'City may move to Odsal'

Labour councillors have given the club the clear message that they wanted no further development at Valley Parade after a near £7 million stand extension is completed.

The Premier League club obtained planning permission by a single vote for the development which will increase the ground's capacity from 18,000 to 25,000.

But Shaun Harvey, the club's managing director, who attended the Council's planning sub-committee meeting yesterday, found that the application received no backing from the Council's ruling Labour members, some of whom said it should stop expanding the ground because of congestion and look for another home.

Today, Mr Richmond said the club's board of directors could not ignore the attractions of the multi-million pound 30,000 capacity Odsal stadium scheme proposed by Horsforth-based Sterling Capitol, which was involved in the development of Sunderland Football Club's new Stadium of Light ground.

Sterling Capitol's non-executive chairman Bob Murray is Sunderland's chairman and is a close friend of Mr Richmond.

"One couldn't close one's eyes to a state-of-the art stadium built within the city," said Mr Richmond. "It doesn't mean the decision has been taken but it would be very remiss for the board of directors to the ignore the possible opportunity."

But the very idea of Bradford City leaving Valley Parade - the club's home since 1903 - has caused consternation among some of its supporters.

Dave Pendleton, a fan for nearly 30 years, and editor of Bradford City's highly-acclaimed fanzine City Gent said: "I am totally opposed to going to Odsal for all manner of reasons even with the new development.

"Odsal is in the wrong area of Bradford. The trend now is not to build on out-of-town sites. The trend now is to build on brownfield sites and Valley Parade is in a perfect position."

"There are constraints at Valley Parade and particular problems at the Bradford end, but the whole history of the club is bound up there.

"So much has happened there, including the Valley Parade fire where 56 people lost their lives."

And Julie Stainthorpe, chairman of the City Supporters Association, said: "I know for a fact that people would be up in arms if we left Valley Parade.

"After the fire, there was the question of whether we should move to Odsal and there was a backlash of fans.

"Now, we have spent all that money at Valley Parade I think most people would think we should stay there.

Building work on a second tier of the main stand at Valley Parade will not be able to start until into the New Year because the Council has passed the application subject to the club providing satisfactory plans for transport.

During that time the club directors will have to be persuaded that the new stadium at Odsal was a more attractive prospect than ploughing more money into Valley Parade.

The club has spent £5m in recent years replacing the Midland Road and Kop stands.

Mr Richmond said: "Once building starts on the new stand and the associated developments there can be no turning back. Once we pass that point the option of participating in the new Odsal Stadium passes.

"I know Bob Murray well and I like the leadership we are seeing from City Hall from Ian Greenwood and Ian Stewart.

"I believe they are now talking about a deliverable scheme. It is all very achieveable and that can only be good for Bradford. It is based on Sunderland's Stadium of Light - a stadium with which I am familiar and which I like very much."

But Mr Richmond has also stressed that he would want the backing of the club's fans.

"If there was any deviation from our present plans for Bradford City to develop Valley Parade as a stadium we would only do it with the support of the majority of our supporters."

"We have often said as a board that we made a good decision when we decided to commit money to redevelop the Midland Road and the Kop because that has enabled the club to progress but we are always looking at new options."

Bulls chairman Chris Caisley was delighted to hear of Mr Richmond's interest in the Odsal development.

"I always said it made good sense for both clubs to share a purpose-built stadium. I'm not surprised that Geoffrey Richmond would not forsake the chance to move to a state-of-the art stadium.

"My only fear is that the developers might not be able to give the sort of concrete assurances he would want in the time available.

"Good progress is being made and I am due to meet with the developers this week to discuss our requirements but a planning application still has to be made and we do not know if it will encounter difficulties."

Council leader Councillor Ian Greenwood said a ground-share was a matter for the two clubs. "We would look to support both City and the Bulls as much as possible."

Martin Croxon, managing director of Sterling Capitol said: "I could not comment on the wishes of Bradford City or the Bulls."

Bantams are told 'You'll have to move'

A planning chief today gave a strong "enough is enough" message to Bradford City Football Club after voting against its application for a new £7 million stand.

Councillor Syd Collard, chairman of Bradford Area Planning Sub-Committee, has attacked the proposed second tier of the main stand at Valley Parade as a monstrosity.

His shock comments meant the planning application was pushed through by only one vote - and any further applications for extending Valley Parade face equally stormy passages.

And ward Councillor Eileen McNally (Lab, Undercliffe) said the Bantams should find a new site and move away from Valley Parade.

Calls for a relocation were made by Labour councillors who said they believed the door would be opened to one extension after another at Valley Parade.

They said residents nearby were suffering and parking and traffic problems were mounting.

Coun McNally said she believed it would open the door to more and more expansions of the ground owned by the Premier League team.

Coun Collard, who voted against the scheme, with Coun McNally said he also believed the Council had been misled over the size of the new Kop stand.

"If I had known how high it was going to be there is no way on earth you could have persuaded me to put my hand up," he said.

Councillor Allan Hillary (Lib-Dem, Bolton) voted for the planning application but he said traffic was stretching down as far as Five Lane Ends on match days.

"They have made an absolute mockery of car parking. They are going to have to act responsibly. I want to see something happening regarding traffic. It is all give, give, give, by us.

"We want a public statement that they should act now and resolve the parking issue."

But Councillor Clive Richardson (Con, Queensbury) said it was an excellent scheme. "It is not realistic to think you can just pick up a football club and move it."

The club has agreed to part-fund a study into a proposed rail halt at Manningham, together with the Council and Metro.

Officers said the new stand would have a significant impact and the site was prominent in parts of the city.

Bradford City chief executive Shaun Harvey said time was imperative for the club and pointed out that it only owned the Valley Parade site. The full breakdown of the sub-committee's vote was as follows:

For the application were: Coun Stanley King (Con, Heaton), Coun Richardson, and Coun Hillary.

Against were: Coun Collard and Coun McNally.

Abstentions were Coun Imran Khan (Lab, University) and Sher Khan (Lab, Little Horton).

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