Scottish duo Eoin Jess and Gary Locke were today expected to quit City as Nicky Law waited for the green light to start rebuilding for Sunday's season opener.

Both players were finalising moves which would give the Bantams boss some leeway to offer contracts to trialists Gus Uhlenbeek, Paul Evans and Andy Gray.

Ahead of today's crunch Football League management meeting, City held more talks with the Professional Footballers' Association and should be in a position to sort out Jess' protracted switch to Nottingham Forest and Locke's return to Scotland with Kilmarnock.

Former Bantams boss Jim Jefferies confirmed that talks were progressing with Locke. He said: "We are hopeful of clinching it if we can sort out the PFA situation at Bradford although we won't finalise anything before the documentation is right. Gary was a bit reluctant to come back to Scotland but he has been gradually persuaded. England is a great stage to play but with the situation at the club it couldn't go on.

"I've been pursuing him for a while and having worked with him before it has helped. Until the time I left Bradford, he was probably the player of the season there and they were the chairman's words.

"He trained with us yesterday and we're hopeful it can be sorted before our game at Dundee United on Saturday."

Jess has already agreed terms and passed a medical with Forest who were hoping to get him on board in time to play in tonight's friendly at Boston.

Meanwhile, the club is awaiting its official sanction from the league board, the second major hurdle to clear before exiting administration.

None of the City directors were at Valley Parade for last night's 1-1 draw with Middlesbrough but the rumour mill was throwing up the names of Julian Rhodes or theme park millionaire Gordon Gibb - who was in the sparce 2,209 crowd - as possible successors to chairman Geoffrey Richmond.

Law was delighted with his team's performance in their final warm-up before Wolves arrive at the weekend.

He said: "I thought they responded really well after Saturday. Barring Juninho, Middlesbrough put out probably their full first team in the first half and we were every bit as good."