Bradford City director Professor David Rhodes today launched a passionate defence of his family's commitment to saving the club as fears grew the Bantams will be back in administration by the end of the week.

Prof Rhodes released a statement to the Telegraph & Argus after former chairman Gordon Gibb took to the pitch before Saturday's home win over Crewe to "clarify his position".

Mr Gibb insisted he was committed to the future of troubled City and said the reason he resigned last month was because he could no longer work with chief executive Julian Rhodes and his father David.

Today, Prof Rhodes said he "strongly objected" to the actions of Mr Gibb, whom he branded a "publicity-seeking individual", and warned: "It would be regrettable if these actions now led to the demise of the club".

The T&A revealed on Saturday that the two shareholders - Julian Rhodes and Mr Gibb who own 49.6 per cent of the club's shares each - were in dispute over the terms of the investment needed to save City from administration.

Although Mr Rhodes has pledged to invest the £3 million to £5 million required, he expects to gain greater control of the club in return and Mr Gibb has indicated he has no intention of giving up his shareholding. The disagreement now seems likely to mean City are forced to seek protection through the courts by the end of the week.

Prof Rhodes said today that his family had promised to continue to fund the club after investing £9 million in cash and £20 million in hard security since joining the board in 1997.

"Since our involvement seven years ago, our objectives as fans of the football club had initially been to ensure the success of the club and then, after Geoffrey Richmond's self-confessed six weeks of madness, to fight for the very survival of the club," he said. "During this time, we have parted with £9 million cash, secured debts with in excess of £20 million in hard security and received £3 million by way of dividend payments.

"For the last two years, Julian has worked tirelessly, as any member of staff at Valley Parade will testify, on a nearly impossible task, without any pay and to the detriment of his own businesses, to reduce the £36 million of liabilities to a manageable level, increase the amount of investment and run the club on a day-to-day basis.

"This he has done through a sense of duty, both to the club and his family. Despite masterminding miracle after miracle to keep the club going, he has never sought to gain the credit he deserves nor any kind of publicity. For the record, I believe that Julian would gladly walk away if he thought anyone else had the necessary resources and skills to take the club forward." The statement goes on to detail the levels of investment made by both the Rhodes and Gibb families during the past 18 months as the club has struggled to reduce the size of the debts.

Prof Rhodes said the prospect of administration was first revealed to Mr Gibb at the board meeting on January 9 when it was made clear that more funds were required. Mr Gibb and his fellow director Andrew Richardson resigned at the meeting.

"During the last month we have continued to fund the club and present Gordon Gibb and Andrew Richardson with several options on the way forward without any meaningful response," said Prof Rhodes. "Due to the shareholders' agreement, nothing can be agreed on the future of the club without the mutual consent of both Gordon and Julian.

"Hence, since we are not willing to continue to gift any further funds to the club and because the club has now defaulted on its CVA payments, the supervisors of the CVA have had no other option than to seek an administration order.

"I strongly object to publicity-seeking individuals making untrue statements about my family and, as fans of the club, it would be regrettable if these actions now led to the demise of the club."

lA full copy of Prof Rhodes' statement is available at www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk

e-mail: andrew.hebden

@bradford.newsquest.co.uk

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