Jonathan Bateson completed his move to Bradford City on 1st July 2009.

The right back signed on a free transfer after being released by Blackburn Rovers.

Bateson started his career with the Lancashire club, working his way through their academy ranks and captaining his side at many of those levels.

The 2006-07 season marked his first appearance at reserve level for Rovers, though he continued to feature predominately in the academy sides.

The following term saw Bateson require a cartilage operation and meant he was to endure a truncated season. He did return strongly however, featuring in a long spell with Unibond Premier League side Buxton and regaining a place back in Rovers reserve outfit.

Towards the end of the 2008/09 Bateson was handed a trial by Bradford manager Stuart McCall and took part in some reserve outings for the club.

McCall was clearly impressed by what he saw of the defender as he signed him up upon his release from Blackburn.

Bateson was handed his Bantams debut at Nottingham Forest's City Ground in Bradford's Carling Cup 1st round tie, unfortunately he marked it with a late tackle for a lunge on Forest's Nathan Tyson as City crashed to a 3-0 defeat.

His subsequent suspension meant Bateson had to wait until late September before his first taste of league football with Bradford during the Bantams draw at Underhill.

Injury to City's regular right back, Simon Ramsden, in that match saw Bateson handed his full debut in the Bantams following match - a home victory over Chesterfield.

Despite falling back down behind Ramsden in the pecking order, the young full back remains an important part of McCall's squad.