New signing Dean Windass is so confident Bradford City will be playing in the Premiership next season that he is prepared to stake his 'mortgage on it'.

The 29-year-old, who can play either as a striker or in midfield, joined the Bantams in a £950,000 deal from Oxford yesterday and looks set to go straight into the side to face Port Vale tomorrow.

The fee will rise to £1 million if City are promoted and chairman Geoffrey Richmond has stressed that more money may be made available before transfer deadline day should the need arise.

City beat off interest from a number of clubs including Leicester and Huddersfield to capture Windass on a three-and-a-half-year deal.

And when asked why he chose Valley Parade, the former Hull and Aberdeen star said: "I have come here because City are ambitious and want to go up. I want to play in the Premier League. To be honest, I'd put my mortgage on Bradford going up.

"My family were very unsettled and with me being a Yorkshire lad, I am delighted to come home.

"I know a few of the lads and I also played against Paul Jewell a few times as well - I hated him and he hated me. The five-a-sides should be fun in training."

Geoffrey Richmond added: "The money we set aside at the start of the summer, around £4.5 million, has basically been spent. However, if a player became available and Paul felt he would improve our chances of promotion, then the board would continue to back him."

Windass joined Oxford last summer from Aberdeen and has already grabbed 18 league and cup goals in a struggling side.

Jewell said: "He is not just a front player because when I first played against him, he was a midfielder. He is a great addition to the squad. I feel I have got two players for the price of one."

Jewell refused to disclose whether Windass would be in the side tomorrow although he did say both Peter Beagrie and Ashley Westwood were out.

Isaiah Rankin suffered a knock during the Barnsley victory but is hoping to be fit along with Stephen Wright, who has been out for the last two games.

City (from) Walsh, Todd, Jacobs, McCall, Moore, O'Brien, Dreyer, Wright, Lawrence, McCall, Whalley, Blake, Mills, Windass, Rankin, Watson, Ramage.

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