Bradford City Won League Two in Front of Record Crowds. Their Books Are Still Recovering

In the 2024-25 season covered by these accounts, Bradford City finished 3rd in League Two and won automatic promotion to League One, returning to the third tier in front of some of the highest crowds anywhere outside the Premier League and Championship.

Turnover barely moved, up by less than 1% to close to £9m, a figure that undersells the scale of Bradford's support, since League Two's revenue-sharing model means gate receipts alone can't lift turnover the way promotion itself eventually will.

A pre-tax loss of around £3m and net assets in deficit by around £5m show a club still steadily repairing its finances under new ownership after years of underachievement relative to its fanbase, one of the largest in English football's lower divisions.

The financials for this filing don't disclose a separate staff costs line, but the modest scale of the loss suggests a squad still built for League Two rather than one assembled with promotion already banked.

Promotion finally gave Bradford's remarkable support base a team to match its numbers. The accounts suggest the club got there through steady management rather than a reckless spending push.