Bradford City want to have Peter Jackson’s replacement in place after the Sheffield Wednesday game.

Colin Cooper, Jackson’s former assistant, has taken temporary charge for tomorrow’s clash with Barnet and the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy tie against the Owls on Tuesday.

But the club will be looking to make a longer-term appointment in time for the trip to Morecambe a week tomorrow.

The board are staying tight-lipped as they come to terms with Jackson’s resignation, which came out of the blue.

City simply issued a statement saying that he had quit because of the poor start to the season and wanted to give the club the best possible chance to put things right.

Jackson was unavailable for comment but was understood to be gutted to be leaving.

Joint-chairman Mark Lawn did confirm that Cooper will take charge of the team for the next two games, insisting all thoughts were focused on picking up their first win of the campaign.

Skipper Guy Branston has told the players to “puff their chests out” at Valley Parade tomorrow and get the job done.

Branston said: “It’s upsetting that the manager has gone but we have to be professional. That’s what we are here for.

“I’ve been through this situation before and I know I can deal with it. I expect the other lads to do the same.

“We have to go out and do a job for Bradford. Mark Lawn and Julian Rhodes employ us and they are the ones who pay our wages.

“We’re on good contracts and it’s our job to go out there and win football matches. We’ve got to puff our chests out and do that. As much as we are gutted to see the gaffer go, we’ve got to do the job we’re paid for.”

Branston, like his team-mates, did not suspect anything was wrong.

Jackson took training as normal yesterday, running through the team shape to face Barnet, and he had lunch with the players afterwards.

Branston added: “Unfortunately the manager was under pressure because it’s Bradford City. It’s the pressure (building up) from last season and the four seasons before that.

“There’s pressure for the manager to succeed. Being Peter Jackson and the character he is, he thought he could cope with it.

“It amazes me that it has happened so early but being such a big club everyone wants to kick on and do well.”

Michael Flynn backed Cooper to lead the side tomorrow but admitted it will be a strange day for him.

He said: “I’m sure it will be tough because I know Colin really loved working with Jacko.

“But I also know how professional Colin Cooper is and he’ll do it to the best of his ability. What happens after that is down to the chairmen and the board.

“Sometimes you hear a lot of rumours flying around about the manager going but we genuinely heard nothing like that.

“It would be nice to get a win for Peter Jackson at the weekend and show him that we were going in the right way.”

Other players reacted with shock on Twitter.

Right back Liam Moore said: “Peter Jackson was a great man who gave me my break in football.”

Fellow loanee Jack Compton said: “Wow, did not see that (coming). I might be back off to Falkirk, hope not though.”

Striker Nialle Rodney added: “I can’t believe the gaffer has gone.”