Geoffrey Richmond has predicted an average gate touching 20,000 next season as Bradford City push for an instant return to the top flight.

The Bantams chairman has budgeted for 14,000 fans through the turnstiles at home matches with a further 5,000 to 6,000 taking advantage of the new schools promotion.

City will face plenty of locally-based opposition in Division One with four sides from south Yorkshire as well as the likes of Burnley, Manchester City and Preston.

Richmond said: "About half of the games could be described as virtually local derbies and I think we are looking forward to a tremendous season.

"If the team do well and we are confident, then an average gate of 19,000 to 20,000 could be conservative. We will have a 25,000 capacity for next season and I'm totally certain that if we are doing well, we will see sell-out crowds on a number of occasions."

At last night's fans forum, Richmond revealed that the season-ticket deadline has been extended for a third time until June 30. So far 7,600 have been sold, including 819 25-year deals, but the chairman wants the final figure to approach 13,000.

Richmond again praised the fans for sticking with the Bantams as they lurched towards relegation. "The crowd have never once turned on myself, the manager or the players. They have always been absolutely fantastic.

"Think of the games against Manchester City, Newcastle and Derby and you would have thought from the reaction of the fans that we had won the cup. At any other club you would have had open scenes of revolution."

The new-look Sunwin Stand will be ready for a mid-July official launch when the new fire memorial will be unveiled.

And Richmond revealed more good news for the club with expansion plans for City's Up Front store. A new branch is opening in Dewsbury, another at Harrogate will soon follow with a fourth planned for the centre of Leeds.

Richmond said: "It's out-performing its budgets by a very wide margin. The plan was to have three Up Fronts this year, seven by the end of year two and ten by the end of year three. But we are now looking at as many as ten by the end of year two and a minimum of 50 around the north of England by the end of year five. Up Front could eventually bring in multi-millions for this football club in a few years time."

City have changed their pre-season tour schedule and scrapped plans to go to the Republic of Ireland. Instead they will spend a week on the border of Italy and Austria between July 24 and August 1, playing three matches including one against Serie A opposition. Promoted Blackburn visit Valley Parade on August 4.