Lawn frustrated by ground talks

Last updated : 20 April 2011 By BBC Sport

Bradford City joint-chairman Mark Lawn has revealed his frustration at the lack of communication between himself and the ground's landlords.The Bantams could leave Valley Parade in the next 12 months unless they can re-negotiate their rental payments.

City currently pay around ?700,000 a year to the pension fund of former chairman Gordon Gibb, and Prudential Property Investment Managers (PRUPIM).

Lawn told BBC Radio Leeds: "I don't know what more I can do."

He added: "We've had a little bit of contact from PRUPIM but no contact at all from the pension fund.

"There's no way they can stop us if we decide to go. They can't turn around and force us to pay rent that we just can't pay - it's financial suicide."

Bradford have played at the 25,000-capacity stadium since 1903 and would have to find an alternative stadium to stage their matches, with Odsal, the current home of rugby league side Bradford Bulls, the most likely venue.

Lawn continued: "If we have to leave Valley Parade, and we don't want to, we won't be coming back and it'll be a shell.

"We'll own the seats, floodlights, generators and the lifts and we would take them and sell them. He is not going to have a stadia that's going to be a stadia."

Source: BBC Sport

Source: BBC Sport