Dean Windass today rallied City's sinking troops and declared: I didn't come back for a relegation scrap.

Windass, banned for the last three games, has watched the Bantams slide into the bottom three.

Now he is free to face Nottingham Forest on Saturday and is itching to stop the rot.

Windass said: "People go through spells like this in football and you have to stand up and be big and strong.

"It's difficult because there are a lot of young kids in the team who've not felt this sort of pressure before. But it's down to the experienced lads like myself to help them get through it.

"I've never been relegated in my career and don't intend to start now. I could have stayed at Sheffield United but I wanted to come to Bradford and play

regular football.

"The gaffer gave me that opportunity and it's up to me now to repay that by helping the lads out of trouble."

Windass turned down the chance to link up with Paul Jewell at Wigan before rejoining City. But he does not believe that was the wrong decision.

"Paul Jewell came in for me but I wanted to come here. I've no regrets, you just get on with it.

"When you get in the habit of losing it does become a problem, and being in the bottom three is difficult for everybody. But we've got to stay together, keep that strong team spirit and we can pull through.

"We had a meeting among the players on Monday and it was made clear that we're all in this together."

"The fans are getting frustrated, which is fully understandable. But if they can help us by giving full support then it will be like an extra man on the pitch."