STEFAN Rupp today stressed that he will not walk out on City.

The owner, who is facing a deficit expected to be around £2 million for the season, made it clear in a statement that he remains committed to the club – even if they are relegated.

And interim chief executive Julian Rhodes will also be staying at Valley Parade, having initially only come back until May.

Rupp said: “I will never turn my back on the club and am 100 per cent committed to guiding Bradford City through this difficult period.

“There is still a chance we can avoid relegation but we are facing the reality of playing League Two football next season.

“Our rebuilding work has already begun. We will deal with what comes our way, I take full responsibility for this, and work harder to come back from it.”

Rhodes, who sold the club to Rupp and Edin Rahic in 2016, returned to City in November with the plan to help out for the rest of the season.

He said: “I am fully committed to helping steer the club in the right direction and will not run away from the challenges in front of us.

“In the weeks and months ahead, we will be making key appointments and putting in place a structure which will hopefully ensure we are stronger next season and beyond.

“We will have a real go next season - regardless of the division we are in - with a competitive budget in place to take us forward.

“A challenging summer is ahead of us but Stefan will back the club and everything we do.”