Stickied League 2 Transfer Rumours/Confirmed Transfers 2024/25

[Conker]

Yeah I can’t see it being remotely realistic - we obviously have some money to spend, but it’s not going to be anything huge.

Actually believe it to be true you put a bid in now, no idea on fee but it was quickly rejected, trying your luck I presume.

Same with Walsall too saddler78

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

Will Swann is the sort of player I hope we do spend some of the Langstaff money on.

 

[DearneValleyRover]

Jon Taylor has signed for Salford he must have one hell of an agent because he can’t last 20 minutes before getting injured again, wish him the best of luck

 

[lordofthepies]

He will be your no.1.

Not sure about that

 

[Crewelad87]

He will be your no.1.

God help you.

I'd be shocked if he was number 1.

Bell even mentioned that he was looking at loans with no promises of playing so I'd expect that refers to this.

 

[Agombar stool]

Saidou Khan back to Chesterfield this week potentially. Very inconsistent wild card type midfielder.

 

[Indian Dan]

Not too fussed if he goes or stays. Presume we’ll get a fee.

 

[Agombar stool]

Not too fussed if he goes or stays. Presume we’ll get a fee.

Think he's under contract for this season. I imagine we'll get less from Chesterfield than we paid. FWIW I really liked Khan. As with quite a few players recently I don't think we've got the best out of him for one reason or another.

 

[Indian Dan]

Thought we’d get more, tbh. We bought a non league player, they are buying one with 2 seasons in L2 behind him.

 

[クレイグ]

The trialist from our game with Guiseley, Sam Graham, has gone to Austria with our squad apparently. Relegated with Rochdale. The shit-pool is being dredged.

 

[OneDecentLester]

Saidou Khan back to Chesterfield this week potentially. Very inconsistent wild card type midfielder.

I would be very surprised about this. Personally I think we already have better in the building, and midfield is definitely not an area we are lacking in numbers wise.

Where’s this rumour come from?

 

[E10rifle]

The trialist from our game with Guiseley, Sam Graham, has gone to Austria with our squad apparently. Relegated with Rochdale. The shit-pool is being dredged.

Hello Craig. Scouted Sam years ago when he was a teenager. Always thought he should have done better with his career than he has, but he certainly lacks a consistent competitive edge. Doubt he’d do well at somewhere with the pressure/expectation at Bradford, but I suppose something could have changed in the intervening years. Thoroughly unconvinced by your summer business tbh.

 

[spireite]

I don't think we need Saidou Khan personally.

 

[クレイグ]

Hello Craig. Scouted Sam years ago when he was a teenager. Always thought he should have done better with his career than he has, but he certainly lacks a consistent competitive edge. Doubt he’d do well at somewhere with the pressure/expectation at Bradford, but I suppose something could have changed in the intervening years. Thoroughly unconvinced by your summer business tbh.

I don't think he's what we need.

Sarcevic is a good signing, but the others aren't exactly the quality I'd be looking for if promotion is the aim. Calum Johnson hasn't done anything in pre-season so far - not traveled with the squad to Austria because of injury. Byrne looks like a solid backup option, Baldwin might be slightly entertaining and Tyreik Wright should be decent enough IF not played at lwb. Only business I'm happy with is the new contracts for Halliday and Pointon.

 

[leedsvaliant]

I don't think he's what we need.

Sarcevic is a good signing, but the others aren't exactly the quality I'd be looking for if promotion is the aim. Calum Johnson hasn't done anything in pre-season so far - not traveled with the squad to Austria because of injury. Byrne looks like a solid backup option, Baldwin might be slightly entertaining and Tyreik Wright should be decent enough IF not played at lwb. Only business I'm happy with is the new contracts for Halliday and Pointon.

You'd think at this stage, having been in league 2 for quite a few years now, that Bradford would really try and push on from a pretty solid base that has come close over the last 2 seasons. I'm talking 4 or 5 quality signings to see them towards the automatics. Apart from Sarcevic who I think is very good, the other signings so far have been a bit meh. Surely with the size of the club and the budget undoubtedly being top end , you'd think Bradford would pull in a few bigger hitters. They may still do of course but from the outside it seems like the owners are overly cautious with the purse strings.

 

[Indian Dan]

The problem with ‘pushing the boat out’ is that it usually means handing out longer term contracts on high-ish wages. Fail to get promoted and you’re well lumbered for a couple more seasons.

I’ve just read that Birmingham in L1 have spent more on transfer fees this close season than 22 of the 24 Championship clubs. That could really go tits up.

 

[leedsvaliant]

The problem with ‘pushing the boat out’ is that it usually means handing out longer term contracts on high-ish wages. Fail to get promoted and you’re well lumbered for a couple more seasons.

I’ve just read that Birmingham in L1 have spent more on transfer fees this close season than 22 of the 24 Championship clubs. That could really go tits up.

That's very true, but in Bradford's case they've already got a solid base. It would be a relatively low risk to go in on 3 or 4 very good players to get them over the line. We did it in 2013 with Lee Hughes and Darren Purse for example. At some point you've got to take a bit of a risk...that's business!

 

[EnglishRed]

The problem with ‘pushing the boat out’ is that it usually means handing out longer term contracts on high-ish wages. Fail to get promoted and you’re well lumbered for a couple more seasons.

I’ve just read that Birmingham in L1 have spent more on transfer fees this close season than 22 of the 24 Championship clubs. That could really go tits up.

I think theyre on 13m now and rumours than they've bid 12m on one player. And this is for additions to a squad that was arguably already Championship standard and only went down due to poor management decisions.

At least people aren't moaning about us so much this summer.

 

[LS Bantam]

You'd think at this stage, having been in league 2 for quite a few years now, that Bradford would really try and push on from a pretty solid base that has come close over the last 2 seasons. I'm talking 4 or 5 quality signings to see them towards the automatics. Apart from Sarcevic who I think is very good, the other signings so far have been a bit meh. Surely with the size of the club and the budget undoubtedly being top end , you'd think Bradford would pull in a few bigger hitters. They may still do of course but from the outside it seems like the owners are overly cautious with the purse strings.

Not even going into the £500k rent etc. we are basically maxed out in the budget barring a young kid or two coming in on loan, one of which already seems to have fallen through after he’s started well in preseason. For two years we’ve handed out long and or expensive contracts to often not good enough players and now we’re stuck - Kevin McDonald hasn’t even traveled to Austria in preseason, no one will go near Vadaine Oliver, new signing Callum Johnson crocked at Mansfield last season, has not kicked a ball yet for us. We are so full of deadwood we can’t even offer deals to decent players, Charlie Wyke for example.
The hilarious thing is we’ve been promised investment this year, promised investment after the protests of last season, and guess what, we’ve had such great investment we can’t afford to bring anyone in.
So whilst Port Vale and others are paying £150k here, £200k there, we’ll stick to maybe an 18 year old PL2 loanee if we search far enough down the back of the sofa.

 

[leedsvaliant]

Not even going into the £500k rent etc. we are basically maxed out in the budget barring a young kid or two coming in on loan, one of which already seems to have fallen through after he’s started well in preseason. For two years we’ve handed out long and or expensive contracts to often not good enough players and now we’re stuck - Kevin McDonald hasn’t even traveled to Austria in preseason, no one will go near Vadaine Oliver, new signing Callum Johnson crocked at Mansfield last season, has not kicked a ball yet for us. We are so full of deadwood we can’t even offer deals to decent players, Charlie Wyke for example.
The hilarious thing is we’ve been promised investment this year, promised investment after the protests of last season, and guess what, we’ve had such great investment we can’t afford to bring anyone in.
So whilst Port Vale and others are paying £150k here, £200k there, we’ll stick to maybe an 18 year old PL2 loanee if we search far enough down the back of the sofa.

It just goes to show that it can easily go wrong (although I could have told you Vadaine Oliver would be useless, it makes our Loft signing look like deal of the century).

Clearly the ground rental thing is holding you back because in spite of cheaper season tickets, you still sell a lot. You must sell a lot of shirts and merchandise being a one club city. Your ground is surely big enough to hold lots of corporate stuff. Where is all the money going?

 

[Grimsby Road]

I don't think he's what we need.

Sarcevic is a good signing, but the others aren't exactly the quality I'd be looking for if promotion is the aim. Calum Johnson hasn't done anything in pre-season so far - not traveled with the squad to Austria because of injury. Byrne looks like a solid backup option, Baldwin might be slightly entertaining and Tyreik Wright should be decent enough IF not played at lwb. Only business I'm happy with is the new contracts for Halliday and Pointon.

I do like Pointon think he's a high potential player at this level and IF he kicks on will play higher, similiar to Apter at Tranmere last time out - he should be capable of a similiar output you would have thought if he keeps improving .

 

[Son of Cod]

It's all relative though, isn't it? Even when Bradford were trying to be more sustainable they still had the resources to blow most clubs at this level out of the water. That's certainly the case for any other clubs trying to be ran sustainably, it's only the clubs that don't give a shit how much they spend that beat Bradford to players. The likes of Smallwood, Cook, Walker, etc were there last season and are gonna be on big money. Bradford being frugal is still a big budget for L2.

Their problem over the last few seaons has always been the clown running the show. Looking at their statements about how they were sacking off the sustainable model and signing Sarcevic immediately, from the outside looking in, it appears as though those two actions could have just been ploys to hit those season ticket targets. If Sarcevic is the peak of their summer business, as good a signing he is, the fans have every right to be peeved and unless they start well it's gonna get toxic quickly again. If a manager can get them purring then Bradford is a great gig but if the fans aren't on side it's probably the worst job in the division.

For their supporters sake, I'd like to see them do well, but I just can't see it as long as Sparks is there. The next few weeks are big for him, in terms of playing recruitment. No more big signings and it's safe to say he was chatting shit.

 

[Conker]

Nobody should be looking at the spending Vale are doing and thinking oh wish we did that, we all would like our clubs financially to push the boat out a bit but it can become silly, my view will admittedly be soured by the fact when we spent silly it did not work but it’s unnecessary to that extent.

Why is Callum Johnson out Bradford fans? I believe other than last season his injury record is okay so hopefully too early to call him crocked.

 

[Grimsby Road]

It's all relative though, isn't it? Even when Bradford were trying to be more sustainable they still had the resources to blow most clubs at this level out of the water. That's certainly the case for any other clubs trying to be ran sustainably, it's only the clubs that don't give a shit how much they spend that beat Bradford to players. The likes of Smallwood, Cook, Walker, etc were there last season and are gonna be on big money. Bradford being frugal is still a big budget for L2.

Their problem over the last few seaons has always been the clown running the show. Looking at their statements about how they were sacking off the sustainable model and signing Sarcevic immediately, from the outside looking in, it appears as though those two actions could have just been ploys to hit those season ticket targets. If Sarcevic is the peak of their summer business, as good a signing he is, the fans have every right to be peeved and unless they start well it's gonna get toxic quickly again. If a manager can get them purring then Bradford is a great gig but if the fans aren't on side it's probably the worst job in the division.

For their supporters sake, I'd like to see them do well, but I just can't see it as long as Sparks is there. The next few weeks are big for him, in terms of playing recruitment. No more big signings and it's safe to say he was chatting shit.

Yeah I think it's more a case of how a team that gets double the crowds of any other team in the league are no way near the top of the budget table , probably shows how mad the games gone - crowds are effectively irellevant now .

I'm not sure there chairmans idea is even that bad a one , he's obviously a poor decision maker from the outside looking in but financially he is running it well (maybe not all fans idea of running a club well , which is someone spunking a load of their money away on something that they will never get back ) .

I'm more bemused at why /how one of these sugar daddy type owners haven't picked Bradford up you would say they are the highest potential club in league 2 and would be up there in league 1 yet billionaires choose to donate into clubs like Wycombe and Burton for example .

 

[valefan16]

Nobody should be looking at the spending Vale are doing and thinking oh wish we did that, we all would like our clubs financially to push the boat out a bit but it can become silly, my view will admittedly be soured by the fact when we spent silly it did not work but it’s unnecessary to that extent.

Why is Callum Johnson out Bradford fans? I believe other than last season his injury record is okay so hopefully too early to call him crocked.

We are spending but as mentioned we have made decent money via our youth system and player sales in the past couple of years.

We’ve spent big money under Carol but largely on the infrastructure at the detriment to spending on the team, youth system which is making us money, training centre and facilities and corporate which largely will see us bring better income in longer term.

Also the sale is now complete so the 4-5 million over x years being paid to buy the club and ground is now complete and also frees up some finance.

The club is miles away from the club it was in 2019 but wouldn’t say we are spending stupidly.

 

[Conker]

We are spending but as mentioned we have made decent money via our youth system and player sales in the past couple of years.

We’ve spent big money under Carol but largely on the infrastructure at the detriment to spending on the team, youth system which is making us money, training centre and facilities and corporate which largely will see us bring better income in longer term.

Also the sale is now complete so the 4-5 million over x years being paid to buy the club and ground is now complete and also frees up some finance.

The club is miles away from the club it was in 2019 but wouldn’t say we are spending stupidly.

If the transfer fees mentioned being chucked about by yourself is realistic then you are spending silly, it’s L2.

Also it’s just gone up six figures due to you trying to ridiculously make out it isn’t.

 

[valefan16]

If the transfer fees mentioned being chucked about by yourself is realistic then you are spending silly, it’s L2.

Also it’s just gone up six figures due to you trying to ridiculously make out it isn’t.

Let’s assume it’s £750k but we’ve sold a kid to Newcastle for £200k plus, Forrester to Bolton for £200k, somehow mugged a small fee of Cambridge for Loft, a fee for Iacovitti, plus a record sale for a schoolboy to Villa then we’ve not really spent that much and could potentially still be in a profit over those.

Have a striker that’s likely to command a big fee with interest across Europe and a sell on for a Man City kid who’s highly rated potentially.

It’s not like we are spending with zero income or potential returns elsewhere.

Not to mention Carol has had a monster investment into her company so it’s not like we are spending money we don’t have.

 

[Son of Cod]

I'm not sure there chairmans idea is even that bad a one , he's obviously a poor decision maker from the outside looking in but financially he is running it well (maybe not all fans idea of running a club well , which is someone spunking a load of their money away on something that they will never get back ) .

You could say the same about Fenty though. He ran us sustainably but at the cost of two relegations to the National League and never giving Blundell Park a lick of paint. We're shed of him in most ways but the fact that the new owners are constantly spending money on things like renovating the Main Stand, upgrading the training facilities, creating a fanzone, fixing up the toilets, relaying the pitch, etc means we're still hamstrung by him. Fans' reactions are generally bang on when it comes to these things and the level of disgruntlement from the Bradford fans seems to tell a story here.

 

[GFCSludge]

Gills have signed striker Marcus Wyllie from Enfield Town for an undisclosed fee. 34 goals last season, won the Isthmian Premier League golden boot with 30 goals.

 

[WilsdenBantam]

It's all relative though, isn't it? Even when Bradford were trying to be more sustainable they still had the resources to blow most clubs at this level out of the water. That's certainly the case for any other clubs trying to be ran sustainably, it's only the clubs that don't give a shit how much they spend that beat Bradford to players. The likes of Smallwood, Cook, Walker, etc were there last season and are gonna be on big money. Bradford being frugal is still a big budget for L2.

Their problem over the last few seaons has always been the clown running the show. Looking at their statements about how they were sacking off the sustainable model and signing Sarcevic immediately, from the outside looking in, it appears as though those two actions could have just been ploys to hit those season ticket targets. If Sarcevic is the peak of their summer business, as good a signing he is, the fans have every right to be peeved and unless they start well it's gonna get toxic quickly again. If a manager can get them purring then Bradford is a great gig but if the fans aren't on side it's probably the worst job in the division.

For their supporters sake, I'd like to see them do well, but I just can't see it as long as Sparks is there. The next few weeks are big for him, in terms of playing recruitment. No more big signings and it's safe to say he was chatting shit.

Yes, Sparks came to us from a tiny rugby league club in the second division in 2018 as basically the guy who does the twitter account. He was only in his 20s and by 2020 he was the youngest CEO in the EFL. In what other multimillion pound business would someone get career progression like that? Nowhere, so that is on the owner and one of the reasons he gets stick, although how some can defend him with decisions like that I'll never know. We are well run of the field, but eventually that will regress, we lost a thousand season ticket holders this season and it was nothing to do with the rise in season ticket prices despite what happy clappers will tell you, every club has them don't they? They will slag the owner and Sparks off once they fuck off and defend the next lot no matter what happens.

Yeah I think it's more a case of how a team that gets double the crowds of any other team in the league are no way near the top of the budget table , probably shows how mad the games gone - crowds are effectively irellevant now .

I'm not sure there chairmans idea is even that bad a one , he's obviously a poor decision maker from the outside looking in but financially he is running it well (maybe not all fans idea of running a club well , which is someone spunking a load of their money away on something that they will never get back ) .

I'm more bemused at why /how one of these sugar daddy type owners haven't picked Bradford up you would say they are the highest potential club in league 2 and would be up there in league 1 yet billionaires choose to donate into clubs like Wycombe and Burton for example .

I think that is where part of our frustration comes from, no offence to Wrexham but how we weren't a better option than them I'll never know. I really rate their owners despite the circus it involves and feel we'd be already in the championship under them getting 22k plus fans per week. It's a club that has far more potentially than them you name no matter how arrogant it sounds, it's just a fact. Our income isn't just through selling loads of tickets either, Pointon for instance is such a shock to us because we are very good at selling any youngsters with any talent usually, so it is rare that we get an academy player break through. We have sold a number to the PL in the last 3-4 years and received £3 million for McBurnie's sell on so we bring plenty in through that route as well. Our income is around £9 million but our budget was £2.8 million last year according to Sparks, nowhere near the 55% you are allowed. We'd have the biggest budget by far if we dare take a risk and go towards 50% which most clubs are at. True though we do have some big overheads, but you have to be prepared to make a sustainable loss when running a football club or you'll fall behind.