Bradford City Football Club came within 20 minutes of closure last Thursday, it was revealed today.

The steering committee now handling the day-to-day affairs of the Bantams admitted they had been shocked by the perilous state they found the club in when arriving for crisis talks last week.

And today Jim Brown, who is leading the committee, admitted it was still a case of "fighting fires" as the five-strong group work their way through the club's complicated financial affairs.

The group has taken up an office at Valley Parade and is holding back-to-back meetings with everyone from manager Colin Todd to fans' groups.

The key aim ahead of this Thursday's deadline - when the Football League board will want assurances about the club's future - is to make progress towards resolving the future of the Valley Parade stadium.

Further talks are due to take place this week with landlord Gordon Gibb and the administrators, Kroll.

Today, Mr Brown said the group had many long-term ambitions to bring the club back closer to the community. There are even plans to create a 'legends club' for former players to get them involved in the club again, including a fund to help support them should they fall on hard times. But that must be put on hold until the club's short-term future is secured, he said.

Members of the committee had already agreed to meet the administrators last Thursday before it was announced that the club could close at 10am if Mr Gibb failed to back down over a demand for a rent-free period at Valley Parade.

"We had already agreed to see them but it was obvious by the time we got here that this could be our last Thursday as a club," said Mr Brown. "We expected to find dozens of other potential investors at the ground, but that wasn't the case. We had 20 minutes with them and then things seemed to calm down. They had been that close to locking the shutters."

Mr Brown said the committee - which now has former City chairman and honorary club life president Jack Tordoff as its president - had held regular meetings with the administrators.

"They are trying their best to be positive and help us but it is very difficult for them," said Mr Brown. "They are bound by certain legal requirements about what they are able to do."

Along with resolving the stadium issue, the committee is now keen to speak to the club's 25-year season ticket holders about their positions. It is also planned to hold talks with representatives from the Bradford City Supporters' Trust today over the funding shortfall that needs to be resolved.

Steve Longbottom, who is also on the committee, said it had been a stressful and exhausting time for all involved. But he said the committee would do all it could to help secure a bright future.

"We are all Bradford City supporters at heart and that's why we are doing this. All we can do is reiterate that it is the stability of the club that is vital.

"Every day has been more positive, and that is the main thing at this stage. That has been nice for everyone. "