Bradford City are set to announce their season ticket prices next month - with chairman Geoffrey Richmond pledging that any increases will be kept to "a minimum level".

The Bantams have this season enjoyed their highest crowds in 68 years with 276,477 watching their 18 games at Valley Parade at an average of 15,360.

Season ticket prices have not been increased since April 1994 and the club currently has more than 9,000 holders.

However due to inflation and a huge rise in the wage bill since promotion to the First Division, Richmond says the board may have to agree an increase at their next meeting.

He said: "The club has come under considerable pressure to increase the prices of season tickets. The other 91 league clubs have all increased their season ticket prices since ours were last raised. We didn't increase season ticket prices after winning promotion, which is unusual in football.

"I can assure fans any increase will be kept to a minimum level. If there is to be an increase, it certainly won't be a swinging rise like Chelsea."

One of Richmond's biggest successes has been to dramatically raise the number of junior season ticket holders at City to around 4,500.

This has been achieved through offering season tickets at £23 per season and the City chief says the club remain committed to having as many junior supporters as possible.

"The policy of encouraging the children to come to the game will remain our flagship policy. They are the supporters of the future and we have been delighted to see our number of junior season ticket holders rise by about 10,000 per cent in four years.

"The board will be meeting in the next couple of weeks to discuss the question of season ticket prices and then we will be announcing next season's level. Ground admission prices for next season will also be decided."

Meanwhile, Conference leaders Halifax Town have turned down City's offer of using Valley Parade while The Shay undergoes building work to bring it up to Football League standards.

The Shaymen had approached City about staging next Saturday's game with Dover Athletic and the Bantams agreed.

Richmond said: "We would have been glad to help. After being approached by Halifax, we agreed to let them use the ground rent-free. We were anxious to give them any assistance we could but they have decided to play at The Shay after all."

A spokesman for Town said they appreciated City's offer but after talks with the Conference, it had been agreed to make alterations to the pitch to allow the game to go ahead at The Shay.

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