Stuart McCall and assistant Kenny Black have departed League Two outfit Bradford City, following a dismal run of five straight defeats and currently battling at the wrong end of the table.

The Bantams rapid decline in recent years has been one which has been hard to watch and has now seen five managers come and go since 2018.

But who is in line to take over at Valley Parade, and who could save the sinking ship that is Bradford City? 

  • Sol Campbell (Odds: 1/1)

The current favourite to become the new manager of Bradford is former Macclesfield Town and Southend United manager Sol Campbell.

Campbell, who has ranked over 650 appearances as a player for the likes of PortsmouthArsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, departed Southend in June following the club's relegation to the fourth tier. 

The 46-year-old has never achieved a win percentage of over 27% at his previous clubs, something which may not mesh well with the Bantams current shaky state, however, he was able to keep Macclesfield in the EFL despite the Silkmen’s financial barricades and poor ownership. 

  • Jonathan Woodgate (4/1)

Former Leeds United and Spurs stalwart Woodgate is in contention to take control of the helm in West Yorkshire.

The 40-year-old doesn't boast experience in management, having recently been sacked in his first managerial role by Middlesbrough due to the club's poor league position, but may be intrigued by the prospect of returning to management at a club the stature of City.

He won just 9 of his 41 games in charge at the Riverside Stadium but may be looking to get his managerial career back on track in a lower league.

  • Paul Hurst (8/1)

A manager with a lot more experience at League Two level than Woodgate is Rotherham United legend Paul Hurst.

Hurst was sacked by Scunthorpe United at the beginning of the year due to a poor run in form, but may now be ready to begin a new tenure in his management journey at a team who will back him in the January transfer window.

Hurst has exceptional win ratios, other than Ipswich Town and Scunthorpe, as he excelled in charge of Shrewsbury Town, Grimsby Town, Boston United and Ilkeston Town, even guiding Salop to the 2018 League One play-off final, despite being the underdogs.

  • David Flitcroft (8/1)

Bury legend David Flitcroft will be eager to find a job as a manager, as he recently left his role as assistant manager at Bolton Wanderers.

Flitcroft's last managerial role was at Mansfield Town, where he was sacked despite reaching the play-off semi-final in 2019, but the board felt he should have done better with the resources at his disposal.

The 46-year-old's most successful spell was at Swindon Town, where he was victorious in 21 of his 42 games in charge, and at Bury, where he managed over 150 games and achieved promotion with the Shakers.

  • Danny Cowley (10/1)

A move which according to social media most City fans would be delighted with, Danny Cowley is another name which has been thrown into the mix with the vacant Bradford job.

Cowley, and his assistant Nicky, was recently removed from their post at local rivals Huddersfield Town, but have been linked with the Sunderland and Bristol City job earlier on in the season but nothing ever materialised, so it’s the clear the level of club they are attracting.

The brother management team are most well-known for their successes at Lincoln City, having a 53.3% win ratio and carrying the Imps to League One from the National League, they quickly brought the love of football back to the City of Lincoln - something that now needs to be done to Bradford.

 

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