Parkinson planning recruitment drive

The Bantams sign off their Valley Parade campaign today when Crawley Town are the visitors.

With safety having been assured with the Good Friday win over play-off chasing Peterborough United, attention is turning to what will be an important summer of recruitment as Parkinson looks to build on a solid first season back in the third tier.

The City manager points to how his players have taken points off all but Wolverhampton in the top six this season as an indication of the potential that exists at Valley Parade.

He said: “We have a decent record against teams in the top six and that is something to build on.

“We were competitive in most games and that shows what can be achieved if we can just get that little bit more consistency next season. What we have to do now is get our recruitment right.

“We have two games left and I want us to finish strongly. Then we can sit down and start putting our plans into place.”

A host of players are out of contract this summer, giving Parkinson leeway when it comes to restructuring his squad.

He said: “We always wanted to give the team that took us up a chance in the league above. And, don’t forget, we got 21 points from the first 10 games. It was only when things started to get disrupted that we lost our way.

“But we will take into the summer lessons that we have learned and look to come back stronger in pre-season.”

The annual commemoration service for the Valley Parade fire disaster of 1985 that claimed 56 lives will be held ahead of kick-off.

A bucket collection for the Burns Unit where so many of the injured were treated will also be held.