Saturday 26 April 2008
Coca-Cola Football League 2
Bradford City vs Milton Keynes Dons

Welcome to the Coral Windows Stadium for this afternoon's game against MK Dons, our final home fixture for the 2007-8 season.

We offer our usual warm welcome to those who have travelled north from Milton Keynes today for what will be a promotion party for them. It is never nice to play the role of the bridesmaid on these occasions but I hope that seeing what our opponents here today have achieved will only spur us on to emulate their feat next season. MK Dons have shown what is possible in this league with a modest amount of investment and that is what we will be hoping to do next year. Things have really turned round well for everyone connected with the Dons and we wish them well in League One.

It goes without saying that we wish we were joining them in a higher division next season and there is no hiding our disappointment at the way things have turned out. The big positive we can take into the summer is our much-improved form since January. With a few additions to the squad we are all optimistic that we can next season deliver the kind of campaign that your unwavering and fantastic support deserves.

In thanking you for making us the best-supported club in this league this season, I would like to again remind you of the key role you have to play in helping us to build for next year by backing our unbeatable season ticket offer. I'm sure that, like me, you would love to see the Coral Windows Stadium packed with crowds of more than 20,000 fans and I would urge you to secure your tickets as soon as possible.

Today marks David Wetherall's final home game as a player with Bradford City Football Club and I would like to conclude by paying tribute to the magnificent service David has given us over the years. As well as being a role model captain on the pitch he has been a true gentleman off it during what have often been testing times. I'm sure that when he joined what was at the time a Premier League club he could never have envisaged he would play for us in every division during less than a decade. It is an experience that few other clubs have gone through, but some of the visiting fans here today will know what it feels like.

Throughout David has always been loyal to the cause and I'm delighted that, after adifficult first taste of management last season, he has agreed to stay on with us as first team coach. I remain confident he has what it takes tomake a good manager in the future.

On behalf of everyone at the club, thanks again for your tremendous support, enjoy the game and have a great summer.

Julian Rhodes
Joint Chairman