Six names were scrawled on the board in City's youth development office.

Names that few outside the room would have heard of; names that one day we may all know.

Sam Filler, Andre Wisdom, Danny Ward, Ben Gordon, Tom Cleverley and Fabian Delph are all products of the Valley Parade system and have now moved on.

Beneath the list was a figure of £160,000 - the amount of compensation that City have so far received from the deals.

More money will follow if any of the youngsters make the grade.

Filler and Wisdom have just been snapped up by Middlesbrough and Liverpool. Cleverley was in the Manchester United squad for a Champions' League tie against Roma.

The cash will cover the work of City's youth department for the next two years - the method of self-financing that the board wants.

A gentlemen's evening added a further £14,000 to the coffers and there is a link-up with Park Lane College.

"We're keeping to our side of the bargain," said youth team manager Jon Pepper. "We are developing players and they are moving forward.

"It is frustrating we're not seeing them out on the pitch but on the positive side we've got another half a dozen just as good as them within our system and hopefully they will progress with us and be knocking on the first-team door.

"When I got here in 2002, we didn't have the best reputation with the young age groups but a lot of people have worked very hard at different levels over the years to build that up.

"I think we've achieved a lot. We've raised the standards now and we've got higher expectations."

Proof for the supporters, as Pepper and youth development officer Peter Horne know too well, only comes when these starlets step out at Valley Parade.

Luke O'Brien and Sean Taylforth have both featured this season and Pepper and Horne would love to see more.

"There is no bigger buzz than seeing a youth lad getting on that pitch for the first team," admitted Horne. "That is the ultimate for this job."

City believe their scouting methods are as good as anyone's - if not as flashy.

Horne said: "The difference with us and other clubs is that we don't parcel ourselves up in Bradford City gear all the time. We prefer the low-key approach but if we need to have a lad watched, we will do it.

"A lot of people are quick to criticise, saying you've missed this or that player.

"But let's ask the question how come Andre Wisdom and Sam Filler, both Leeds lads, came to Bradford? It's impossible to saturate the whole area and nobody gets it right all the time."

Midfielder Luke Sharry, who City have high hopes for, is another from Leeds while Leon Osborne was snatched from under the noses of home-town club Doncaster Rovers. Horne is also excited at the prospect of signing an "excellent" under-15 player from Manchester.

Pepper added: "This club's main focus in the next few years has to be looking for local talent and giving them opportunities.

"It's a transitional year with the first team, they've got a big squad and are finding their feet in the division but hopefully some of the faces we're talking about will become established players.

"Supporters can remember Andy O'Brien, Dean Richards and Mark Bower coming through. That's how people will judge it.

"But it can take years. Some of these players were here from the age of eight - that's how long it takes."

Horne said: "We've not seen one club this season in the nine to 12 bracket who have got better players than us. So you feel you're doing something right."

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