It's hard to believe that it might be over at last. Despite all the efforts of the ever-generous fundraising people of Bradford and the huge amount of practical and moral support they have given over the past troubled months, the football club which means so much to so many seems on the brink of going out of business.

It would be a devastating double blow to the city, to lose its only league football club and also to lose such a strong link with the past. Generation after generation of Bradford families have followed the fortunes of Bradford City since the club was formed in 1903.

They have wept for it out of pride, despair and - after the terrible fire of 1985 - pain which united the whole Bradford community. They have cheered it on to its triumphs: winning the FA Cup in 1911, being promoted to Division One in 1996, gloriously gaining promotion to the Premiership in 1999.

And they have been downcast at its setbacks as, too often, the gains made throughout its roller-coaster history have crumbled within seasons. Yet always they have been there to offer their support, to take the knocks, to help it to recover.

It has been the pluckiest of clubs, coming back time after time when the faint-hearted have written it off. But circumstances have conspired to deal it what could be a mortal blow.

If it goes there will need be a long-running inquest into the factors which took it to the brink. But for now we must still cling on to the hope that even at this late hour a way can be found of allowing the Bantams to continue in business, for Bradford's sake.