BRADFORD City is joining the ranks of football clubs to be listed on the Stock Exchange.

Newcastle, Manchester United and Arsenal are among the clubs trading shares and now City, nicknamed the Bantams aims to join them as revealed exclusively in the Telegraph and Argus.

The club has listed its shares on the unregulated City market Ofex, a precursor to joining the Stock Exchange itself.

From today supporters can buy a minimum of 200 shares at 50p each. Cash raised will presumably be used to strengthen the team, currently eighth in the First Division, which chairman Geoffrey Richmond hopes to establish in the Premier League. The club spent £3.3 million on new players during the summer. Attendances have risen from 5,000 to 15,000 in four years.

Mr Richmond bought the Ronson lighter company out of receivership and turned round its fortunes.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.