Taking care of the pennies

Gibb and new chief executive Julian Rhodes have warned the fans that there are more tough times to come. But while remaining realistic about the challenge, which includes allowing for the possibility of Worthington Cup defeat at Wrexham tomorrow, they are convinced that the club can get through the aftermath of the summer's financial crisis.

The quietly-spoken Scot has been in charge for a month as he follows in the formidable footsteps of Geoffrey Richmond.

He has drawn up long-term battle plans aimed at restoring City on a financially even keel. His approach to progress off-the-field is identical with Nicky Law's way on it - gritty, determined and 100 per cent committed.

Gibb said: "There are going to be difficult times ahead. It's going to take years rather than months regarding the cash-flow system.

"There are concerning holes there in the future and deficits that we will have to keep a very careful eye on.

"But the positive side is that we've been prudent and conservative with our projected figures going forward and not falsely ambitious.

"We've budgeted for being knocked out of the Worthington Cup and FA Cup at the first stage. So any progression on that position will help the club.

"We do need more sponsors and want that commercial shot in the arm. We are also looking at the mortgage situation with the stand which is the sword of Damocles above the club's head at the moment.

"Everything is based on a position that we can only improve and we've got a lot of manoeuvrability. We can play our way out of problems, negotiate our way out of problems and trade our way.

"Our destiny is in our own hands. We've walked in with our eyes wide open to the fact that there are hard years ahead of us and we're 100 per cent committed to making it work."

Gibb and Rhodes share the Valley Parade office that was for so long dominated by the imposing presence of Richmond. They deliberately make decisions together.

Gibb said: "I hope the team environment spreads beyond the boardroom and acts as a very real link to the middle management and people on the ground floor.

"We're under no illusions that this is the honeymoon period. It's the same with a change in government or leadership with any other

organisation.

"Because it looked like the club may not survive this summer, I think if Osama Bin Laden and Adolf Hitler were sat here now they would still have a degree of support.

"We're not nave enough to presume that it will always be an unquestioned support. We're also aware we will have to make unpopular decisions but it's important we remain focused on the needs of Bradford City."

Rhodes said: "The key thing is to make sure we give the reasons for our decisions. We have to be open.

"We've got no secrets and we want people to know what's going on. We all want to avoid what we've just been through.

"Over the last few weeks, the atmosphere around the place has transformed. It's like a cloud has been lifted because we're finally coming out of administration.

"When the players came out against Rotherham you could feel a real buzz around the stadium, a real warmth among the fans.

"Throughout the summer I kept thinking that if I got to sit down and watch us play Wolves on the opening day, even if we lost 8-0 I'd still be the happiest man in the world. The fact that there was still a game on was enough.

"I think after all that has happened we'd all settle for a boring mid-table season without any panic."

Belts will stay tightened while the club pay off the debts which led to administration. But as other First Division sides fight to avoid similar collapse, City are starting to emerge the other side.

Gibb added: "There is absolutely no room for complacency but if the same levels of commitment are shown at boardroom level as on the playing surface so far, then we will be all right.

"If everyone remembers the dark days and why it happened and focuses on the positives - none more so than the first-team results - then we will get to a financially stable future."