Matt Duke admitted he spent a whole summer of soul-searching before deciding to quit Valley Parade.

City’s Capital One Cup hero has agreed a two-year deal with Northampton after it was made clear he was no longer the first choice keeper.

But he revealed it has been constantly in his thoughts since sitting on the bench for the play-off win over the Cobblers at Wembley.

Duke said: “It was probably the toughest decision I’ve had to make in football and I’ve been thinking about it all summer.

“You go away after the season to relax but it’s been on my mind all the time. I’ve had to sit down and have a real think about what I want to do.

“Northampton has always been on the cards. Bradford offered me something I wasn’t particularly happy with and the gaffer said I could pursue other areas.

“But I’m very sad to be leaving Bradford – they are a fantastic club with a great fanbase and the lads were different class.

“My seven-year-old son (Charlie) is a Bradford fan and the club are very close to my heart.

“It’s a shame after the season we’ve had and I think the club will push on again. Unfortunately I won’t be part of that.

“It’s purely a footballing decision. I’m going to Northampton to play football and I’m not ready to pursue the coaching yet.”

Duke played 52 times with the Bantams but made his name in the cup run with the penalty shoot-out wins over Wigan and Arsenal and the first-leg super show in the semi-final against Aston Villa.

He told the T&A: “It’s nice that I will always be associated with the success we’ve had. I’m sure there will be a reunion ten years from now and I’ll certainly come along.

“You come to a club to do your best and I don’t think my first season went according to plan. But once I settled, I hopefully showed the fans that I am a good goalkeeper.

“They will have some fantastic memories from last season and I certainly do.”

Northampton boss Aidy Boothroyd has been a big fan since borrowing Duke for a nine-game loan spell during his difficult first term with City. He has made it clear that the veteran will be his number one next term.

Duke said: “I was very impressed with how he works when I went down there on loan. Once I’d made up my mind to leave Bradford, it was easy in the end to decide to work with him again.

“I’m 36 and I can just concentrate on playing and looking after myself.”

City chief Phil Parkinson said: "Dukey will always be remembered for that cup run.

"Even thought he was doing the coaching for us, he still had it in his mind to be the number one somewhere and we couldn't guarantee that.

"He wanted to go to a club where he would play and we wish him all the best."