Bradford City chairman Stefan Rupp optimistic Bantams can buy back Valley Parade

The Bantams have called the ground home since they were formed in 1903 but when the club went into administration in 2002, it was sold to then co-owner Gibb's pension fund.

Getting it back is an aim for Rupp, who will then look to ensure the League Two club have a training ground to call their own.

“I can honestly say I want to buy the stadium," said chairman/owner Rupp, who is looking to have a more hands-on benefactor role next season.

“We have already started initial talks with the owner and we’ll see how that progresses over the next months.

“Valley Parade is the spiritual home of the Bantams and it’s also part of the future strategy that we have for the club itself to own it and be much more flexible in different areas.

“There is a strong intention to buy it and the funds are there.

“I think the owner is willing to sell it.

“I don’t want to get into much detail at the moment. The only thing I can say is that we’ve started initial talks.

“This will lead into much more detailed discussions in the next month and then we’ll see.

“If you look at other football clubs, most of them own their own stadium and training ground.

“For me it’s important that we are able to unite what has to be united. This is the next big project.”

And Rupp does not believe that poor past relations between Gibb and his old club will be a stumbling block.

“What happened in the past with former representatives of the club who are long gone is nothing to do with me," he stressed.

“We are in a good position to re-engage and Ryan (chief executive Ryan Sparks) did a very good job to make this happen.

“We’re very happy that it’s now a partnership and let’s see what we can make out of that in the future and how fully it will grow.

“I cannot comment on what former owners had in terms of any problems with our landlord.”

Further down the line, Rupp has promised to look at the training base but for the foreseeable future the players will continue to share a complex with Woodhouse Grove School, with the logistical challenges that poses.

“Step by step, first the stadium then the training ground and we are looking at different options for that," he said ahead of a fans' forum on Tuesday evening.

“We are very well hosted at Woodhouse Grove School and we have a very good partnership there.

“The priority at the moment is to own the stadium.”