Jack Tordoff today revealed his sadness at severing sponsorship links with City.

His JCT600 car dealership will part company with the club in the summer to end nine years of financial backing.

Tordoff reluctantly pulled the plug on one of the longest-running sponsorship deals in the football world after City turned down their renewal offer.

He said: "Obviously we were very disappointed to have our offer rejected, particularly in view of our previous support in the administration period when we paid our sponsorship money up front. But commercially I understand their reasons.

"It would have been our tenth year and as we celebrate 60 years of business in 2006 I am sad the partnership will no longer exist but we are not

bitter at all about it."

Tordoff's company's partnership with the Bantams began with the club's first trip to Wembley and went on to include promotion to the Premiership before the lows of two spells in administration and double relegation.

It is understood they had offered City identical terms to the two-year contract which runs out at the end of the season. But commercial manager Peter Etherington believes that the club can strike a bigger deal.

Etherington said: "We have re-evaluated the strengths of the brand here at Bradford City in recent months. With that in mind we have decided to reject the offer made by JCT600 and we have in turn explored other areas.

"A statement of the new sponsor will be made very shortly to coincide with the new home strip launch."

Tordoff added: "We've seen just about everything during the sponsorship, apart from the bottom division. There have been good times like Wembley and the two promotions and also some very worrying ones when it was unsure if the club would survive.

"But I must say there is no animosity on our part and we'll do other types of sponsorships like match days.

"Bradford City have always been my passion. I have been through so much with the club as a supporter, vice-chairman and chairman and I certainly value my position as life-president - that won't change.

"And I look forward to receiving news about the new investor, who I'm sure will take the club to where they deserve to be."

Chairman Julian Rhodes said: "Bradford City would like to officially thank Jack Tordoff and everyone at JCT600 for their support and involvement over the last nine years. Jack remains a close friend of the club and will continue to be

welcomed as life-president."

JCT600 also sponsor the Bulls as well as the Bradford & Bingley Bees - but Tordoff stressed the move away from City did not mean he would be getting more involved at Odsal.