Bradford release damning statement on departure of Edin Rahic

Bradford City have released a damning statement announcing the departure of chairman and chief executive Edin Rahic.

The German became a hugely divisive figure at Valley Parade and with the club bottom of League One the Bantams’ majority shareholder Stefan Rupp has wielded the axe on Rahic.

It brings to an end a terrible tenure for Rahic, who took over as a minority shareholder with Rupp in May 2016, and watched them lose at Wembley in the League One play-off final that year.

Since then it has been downhill for the Bantams and Rahic, who made wholesale changes in playing staff, managers and backroom staff, despite claiming he would not make “big changes”.

Rupp’s statement claimed the Bradford public deserve better and promised to “wash away the dreadful memories of the last 12 months”

“The time for change has come and this marks the beginning of a new chapter for the club,” said Rupp.

“The people of Bradford deserve much, much better.

“I will do everything in my power to wash away the dreadful memories of the last 12 months and consign them to the history books for good.

“I have invested significantly in the club over the past two seasons and will continue to do so.

“David Hopkin has begun to turn our on-field fortunes around and he and the players need your support to help us in the hugely-challenging weeks and months ahead,” read a statement on the club’s website.

Former joint-owner Julian Rhodes, who returned to the club in a consultancy role, will operate as interim chief executive until the end of the current season.