Phil Parkinson is eyeing an FA Cup windfall for his player kitty if City can unseat Championship Watford at Vicarage Road tomorrow.

A prize of £67,500 is up for grabs for the third-round tie winners and the Bantams boss sees that as a powerful nudge to his board for the current transfer window.

Parkinson is eager to beef up his squad this month – with a striker still very much top of his list.

But with the league plight easing on the back of three wins in four, the two chairmen have indicated they would rather wait until the summer to do most of their business.

City have banked £45,000 in cup prize money so far and Parkinson hopes any bonus on top of that could be splashed now.

He said: “It would certainly strengthen my case when I ask the board for a player.

“We’ve got to this stage of the competition now which is worth extra prize money. If we were to go one more round, I’m sure the chairmen would be more understanding when I’m asking.

“We’re working on several things and hopefully we’ll get some business done. But there’s no progress at the moment.

“It’s that balance as the chairmen have explained of spending money now and it detracting from what’s available at the end of the season. I’ve got to live with that.”

Parkinson’s push for a new frontman has so far drawn a blank. Scunthorpe’s Chris Dagnall, a strongly rumoured target, has rejoined his former Rochdale boss Keith Hill at Barnsley for a nominal fee.

The City chief added: “I’ve got to prioritise as a manager and I’ve said all along that we need to improve the squad. Other teams in the division will improve and we must do that."

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