Bradford City chairman Geoffrey Richmond today revealed: I'm disappointed and worried about our apparent loss of form.

Ahead of tonight's crucial game at Millwall, the Bantams chief urged supporters not to panic after a run of six defeats in seven have set alarm bells ringing around Valley Parade.

But his words, which follow Saturday's 4-0 defeat at Birmingham, also left manager Jim Jefferies in no doubt that fortunes need to be turned round quickly.

Richmond said: "Now isn't the moment to panic and I do feel for Jim Jefferies.

"He has come into a situation where there have been more outgoings than incomings because of the over-spending in the Premier League, something he knew exactly about when he took the job a year ago.

"Nevertheless on Saturday at Birmingham there were five individuals playing who Jim has brought in. So his rebuilding of the side is under way.

"Jim has actually signed seven players at the club, six of whom are still here and five took part on Saturday.

"I do understand Jim's frustration and the frustration of the fans. Clearly the recent results are unacceptable, but for the moment my appeal to the supporters is to stand firm."

City have slipped to 15th in Division One, but are still only five points off the fourth play-off spot.

"This is a division where form comes and goes very quickly," said Richmond. "It's only five weeks ago that Watford were in the lower reaches, but their season turned when they beat us in the Worthington Cup.

"Coventry also got off to a terribly slow start, but now they are near the top. Crystal Palace are right up there while Birmingham thought the end of the world was here when they were beaten 6-0 by Manchester City ten days ago. Yet they turned it round.

"But clearly I would be telling less than the truth if I wasn't to admit that I'm disappointed and worried at the recent apparent loss of form.

"This team have shown what they are capable of at the start of the season. And based on their performances over the final ten games of last season, Jim said that if he could keep the team together, which he has done, then he was confident we would be there or thereabouts.

"But one win is a move in the right direction. And with two home games to come after tonight, the picture could look very different ten days from now."