Bradford City 2007-08

FRONT ROW: (from left): Eddie Johnson, Barry Conlon, David Wetherall, Stuart McCall (manager), Wayne Jacobs (assistant manager), Mark Bower, Peter Thorne, Paul Heckingbottom.
MIDDLE ROW: Steve Redmond (physio), Joe Colbeck, Thomas Harban, Matthew Clarke, Donovan Ricketts, Ben Saynor, Simon Ainge, Craig Bentham, Omar Daley, Barry Wood (kit manager).
BACK ROW: Sean Taylforth, Luke O'Brien, Damian Jopkins, Luke Medley, Tom Penford, Scott Phelan, Luke Morgan.

Donovan Ricketts

Nationality: Jamaican
Date of birth: 7.6.1977
Height: 6ft 4in
Weight: 14st 7in
Previous clubs: Bolton
Position: Goalkeeper

The 6ft 4in Jamaican international keeper joined City in July 2004 but had to bide his time for most of his first season because of the form of Paul Henderson. But once the Australian moved on to Leicester, Ricketts made the role his own and enjoyed a regular run between the City posts. But his confidence took a dent at the start of this season and he was replaced by on-loan Blackpool stopper Rhys Evans, ending a run of 79 consecutive league appearances.

Alex Rhodes

Nationality: English
Date of birth: 23.1.1982
Height: 5ft 9in
Weight: 10st 4lb
Previous clubs: Brentford, Grays Athletic (loan), Swindon (loan)
Position: Striker

Stuart McCall gave former Brentford left winger Alex Rhodes a deal until the New Year and has since extended it until the end of the season. Rhodes joined the Bees from non-league Newmarket but suffered a serious knee injury against Walsall in January 2005 which kept him out of football for over a year. Rhodes found himself in and out of the Brentford side and went on loan last season to Swindon and Grays Athletic. After being released, he spent a month on trial with Darlington before City snapped him up on the eve of the new season.

Willy Topp

Nationality: Chilean
Date of birth: 3.3.1986
Height: 5ft 9in
Weight: 11st 4lb
Previous clubs: Universidad Catolica (Chile)
Position: Striker

Chilean striker Willy Topp became the first paid-for City signing for six years when he joined for £35,000 shortly before Christmas. Topp had been at Valley Parade since September when he scored on his debut trial game for the reserves but the transfer saga dragged on before the Bantams could reach a compensation agreement with his South American club Universidad Catolica. He eventually made his first-team debut on December 29 when he came off the bench for the last 20 minutes of the Hereford home game.

Paul Heckingbottom

Nationality: English
Date of birth: 17.7.1977
Height: 6ft 0in
Weight: 12st 0lb
Previous clubs: Hartlepool, Norwich, Scarborough (loan), Bradford City (loan), Sheffield Wednesday, Darlington
Position: Defender

Left back Heckingbottom is back at the club where he was named player of the year in May 2004. The 30-year-old was on loan from Barnsley until January before signing a new deal to keep him at the club until June 2009. He played 43 times for City first time around before joining Sheffield Wednesday during the club's administration. He helped the Owls to promotion the following year with a dramatic play-off final win over Hartlepool before signing for his home-town club Barnsley in 2006.

Darren Williams

Nationality: English
Date of birth: 28.4.1977
Height: 5ft 10in
Weight: 11st 0lb
Previous clubs: Sunderland, Hartlepool, Cardiff, York
Position: Defender

Right back Williams is trying to make it back-to-back promotions from League Two after going up last season with Hartlepool. Stuart McCall signed a vastly-experienced defender with more than 250 games for Sunderland under his belt, 108 of which were in the Premiership. He spent a short spell with Cardiff in 2004 before joining Hartlepool a year later. Williams, who can also operate in midfield, has represented England at both under-21 and B level.

Paul Evans

Nationality: English
Date of birth: 1.9.1974
Height: 5ft 8in
Weight: 11st 6lb
Previous clubs: Swindon, Brentford, Nottingham Forest, Rotherham (loan), Blackpool, Shrewsbury
Position: Midfielder

Evans, an English-born Welsh international, returned to City in August for his second spell with the club. Renowned for his strong tackling and powerful long-distance shooting, Evans has won promotion three times from League Two - all with different clubs. He went up last season with Swindon but did not appear after Christmas because of a serious ankle injury. He did score their best goal of the campaign, though, with a 40-yard blockbuster against Wrexham.

David Wetherall

Nationality: English
Date of birth: 14.3.1971
Height: 6ft 3in
Weight: 13st 12lb
Previous clubs: Sheffield Wednesday, Leeds United
Position: Defender

Wetherall joined City for £1.4m from Leeds when they reached the Premiership and scored the famous goal against Liverpool in May 2000 which kept the side in the top flight. He is the only survivor to have appeared for City in all four divisions, having overcome the injury problems that dogged the early years of his career with the club. Wetherall assumed the captaincy after Stuart McCall left and even took over the temporary managerial reins after Colin Todd was sacked.

Mark Bower

Nationality: English
Date of birth: 23.3.1980
Height: 5ft 10in
Weight: 11st 4in
Previous clubs: York City (loan)
Position: Defender

Centre half Bower is the longest-serving player on City's books after signing as a pro in March 1998. He spent his early career on loan with York but he has been a regular performer in recent seasons, linking up with skipper David Wetherall at the heart of the defence. The Bradford-born defender, who supported the club as a boy, signed a four-year contract in March 2005.

Omar Daley

Nationality: Jamaican
Date of birth: 25.4.1981
Height: 5ft 7in
Weight: 10st 3lb
Previous clubs: Reading, Preston
Position: Midfielder

Flying winger Daley was signed from American outfit Charleston Battery in January but had previous experience of playing in England with Reading and Preston. Daley has over 50 caps for Jamaica, scoring four international goals, and became the fourth Reggae Boy to arrive at Valley Parade over the past few seasons. He scored two cracking goals last season against Rotherham and Blackpool and his blistering pace makes him one of the quickest players in League Two.

Eddie Johnson

Nationality: English
Date of birth: 20.9.1984
Height: 5ft 10in
Weight: 13st 5lb
Previous clubs: Crewe (loan), Coventry (loan), Antwerp (loan), Manchester United
Position: Striker/midfielder

Former England under-20 international Johnson made his debut for Manchester United against Leeds in October 2003. He was loaned out to the Belgian club Royal Antwerp three months later and went on to spend a season with Coventry and another at Crewe, where he had begun as a schoolboy. Colin Todd signed him from under the noses of Crewe and Barnsley in June 2006. Johnson arrived at City as a striker but was reinvented as a central midfielder towards the end of last season.

Barry Conlon

Nationality: Republic of Ireland
Date of birth: 1.10.1978
Height: 6ft 3in
Weight: 14st 0lb
Previous clubs: Mansfield, Southend, Manchester City, York, Barnsley, Rotherham (loan), Plymouth (loan), Colchester (loan), Darlington
Position: Striker

Irish targetman Conlon had the honour of becoming the first signing of the Stuart McCall era in July. City are the 11th club of a well-travelled career that began with QPR in 1996. He had two spells with Darlington, returning to them last season and scoring a hat-trick on his second "debut" against Macclesfield. But he found himself out of favour when Dave Penney took over and left in January for Mansfield, where he was released four months later. Scored his first City goal from the penalty spot against MK Dons.

Peter Thorne

Nationality: English
Date of birth: 21.6.1973
Height: 6ft
Weight: 12st 10lb
Previous clubs: Swindon, Norwich, Blackburn, Cardiff, Wigan, Stoke
Position: Striker

Thorne, 34, was signed on the same day as Barry Conlon and is desperate to make up for lost time after a difficult two-year stint with Norwich. The experienced striker scored only twice for the Canaries as injuries took their toll. Thorne previously boasted an impressive record, leading Stoke and Cardiff to promotion via the play-offs and scoring regularly. He did not make the best of starts with City after injuring a hip in pre-season which delayed his debut for the first month of the season.

Matthew Clarke

Nationality: English
Date of birth: 18.12.1980
Height: 6ft 3in
Weight: 13st 0lb
Previous clubs: Frickley (loan), Halifax, Darlington, Gainsborough (loan)
Position: Defender

Matt Clarke has suffered a frustrating time since returning to his native West Yorkshire from Darlington. The centre half had played nearly 250 games for the Quakers but his career with City is yet to get off the ground. The Leeds-born defender, who was converted from a striker by Halifax, was sent off on his debut against Scunthorpe in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy and has seen his progress constantly held up by niggling injuries.

Craig Bentham

Nationality: English
Date of birth: 7.3.1985
Height: 5ft 9in
Weight: 11st 6in
Position: Defender

After signing professional forms in 2004, Bentham had to wait patiently in the wings for his first-team debut. It eventually arrived when he came on as a sub at Walsall in February 2005. The defensive midfielder suffered a serious knee injury in a friendly before the start of last season which kept him out until December when he enjoyed a regular run in the side.

Joe Colbeck

Nationality: English
Date of birth: 29.11.1986
Height: 5ft 11in
Weight: 10st 12lb
Position: Midfielder

Nippy right winger Colbeck broke into the first team in January 2006 when he made his debut at Chesterfield. He has made 53 appearances for City, scoring the winner at Lincoln in September, but has found himself out of favour recently. Has joined League Two rivals Darlington on loan.