Shock for Bradford as star signing is jailed for assault

Former caretaker England boss Peter Taylor, now manager at the Bradford club, splashed out 25,000 on 24-year-old striker Jake Speight from non-league Mansfield Town two weeks ago.

He was planning to play him in the Bantams' first warm-up match ahead of their new campaign - but Taylor was left shell-shocked when the player's agent called him on Friday morning, the day of the game, to say Speight was due in court.

The frontman has now been sentenced to 12 weeks in prison after admitting assault, and although he is likely to be released after serving half his sentence it will rule him out of their opening game at Shrewsbury.

The manager said: "This incident happened in February and Jake and his

agent never told anyone that it would go any further. That's why I didn't know and Mansfield Town didn't know.

"I'm very disappointed, obviously, because we were totally unaware this was happening. They should have warned me but, to be fair to Jake, his desire to play for Bradford was so strong that he felt he might mess his chances up.

"He thought he would get a warning and the outcome has been a nightmare for him. I should have been told but I do understand a little bit why I wasn't."

Taylor confirmed that the club will not be paying Speight's wages until he is released and his wages could then be capped until he is fit to play.

He added: "I don't think it means that all of a sudden Bradford City are a bad club or I'm a bad person. It's a situation that has just cropped up and we're prepared to deal with it. When Jake does return to the club, I will welcome him back.

"But he obviously won't get paid at all until he comes out - and then we will definitely take things into account until we get him fit enough to play."

The striker, who has had just a week of training with Bradford, scored 17 goals for Mansfield last season. He began his career at Sheffield United and has also played for Bury.