Bradford City appoint new manager
Michael Duff has been take on in a four season deal
Bradford City have appointed Michael Duff as the club's new manager.
He returns to the dugout just 26 days after being sacked by Wycombe and replaces Graham Alexander - who left to join Preston last week.
The 48-year-old arrives in West Yorkshire on a deal until the end of the 2029/30 season, with his assistant manager to be announced in due course.
The club says:
"The former Northern Ireland international brings a wealth of English Football League managerial experience to the Bantams, having led Cheltenham Town, Barnsley, Swansea City and more recently Huddersfield Town and Wycombe Wanderers in Sky Bet League One.
"He guided the Robins to the third tier of English football by winning the Sky Bet League Two title in the 2021/22 season. The following campaign saw Cheltenham Town secure their highest EFL finish under the former Premier League defender, who departed for Barnsley in the summer of 2022. "
On joining the Bantams, Duff said:
“It is exciting to be here. The move has happened quite quickly and with where the club is sitting now and taking over from someone who I know and respect a lot, this is a great opportunity.
“After the interviews with Ryan Sparks, David Sharpe and Stephen Gent, it was clear we have similar visions on how football should be played and what style of play we want for Bradford City."
City’s chief executive officer, Ryan Sparks, said:
“We are delighted to welcome Michael Duff to Bradford City AFC as our new first-team manager.
“We believe Michael is an excellent fit for our football club, and everyone is looking forward to working with him.
“Michael impressed greatly during discussions with me, David Sharpe and Stephen Gent. His knowledge of the game, his passion, his standards and his determination to succeed were clear throughout the process."
Duff will take charge of his first training session at the club’s Woodhouse Grove base later this week.