THE first day in a new job is usually an easing-in process – but not for Greg Abbott.

He started his role as City's chief scout/head of recruitment on Thursday with a 7.30am meeting with James Mason at the training ground.

By the time Abbott crawled into bed, after a meet-and-greet night with the sponsors, it was 2.45am.

Day two was slightly easier – he was home for midnight after taking in an evening game.

It's fair to say Abbott has hit the ground running. He has had to because the clock is ticking with the season only 25 days away and Stuart McCall's squad a long way from the finished article.

Yesterday was the first time Abbott has been able to sit down with the manager and draw up a definitive list of how many players are required and in exactly what areas.

But Abbott is approaching the task with his eyes wide open and is not remotely deterred by its non-stop nature.

"I hardly spoke to Stuart over the first two days because it's been that busy making phone calls, dealing with enquiries and setting up a structure of how we're going to work," he said.

"My phone was unbelievable when my appointment became public knowledge. I must have had 100 calls from people throwing players at me.

"It's then when you realise just how big a club Bradford are in League One. A lot of people want to come and it's easy to attract interest.

"The size of the club, the stadium and the fan-base are big factors. You're trying to persuade a better type of player to come than what I've been used to in the past.

"If you're saying to players that they could be out there in front of up to 20,000 almost every week, that's a fantastic thing for them to buy into.

"If we can maintain that and keep the fans coming by upping the levels of season tickets, then it has got to help."

City have been playing catch-up since Phil Parkinson took his entire backroom staff with him to Bolton. McCall has had to totally rebuild off the pitch before he can start on it.

Abbott was more than happy to give up his recently-appointed post with Cambridge to return to the club he served as a player with such distinction.

Joint-owner Edin Rahic was blown away by his interview and pushed McCall to make the appointment – not the other way round.

Now Abbott is tapping into the contact book that so impressed the German to swell his close friend's resources in the dressing room. He knows City are starting behind the eight ball.

Abbott said: "In an ideal world, you'd be looking at a maximum of four more players. You'd have a team at least and what you're doing then is to give them options.

"We've just about got a team – and that's only just. So there's a lot of building work to be done but we're on it.

"Obviously it's because of the circumstances. Phil didn't just go, he took his assistant, his goalie coach, analyst, sports scientist and head of recruitment – everything.

"That's where the fans have to be a bit sympathetic with Stuart and the cause. We've only all been together a few days. I was the last one to come in and that was only on Thursday.

"There's work to do but maybe because I've been around this a long, long time and have a lot of contacts, we can speed up the process and get players in.

"I promise I will not panic and will be brave enough to wait for the right players to come along. I won't rush into people."

Like his boss, Abbott has that close affinity with the supporters. City have always been the club closest to his heart since he arrived from his native Coventry 33 years ago and lived with McCall's family to ease the homesickness.

But he is also well aware that his neck is on the line when the new players are judged.

Abbott said: "I know how Bradford City fans work. They want a signing tomorrow – and so do I as a fan.

"But if I get the signing wrong, I'm the first one to criticise the person who has done that.

"Sometimes when you're a fan as well as being in charge of recruitment, you've got to put your feet in both camps.

"As a fan, I want to make something happen and I'll do that as quickly as I can. But I promise you it will be for the right and proper reasons and it will only be for players that I feel will help get Stuart's squad stronger."

Colin Doyle's imminent arrival from Blackpool will give City a starting goalkeeper – but McCall has identified centre midfield and attack as the parts of the team most in need of Abbott's attentions.

Abbott said: "That's what he's told me. At the minute, we've only got Nicky (Law) as a midfield player and obviously James Hanson is tried and tested up front. We all know what he can do.

"We've got to find a way of improving those areas and, I have to tell you, that's difficult.

"But we've thrown some names at Stuart, watched the clips and given him reports from what we've seen.

"We'll look at it in the next couple of days to see if they are available and how much they are. We want to move a signing on in the next week.

"People see us as a club that are going to be in the top part of the division and we've got to use that as a tool to market players.

"There's no given for anyone to get promoted but I think we'd be disappointed if we aren't up there challenging."