Bradford City are to freeze season ticket prices at Valley Parade for the fifth consecutive season.

The Bantams were believed to be considering an increase to cover a soaring wage bill since they were promoted to the First Division two-years-ago.

However chairman Geoffrey Richmond has announced that the prices will stay the same as a reward for the way fans have helped to give City their biggest average crowd for 68 years this season.

And junior season ticket prices on the Kop will actually go down from £23 to £19 for the 1998-99 campaign-- meaning an average cost of 83p per match.

The City chief said: "The support we have had over the last two seasons has been absolutely tremendous and we want to recognise that.

"Many clubs seem to be taking football out of the reach of the ordinary fan in the street. Theoretically we could have gone in a different direction and put the prices up but we decided to thank the fans for their loyalty.

"The junior tickets on the Kop have been reduced and if there is better value in the whole league, I would like someone to tell me where.

"We already know we have the lowest average admission price in the First Division so this is a continuation of the club's policy."

City will mail applications to their existing season ticket holders later this week while they will also be available from the ticket office. Fans can buy their season tickets from Monday March 30.

Matchday admission prices will also remain unchanged.

Meanwhile, Richmond is now anticipating some transfer activity at the club before Thursday's deadline day.

As revealed in Saturday's Telegraph & Argus, Dundee United are interested in taking record signing John McGinlay to Scotland to boost their bid for a place in next season's UEFA Cup.

And it has also emerged that Stockport County could be interested in taking the Scot on loan.

The City chief said: "We have had a couple of enquiries this week but I will not comment on any speculation. There could be some activity later this week.

"What I will say is that we have a transfer deficit this season and any money collected now will be used in the summer to bring new players to the club.

"Over the last few years we tend to have been sellers at this time of year but buyers during the summer."

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