FIACRE Kelleher has left City to join National League Solihull Moors on a season-long loan.

The giant centre-half joined the Bantams last summer from Wrexham and made 11 appearances.

He will now return to the Conference in a bid to get more game-time at the Midlands club, who just missed out on promotion to the EFL after losing the play-off final against Grimsby.

City boss Mark Hughes said: “We felt, and Kells probably felt the same way, that he needed to get out and start playing football again.

“He had last year when he didn’t play on too many occasions, certainly not for me, so it would have been unfair not to let him.

“Ideally, you would like to keep him as a personality and a player in the building because he’s a great guy and really good in the group.

“But you have to be fair to the lad as well and he needs to go out and play football.

“You’ve got to look realistically at the options of him playing and they will probably be even more limited this year.”

The 26-year-old had been tipped to move on following the arrival of Matty Platt, Romoney Crichlow and Timi Odusina this summer.

But as with EFL loans, City can recall Kelleher from Damson Park in the January window if they need to.

Hughes added: “It’s for the season but there is a break clause.

“It’s an opportunity for him to go out and kickstart his career and see where that takes him.

“The reason they want him is that Kells is a very good player. It makes sense for them and Fiacre as well.”