Bradford City sign up Richardson for recruiting role (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Bradford City sign up Richardson for recruiting role

4:30pm Sunday 23rd December 2012 in Bantams By Simon Parker, Bradford City Reporter

City boss Phil Parkinson has got to know new head of recruitment Russ Richardson well over the years

City have put down a marker for the future by appointing a new head of recruitment.

Russ Richardson has joined the back-room staff after similar roles with Bristol City and Preston, among other clubs.

He will be a key figure in City’s shopping plans for next month’s transfer window and was due to watch one potential target on Saturday.

Phil Parkinson also feels Richardson’s arrival can have a longer-term impact.

The City boss said: “I feel this is an important period for the club, both with the short-term and long-term planning.

“Russ has got great contacts at all levels of football. Steve (Parkin) and I are going to be working hard preparing for games and Russ in the background is going to help us boost the squad up both in January and with the long term.

“It’s an area of the club which we felt we could do with developing.”

Richardson worked closely with Bantams assistant boss Parkin at Mansfield, Rochdale and Barnsley. But Parkinson has got to know him through scouting games at different clubs.

He said: “I always bumped into Russ at games down the years and got to know him very well through that. Since I’ve been at Bradford, that’s been the case even more.

“His knowledge of players is exceptional and he can back up what is going to be a big period for the club.”

Fans will also see the new appointment as an indication that the present management team intend to put down roots at Valley Parade.

Both Parkinson’s and Parkin’s contracts expire at the end of June and Mark Lawn revealed last week that there were no immediate plans to discuss new deals because of the hectic fixture schedule.

City had an unexpected breather on Saturday when their scheduled trip to Wycombe was one of many victims of the weekend’s wet weather.

Referee Scott Mathieson pulled the plug at 10.30am after inspecting the waterlogged Adams Park pitch.

It was a huge frustration for the army of away supporters attracted by the free tickets that City had snapped up for the game. Around 13 coach-loads of fans had to turn round on the M1.

Parkinson said: “Steve (Parkin) went down for the pitch inspection and it was nowhere near playable.

“It’s unfortunate but it’s one of those things you can’t do anything about. You just have to get on with it and the lads were back in training yesterday.”

No new date for the game has been decided yet but tickets from the weekend will still apply.