Bantams 'chomping at the bit' to start pre-season action
City boss Phil Parkinson admits his players are "chomping at the bit" to get their pre-season programme of friendlies under way tomorrow afternoon.
Parkinson's men play their first friendly fixture of the summer ahead of the upcoming 2012/2013 season when they travel to Northern Counties East League Premier Division side Tadcaster Albion this Saturday (21 July 2012).
The Tadcaster friendly comes two weeks after City's return to pre-season training following the close-season break.
The Bantams boss has revealed that the majority of his squad will get a half each in the match, with some trialists and members of City's youth team also set to feature.
Parkinson said: "Tomorrow will be a mixture of trialists, youngsters and first-team squad members getting around forty-five minutes each. We will probably end up playing two separate teams - one each half.
"The lads have been training well in the first two weeks of pre-season and you can see that they are chomping at the bit to get out there.
"We have had some matches between ourselves in training but it will be good for us get out in a proper match situation now.
"We expect the lads to play professionally. We will be looking at them to play a high tempo for the forty-five minutes or so that they feature.
"A lot of the new guys will be on show for the first time for the fans so hopefully they will turn out in their numbers at Tadcaster tomorrow to see them."
Despite Parkinson promising to give the majority of his squad a run-out at Tadcaster tomorrow, new right back Stephen Darby is likely to miss out due to a slight toe problem.
Darby could also be joined on the sidelines by one or two of his new team-mates as well as Parkinson looks to take no risks ahead of the scheduled trip to Ireland next week.
"Stephen Darby has a bit of toe problem and one or two other lads have got a few knocks - nothing serious and to be expected at this time of pre-season," Parkinson added.
"Anyone with a knock probably won't be risked at this stage.
"We have an important week of work coming up in Ireland next week and we want all the group to be ready and raring to go for that one."