Bradford City fans yesterday began snapping up season tickets - for the matches they feared would never happen.

The crisis-torn club managed to put the tickets on sale yesterday afternoon for the new campaign in Coca Cola League One.

And today steering committee member Jim Brown reiterated how vital it was that fans responded in force to help see the club through to the start of the new campaign.

With a reduced number of staff to deal with inquiries, the club - which is still in the hands of administrators - has decided to set one price level across the Carlsberg, Sunwin and East stands, with discounts for families in the Pulse Stand.

Today Mr Brown said he had been pleased by the response from supporters and said he hoped the club could hit its target of 3,000 adult season ticket sales as soon as possible.

Club officials believe that, if that target is achieved, it would allow team strengthening to take place. Most of the tickets are priced £295 for adults, £175 for senior citizens and young adults, and £95 for juveniles. They are available from the Valley Parade ticket office from 9am until 5pm all week.

"We have had some supporters saying they are too expensive, but you have to bear in mind that in previous years there has been a substantial discount for booking the tickets early," said Mr Brown.

"We are now into the second week of July, so we can't give those kind of discounts. The key has been to simplify the process as much as possible."

Mr Brown has welcomed the decision to reschedule the Telegraph & Argus Save Our City appeal auction. As announced in yesterday's T&A, the event will now take place at the club banqueting suite at 7.30pm on July 22.

Mr Brown, a keen collector of football programmes, said: "I think that is fantastic news and no doubt I'll be bidding for a few items myself."

Among the lots going under the hammer will be a Bradford City football from 1986 signed by many of the City stars of the day. It has been donated by keen City fan Joseph Gregory.

He said: "It is very important that the fans do what they can to help people like the Rhodes family. I've been impressed by the response from all the fans to the appeal and really wanted to do my bit to help."

If you want to donate an item to the auction, call Andrew Hebden on (01274) 705256.

Meanwhile, former chairman Gordon Gibb has confirmed he has started legal proceedings against the club's administrators.

As first revealed in the T&A earlier this month, Mr Gibb is seeking damages from Kroll over claims that he was defamed in statements issued by the finance firm. He is particularly unhappy about the statements issued ahead of the Thursday, July 1, deadline, which he claims portrayed him as the sole reason the club was facing closure.

Mr Gibb told the T&A yesterday that he had instructed his solicitors to begin proceedings.