Parkinson commits future to Bradford City

Phil Parkinson celebrates his team's promotion. (Picture: Bruce Rollinson).

Parkinson, who led his side to an npower League Two play-off victory over Northampton last Saturday, joins assistant manager Steve Parkin and fitness coach Nick Allamby in putting pen to paper.

Parkinson joined the club in the summer of 2011 and the Bantams finished 18th in his first season before reaching the Capital One Cup final and then the third tier during a memorable 2012/13 campaign.

There had been speculation linking the 45-year-old with a move away from Valley Parade before Bradford’s announcement, but he revealed a deal had been in place for a while.

Parkinson said: “I had verbally agreed my contract with Julian (Rhodes, joint-chairman) a long time ago really, but didn’t want anything to detract from our main focus throughout the play-offs, which was obviously to get promoted.

“Now that aim has been achieved, I was able to sit down with the two chairmen this morning and get the contract all finalised.

“We’ve had a terrific season, but we know we have an important summer ahead of us now. We can’t sit back on what we have achieved - we have to keep working and striving forward.

“We have to keep improving the club in all departments.

“Our aim now is to get a team on the pitch next year that our supporters will enjoy watching.”