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Decline of Bradford City is another tale of owner mismanagement

An interesting analysis of the decline of Bradford City who have been relegated to League Two: With a whimper rather than a bang

Financial losses topped £2m for the last financial year and the club’s decline on the pitch has been matched by steadily falling support, with season ticket sales having dropped by 4,000 and one home match, against Coventry City in October, attracting the club’s lowest league attendance in the last five years.

It's another story of incoming owners who thought that football success could be easily achieved: 'The owners of the club attempted to make too many changes too quickly, in spite of their initial statement when taking control of the club three years ago, whilst the apparent motivation of the man placed in control of the day-to-day running of the club seemed directed more by ego than the best interests of the club.'

'Failures in recruitment at all levels have been a clear signal of the shortcomings of the ownership, but Stefan Rupp – who had been largely an absent owner, having left the running of the club to Rahic – will presumably only leave at a time that is beneficial to him, and it’s difficult to believe that Bradford City’s value could be worth more now than he paid for his 78% shareholding in the first place at present.'

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