It's been a busy day for Bradford City, with plenty of transfer business going on.

The first news of the day for City fans was actually positive, with Steven Davies signing for the club on a one-year deal, leaving Blackpool after two years on the seaside. 

 City Boss pleased to have brought  Davies to the club

City have been in the market for a striker since the release of Aaron McLean, and in Davies they have one who has plenty of Football League experience.

Manager Phil Parkinson described the 27-year-old as a player who has "quality in his all-round game," is "very technical" and possesses "a great left foot." Davies has previously played for both Derby County and Bristol City too, hitting double figures with both in the Championship.

Yesterday, I stressed the need for City to sign a successful goal-scorer and not a player who has struggled in higher divisions, but they have gone for the latter again, just as with McLean.

Nonetheless, Davies had a good spell on loan with another League One club in Sheffield United towards the end of last season, and impressed so much that Nigel Clough was hoping to sign him permanently this summer, before he was sacked. Hopefully then, the player can prove to be more fruitful than McLean and bring goals to Bradford.

However, despite this bolstering City's attack and following other good news of the club being set to sign winger Josh Morris, it also came with some bad news in that it means Jon Stead will not sign a contract with the Bantams.

Whilst this is not technically a departure for City, it will feel like one. Stead was officially a Huddersfield Town player, but has spent the last 18 months on loan at Valley Parade, reviving his career in the process with a particularly magnificent 2014-15 campaign that saw him finish as the player with the most goals and assists in the FA Cup this season.

Despite him being seemingly settled and set to sign a permanent deal with City this summer, Parkinson confirmed that the club have "been talking to Jon over the summer" but that they failed to "agree" on a deal, and thus both parties "have had to move on."

The bad news continued to come for those in claret and amber too as local paper the Telegraph and Argus confirmed shortly afterwards that centre-back Andrew Davies would be leaving to join Scottish Premiership side Ross County.

The defender has been at Valley Parade since 2011 and has become a fan favourite with his no-nonsense style at the back. He and Rory McArdle have formed a stellar partnership in the centre of defence over the last three years, albeit when Davies has been fit, but now that duo has seen its conclusion as the former Middlesbrough man moves on.

It is believed that his departure has occurred due to disagreements in his proposed new contract, as the club wanted him on something similar to a "pay as you play" deal due to his higher wages and tendency to get injured. Yet, Davies clearly does not to sign a deal like this, and has opted to move elsewhere instead.

City have been in the market for a centre-half anyway, but this departure is a big setback as they now have to look to bring another in as well. One potential target was Gary MacKenzie, who spent part of the last season on loan with the club, impressing during his spell, but he has now signed for local rivals Doncaster Rovers from Blackpool, becoming the second player in City's sights to join the Rovers after striker Andy Williams did the same earlier this month.

Alfie Mawson was also a reported target, but he has signed for another Yorkshire club in Barnsley, also today, from Brentford.

If City want to push for promotion this season, they are going to have to get busy quickly in this transfer window, as today has certainly set them back in specific areas, even if they have upgraded and strengthened in others that they needed to.

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About the author
Amee Ruszkai
Head of the Sunderland, Swansea City and women football sections at VAVEL UK. Email: [email protected]