CITY believe one big push can take season-ticket sales beyond the 17,000 mark this weekend.

The deadline for the £149 cut-price deal runs out at close of business on Sunday and the club are confident they can drum up significant late numbers.

The figure has already gone well over the 15,000 target set when the offer was unveiled and there is traditionally a surge of late sales over the final couple of days.

Chief operating officer James Mason said: "From the very start, we target the last few days as the biggest historically. People keep hold of their money everywhere in the country, not just Bradford – until they finally have to pay for it.

"People are fully aware of the campaign and if you're renewing there's no real urgency to some extent because you know your seat is safe.

"It's a case of trying to target the potentially new fans who have not decided whether to come down. So it's just keeping the kettle boiling for the last weekend because these are a big couple of days."

City will have a presence at Wrose Carnival tomorrow to drum up further interest but Mason reckons the squad's return to training this week will also act as encouragement.

He said: "People have been starved of football for six or seven weeks but the players are now back in pre-season. It's real again and the appetite is returning.

"A couple of new signings has helped and there are bound to be more to follow. It's going to be an exciting time in that respect and we're very busy getting the stadium ready for the new season."

Steve Davies and Josh Morris, the first of the expected influx of fresh faces over the summer, have both cited the atmosphere and size of the Valley Parade audience as a pulling point.

"Every player we've been involved with has come to the stadium, had a tour of the ground and stood in the middle of the pitch to look round," said Mason.

"When you explain to them that we'll have between 15,000 and 17,000 home fans, that's a big draw.

"Players might be coming from the Championship where they are used to big crowds or reserve-team football watched by very few people. Either way, it is a factor.

"If the money is there or thereabouts, our unique selling points are huge partisan crowds who sing even when we're 6-0 down at home to Bristol City, a great manager and a team and club who are on the up.

"We're not going to get everyone we go for but I believe we're an attractive prospect.

"We thought 15,000 season-ticket sales was an optimistic but realistic target.

"We hit the target with one week to go and now we're at 16,000. So we've revised our aim to 17,000 – and if we get anywhere near that, it's been a phenomenal success.

"If we can get to 17,500, all our wishes have come true. Then it's down to the club and the players to back that up.

"The fans will provide the atmosphere, so it's up to the players to provide the quality of football."

Meanwhile, striker Jon Stead has agreed a surprise move to League Two Notts County.

The former Bantams loan star is set to have a medical today ahead of signing a two-year deal with the relegated Magpies, where ex-City defender Guy Branston is head of recruitment.

It was thought Stead would end up at Valley Parade on a permanent deal after a successful loan from Huddersfield last season but he could not agree terms.