Julian Rhodes believes his power-sharing deal with Peter Etherington can signal an end to City's darkest days.

Rhodes admitted both men had suffered "cold feet" as the talks have gone on but an agreement was close.

And he hopes it will herald a new era to allow the club to banish their financial nightmares in the past.

The Bantams chairman said: "I want to do the deal and we're almost there but we all have moments when we think twice. I had a bit of a wobble last week but we got it all resolved.

"Peter knows that I've spent quite a few years now trying to build something from a situation that was horrific. I do feel that good times are just around the corner again but equally I've got to put food on my own table and can't put every penny I own into Bradford City without getting help.

"We've got to get very close to breaking even next season and some of the things Peter can offer might help us get into profitability.

"That would be a good achievement from a situation where we're paying out £100,000 overheads every month before the wages, especially if we can couple that with performances on the pitch."

Commercial manager Etherington will become chief executive and take command of the club's off-field structure. Rhodes would continue to rule on football affairs and dealing with players, agents and manager Colin Todd.

The deal, thought to be worth £2.5million over three years, will see Etherington become joint-owner once all the money has been paid in.

Rhodes said: "We will still have to discuss everything and have to talk every issue through. Just because I'm in charge of the football side doesn't mean that Peter won't get involved in the future and vice versa.

"The beauty of getting to a 50-50 stage is that you have to agree on everything."

It will be the first time that Rhodes has handed over joint command since the short-lived link-up with Gordon Gibb. The scars from their fall-out have made him wary of taking the plunge again.

"The whole Gordon thing makes you wonder why you bother, especially when he went out on the pitch and expressed his opinion even though I wasn't there," said Rhodes.

"But you can't let that cloud your judgement for the future. That was an impossible situation and completely different from now.

"And I'd like to think that Gordon might be saying he did okay because he gets his stadium rent paid on time all the time.

"We've come from a minus £40m position to an overall loss for the 18 months since we've been out of administration of £2.5m the investment needed to balance the books. If we start to break even from July 1 onwards then hopefully no more money will be needed.

"Coming into work is almost becoming enjoyable again. It's no fun when the future of the city's football club rests on one pair of shoulders, you've got no money to play with and you're struggling yourself financially.

"I'm proud of how far we've come. I know some people look no further than being a mid-table League One side but it could have been a lot worse."