T&A football writer Richard Sutcliffe reflects on how City's careful summer planning and spending spree paved the way for promotion success.

PROMOTION. That was the simple target for Paul Jewell in his first season of management, and it all came to glorious fruition on a memorable afternoon in May.

It was undoubtedly one of the most spectacular success stories of the 1990s, because when the campaign got underway last August few gave City a chance.

This downbeat assessment was compounded when the season started with the Bantams collecting just five points in their first seven games. At that stage, I doubt if even the most optimistic fan could foresee anything but a season of struggle ahead.

However, slowly but surely, Jewell and his team of heroes started to turn things around and after many, many twists and turns, City clinched promotion at Molineux with a stunning 3-2 victory.

It was a fitting way for Jewell's men to claim second place because it was their attacking play which characterised their charge up the First Division table.

The success capped an amazing first full season as manager for Jewell. The initial response to his appointment was hostile, but Jewell merely got on with the job and put all his enthusiasm, work rate and planning into his new role.

It took time, but Jewell started to put together a team he thought was capable of winning success for the city of Bradford.

Jewell could not have possibly started his summer recruitment on a better note than bringing Stuart McCall back to the club he loves.

Not only did that allow the fans to start believing in real success returning to the club, but it also sent out a clear message to the rest of the First Division - City meant business.

The subsequent captures of talented players such as Gareth Whalley and Lee Mills amply illustrated that, and although early season form was patchy, no-one can deny that Jewell has not worked a minor miracle at Valley Parade.

Credit is also due to chairman Geoffrey Richmond and director Professor David Rhodes for providing the money which the manager spent so wisely in building a team to clim into the Premiership. The board also showed commendable loyalty to their fledgling manager during the rocky start to the campaign

The reality of what has been achieved probably will not sink in until the new fixture list is published in June.

For the first time in decades that will include the cream of English football talent with the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool due to arrive at Valley Parade as league opponents.

It promises to be a magical campaign and I, for one, cannot wait for the 1999-2000 season to get underway.

However, that is months away and for the moment we should raise a glass to Paul Jewell's magnificent side for what they have achieved. Cheers lads!

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.