Donovan Ricketts' proposed move to Championship side Queens Park Rangers has fallen through with the news that the Home Office has turned down the Jamaican's application for a Work Permit.

Due to the lack of competitive internationals played by Jamaica in the last two years, he does not meet the necessary criteria and Rangers failed with their appeal in London on Wednesday.

Ricketts is under contract with the Bantams until the end of the season when his current Work Permit expires.

Home Office rules do not allow a Work Permit to be transferred from one club to another.

The 30-year will now return to Valley Parade where he will have to fight for the number one goalkeeping place with City having signed Watford's Scott Loach on loan until the end of the season.

The Home Office rejected his bid in light of the lack of competitive fixtures played by Jamaica over the last two years.

It is also believed the fact that he was unlikely to have been first choice at Rangers was also a factor. England under-21 goalkeeper Lee Camp has been a regular at Loftus Road this season.

QPR's subsequent appeal was turned down and the news has left joint City chairman Mark Lawn stunned' - especially after Jamaican team-mate Omar Daley has just been granted a new work permit after agreeing a new contract with the Bantams.

He said: "Donovan's agent said he's done this lots of times and said it wouldn't be a problem so we are shocked and stunned."

The news came just two days after City brought in Scott Loach on loan from Watford until the end of the season as a replacement keeper. The Hornets were only keen to let Loach go out if he was getting regular first-team games.

Lawn added: "It is a blow as we've brought people on board to have a look at them to see whether we might be able to sign them at the end of the season.

"Obviously in doing that we had planned to make use of Donovan's wages."

But Lawn assured supporters that it would not put the club under big financial pressure.

Jamaica only played eight friendlies throughout 2007, with Ricketts playing just once. The Reggae Boyz have dropped to 98th in the FIFA world rankings.

Ricketts' current work permit expires at the end of the season when his contract with City runs out. Home Office rules do not allow a work permit to be transferred from one club to another.

Any move to QPR now looks dead in the water for Ricketts. Clubs are only allowed one appeal per player during the year regarding permits so would not would be able to come in for him at the end of this season.