise, I'm sure Harrogate would get a good gate because a lot of our fans would want to see Bradford City in action again. And it would be seen as a step in the right direction.

"If I've got the players then I don't see anything stopping us other than possibly insurance issues."

Combe has joined Kilmarnock and Gareth Edds was yesterday talking to Milton Keynes Dons as Todd's resources reduce further since the players came back on Thursday. And with the club's future up in the air, Todd is still not in a position to bring in much-needed recruits.

He added: "Seeing players going hasn't affected the morale because people have come to expect it. It was always going to happen with what went on this week.

"Combe was an on-going situation which was just hurried up by the last few days, and Edds has made his mind up because of the uncertainty.

"The administrators are still running the show. But I've told them that somewhere along the line it has got to stop. Otherwise rebuilding is going to be very difficult because time is running out."

City's pre-season schedule includes home games against Bolton on July 24, as part of Wayne Jacobs' testimonial, and Middlesbrough three days later.