MARK Hughes intends to use the loan market as much as any manager in League Two.

The new Bantams boss has inherited a squad with six temporary recruits brought in by predecessor Derek Adams during the January transfer window.

Hughes is not put off by the number of players in the dressing room from other clubs – and will look to utilise the loan market in the future like most sides do in the lower tiers.

He said: “I don’t dismiss anything. Loan players are important at this level.

“We’ll be looking at that and trying to get a strategy and a plan once it’s clear what we need and will be working from.

“Once we have a real indication of where we need to strengthen and can get better, then we can look at that.

“It’s not going to happen too quickly but the loan market is one we’re obviously going to be tapping into at some stage.”

Free agents could be another potential option, although with players starting to come back from injury, it is unlikely that Hughes sees them as an immediate, short-term fix.

There was absolutely nothing in a weekend rumour that he could be interested in signing his former player Jay Bothroyd.

The striker, who played for Hughes at Blackburn and QPR, turns 40 in May. He has been back in England since leaving Japanese side Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo at the end of November.

Bothroyd said on Twitter: “Not true, fake news … sorry. I’m sure Mark Hughes will take the club forward though.”

Asked about the prospect of players currently without clubs, Hughes added: “With free agents, it’s more as and when but it’s got to be the right one.

“There’s got to be a need there. It’s not about collecting players but someone who can make a difference and you have to be careful when they last played.”

City were already planning to reboot the club’s recruitment structure before Hughes was unveiled.

They aim to bring it more in line with how it had been during Lee Turnbull’s nine-month stint as director of recruitment.

Adams changed the system round to have more of a say and brought in his own three scouts.

They remain with the club but will be working under a head of recruitment overseeing signings with Hughes.

Chief executive Ryan Sparks said: “One of the areas of the football department which is not strong enough, and it is the most important, is recruitment.

“We were building that previously and it has changed course.

“I intend to add a recruitment head to the club to lead the scouts that will start very quickly. Mark is fully on board with that.

“I am sure those scouts and recruitment team will work to ensure we have a squad who will compete at this level.”

The arrival of Hughes has lifted the club on and off the field - rejuvenating jaded supporters just as much as the players.

Sparks can feel a sense of unity returning.

He added: "We had a divided fanbase, let's not beat around the bush.

"What was left behind from the previous managerial situation left a lot of questions for supporters and in that regard it has been a disappointing campaign when you come in short of what you have invested in the squad and things around the squad.

"It is not something you take well. If you don't invest in the squad and are turning up to make up the numbers, you probably take mid-table on the chin.

"That is not good enough for us and I said that from the start.

"Obviously, the supporter base will respond to Mark.

"Stability is massive in terms of long-term vision.

"People talk about visions and strategies and unfortunately, with any long-term vision, if your short-term and medium term plans fail, you never get to the long-term part.

"For various reasons, what we'd started this season didn't work. I know what those reasons are and will keep them inside my brain."