ONE of Stafford Heginbotham’s sons has called on Martin Fletcher to donate any proceeds from the sale of his controversial new book to the Bradford Burns Unit.

Simon Heginbotham said his family was still reeling yesterday from accusations in the book that suggest the Valley Parade fire was not an accident.

“I cannot see anyone buying that book,” said Mr Heginbotham, 49. “Where are the funds going from this book? I hope the proceeds are going to the Bradford Burns Unit.”

He added: “In the book he says Bradford City is not Stafford Heginbotham, and Stafford Heginbotham is not Bradford City.

“It is like he is trying to knock him off his throne. There would be no club without Stafford Heginbotham.

“It is just absolutely pathetic. We have to defend our corner.”

He also said there was no way the former Bradford chairman could have been behind the fire – because his family was in the blaze-hit stand that day.

Mr Heginbotham said he left his seat in the directors’ box just before half-time to get a pint, and saw smoke on his way back.

“I spent the rest of the day on the pitch pulling people out,” he said. “At the end I was looking for my parents because I didn’t know if they were in it.”

He said he and Terry Yorath rescued a woman from the offices at the opposite end of the stand to the seat of the fire.

“I was one of the last out of the executive club,” he added.

Mr Heginbotham also responded to claims made about fires at his dad’s businesses.

“Before the fire happened, if a plume of smoke went up in Bradford, people would say ‘that was Stafford’s gaffe’, in jest,” he said.