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  • "Loan signings can be good...or they can be just the opposite.
    A 'season long loan' is just the same. After all, would we have wanted to be 'stuck' with Haworth or Taylor on season-long loans?

    But, to have too many loan signings is never a very good option. Having 'signed players' sitting around whilst loanees take their place must be damaging to good team morale.

    If, as 'JR' says, we find that the players we've got after the season has started are not good enough, then that says more about the manager/those who signed the below- calibre players than anything else.

    Getting Davies for nearly a season on loan WAS a good move and clearly THAT kind of loan signing IS a 'plus.' Loan signings like Howarth/Taylor were a waste of time but...sometimes you only get to find out AFTER they've signed the short/long term deal!"
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Julian Rhodes hoping to cut out Bradford City emergency loan deals

7:40am Saturday 9th June 2012 in Bantams Photograph of the Author By Simon Parker , Bradford City Reporter

Julian Rhodes would rather City sign a decent long-term loan player rather than rely on quick-fix deals Julian Rhodes would rather City sign a decent long-term loan player rather than rely on quick-fix deals

City must do better in the loan market next season, according to Julian Rhodes.

The joint-chairman vowed to cut down on quick-fix deals at City after Peter Taylor relied heavily on them.

But last term saw another deluge of borrowed players hit Valley Parade following the early change of manager.

The short-term loans, in particular, failed to make an impression. With City using 40 players in total, the likes of Adam Reed, Andy Haworth and Charlie Taylor all came and went without having a significant impact on the club’s fortunes.

Rhodes admits it has been an Achilles heel for the Bantams in recent seasons and said: “I don’t think we’ve done very well with loan signings.

“You do have a problem though, because if you start and you’re not very good then what else do you do? You’ve got to look in those kind of areas.

We might have a few season-long loans but we don’t want to come to the end of August saying we’ve got to go into the emergency market. If we do, we’ve done something wrong

Julian Rhodes

“I just think you’re better off if you can get a season-long loan like Cheltenham did with Jimmy Spencer from Huddersfield. He’s done very well for them.

“Sign some decent ones like that and it’s no different to signing a player permanently on a one-year deal.”

Rhodes is particularly keen to avoid too many more emergency-loan signings in between transfer windows.

He said: “It was (an emergency) last year. The emergency was that we were going out of the league.

“We might have a few season-long loans but we don’t want to come to the end of August saying we’ve got to go into the emergency market. If we do, we’ve done something wrong.”

Meanwhile, City have confirmed they will be playing two matches during their pre-season tour to the Republic of Ireland at the end of July.

The squad will depart for their Irish headquarters on Sunday, July 22 and play Airtricity League of Ireland Division One side Wexford Youths on Tuesday, July 24 (8pm).

The Bantams’ second and final match of the tour will be against Premier Division side Bray Wanderers on Saturday, July 28 (3pm).

* Lee Bullock has agreed a one-year deal with York City following their return to the Football League.

The 31-year-old midfielder, who began his career with the Minstermen, left Valley Parade in May to end his four-year association with the Bantams.

He will complete his move to York on July 1 when his City contract officially expires.

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