TWO prominent Bingley Bantams now have key roles at Bradford City Women.

Ian Taylor is the new head of operations, while brother Keith is the treasurer.

The former spoke to the club after his appointment was confirmed and said: "Keith and I had been in contact with BCWFC over the past year or so through our involvement with Bingley Bantams, but for one reason or another, things just didn’t pan out how both parties would have liked.

"When we saw that (chairwoman) Sally Thackray and (treasurer) Allyson Matthews were retiring, we both thought that this was an opportunity not to be missed.

"BCWFC has great potential and we felt that, given our experiences with Bingley Bantams, we could help the club progress."

Taylor added: "The club has gone through a number of massive upheavals in the last few years, so our first plan is to bring some stability to things off the field. Hopefully this will then translate into stability on the pitch.

"We also want to create a more joined-up approach with the men’s team and hopefully make BCWFC the team that women want to play for in this area.

"We want to create a fantastic stand-alone profile for BCWFC within the local community."

Asked about the changes and development he'd like to see at City Women, Taylor said: "We are looking at everything we currently do to see if we can make some changes to improve.

"One of the first things we want to do though is try to make signing for BCWFC a fantastic experience for the women involved and one that will inspire other women within the area to come and join us on this exciting journey we are starting."

Talking about Sally Thackray's long spell in charge, Taylor enthused: "Without Sally there would not be a BCWFC.

"Her legacy is the club itself and how highly respected it is within the league and the FA associations.

"She has left a truly exceptional football club and it is up to us to pick up the baton, work tirelessly and move the club forward.

"Everyone at BCWFC owes her a debt that can never be repaid."

As for what the future holds, Taylor said: "The next steps must revolve around increasing the profile of the club within the community.

"This includes local football clubs who do not currently have a women’s football team, schools and universities, anywhere where women want to play football and are currently finding it difficult to do so.

"The more women we can encourage to play, the better for both them and the club."

Telling the club a bit about his Bradford City background, Taylor added: "Keith and I are avid Bradford City fans and have been going to Valley Parade for 50 years.

"We currently run the Bingley Bantams Supporters Group and since we formed it, four years ago, we have donated around £20,000 to the football club, as well as raised in excess of £10,000 for One in a Million - our main charity partner."