BRADFORD City's all-time record signing David Hopkin was a combative, spiky midfielder in his playing days, and he showed he has lost none of that edge in his first press conference at Valley Parade today.

He cost the Bantams £2.5million in July 2000 from rivals Leeds United and it was hoped that he could help them to a third season in the Premier League.

A bad ankle injury against Darlington in a League Cup tie meant he was only able to play a handful of games for the club, as City went down with a whimper.

Eighteen years later, the steely look in his eyes as he addressed the assembled journalists this afternoon suggests that he is determined to make a better go of his second spell at the club.

He refused to shy away from the number of awkward questions that were asked and kept his arms folded on the table in front of him, a powerful stance which made clear that there would only be one man in charge and making the decisions at Valley Parade for the foreseeable future.

His manner changed somewhat when the Telegraph & Argus' chief sports writer Simon Parker asked what he could do to sort out an underachieving squad. He gesticulated openly and was firm in his belief that "underachievement is a strong word and not the right word."

Hopkin confirmed that he trusts his new charges and that the feeling is mutual, although he admitted that everyone would know more after Saturday's game at Blackpool in Sky Bet League One.

The Scotsman showed he had an abundance of self-belief throughout, stating that he had a proven track record given his work at Livingston, having guided them into this season's Scottish Premiership, their first top flight appearance since 2006.

Club chairman Edin Rahic was pushed on to the defensive during the 20-minute press conference, as he was fiercely grilled about matters such as who was really running the show at the Bantams and why the club had lost momentum in the last nine months.

Hopkin remained on the front foot throughout, though, and insisted that the sackings of Stuart McCall and Michael Collins did not concern him, as there is pressure in all football management jobs.

Ultimately, he ended with his most powerful line of the whole press conference: "I'm a leader and I lead by example."