City Supporters’ Trust are pushing for new legal safeguards to stop Valley Parade ever being sold off from under the club’s noses.

The Bantams currently pay £370,000 annually in rent to former chairman Gordon Gibb’s family pension fund as part of a 25-year lease that runs until 2029.

There is no indication that the landlords would wish to sell the ground but the Trust have applied to have it recognised as a community asset as an added form of protection.

The move is being encouraged nationally by Supporters Direct, who want to ensure clubs are not left exposed by stadium owners.

The club’s application to the city council is among the first ten in the country – a similar one has already been launched by Manchester United fans with Old Trafford. But City would be the first club in Yorkshire.

Trust chairman Alan Carling said: “Having Valley Parade listed as a community asset would be a very significant step and does offer some reasonable safeguards.

“It doesn’t over-write the normal market considerations. But if it’s listed and the owner wants to sell, there’s a six-month moratorium for the group who have made the application to buy the ground back. That would give the fans time to mobilise.

“It’s a very recent piece of legislation and partly done with football stadiums in mind. The Supporters Direct national movement have been encouraging people to apply and it will happen more and more around the country in coming years.

“We feel there is a very strong case here. There are more elements of community value for Valley Parade than in the Old Trafford application.”

The application, under the 2011 Localism Act, has been made to council leader David Green in a letter outlining the community values of the stadium. City are understood to be happy with what the Trust are doing.

Carling said: “We have listed the meaning of Valley Parade to supporters and Bradford generally, its history and the community activities now going on around the club.

“There are the community cohesion aspects of bringing people into that specific area of the city and the idea that it knits them together.

“The landlord will be informed about the application but I think it would be very difficult for Gordon Gibb to object.

“It doesn’t change anything but from the club’s point of view, it would be helpful to have Valley Parade listed. It’s directed towards creating more openness and transparency about things.”