Benito Carbone revved up for his second year with Bradford City and declared: Let's make our stay in the First Division a quick one.

The Italian playmaker scotched the rumours of a summer move back home, insisting he wants to play a full part in restoring City's Premiership status.

But Carbone believes the Bantams must make an explosive start if they are to stamp their authority on the Nationwide League.

He said: "It's a new experience for me playing in the First Division but there is no problem with it. You never say never and although I don't promise anything to anyone, I'm still here and still enjoying playing for Bradford.

"Before I left England at the end of last season I said I wouldn't do anything to try to leave and I'm here again now to help Bradford get straight back to the Premier League. They are nice people at the club and it's not a problem for me to stay.

"It doesn't worry me playing in the First Division. It's the same in Italy as well, you get big clubs and good teams going down for one year but you know you have a chance of going back up again.

"Here it will be no different. It's no problem for Vialli or Carbone or Keegan or Molenaar being in the First Division if you are doing well.

"We've got a lot of experience in the team and as long as we have full concentration at all times then I think we can return. But we must play every game like a final and put 100 per cent in our training every day.

"We've got a big chance to come back as long as we are careful and don't think it will be easy."

Carbone is still hurt by City's flop out of the Premiership which he described as the low point of his ten years in the game.

He added: "We had better not talk about last season because we made a lot of mistakes. But the last two months we played very well and if we can carry on like that for the first two or three months in Division One then our confidence will be really high.

"I think we need to win our first four or five games to be up there and get the players and the fans confident. Last season we did all right for the first two games but then it went down and down.

"But a year ago we had six or seven new players in at the same time which was too many.

"Now we have the same team who have played together for a season and it will be easier to be compact.

"We have a month of pre-season training to get the work into our legs and then we will be ready to do very well."

Defender Wayne Jacobs was expected back today after spending the weekend in hospital with a virus.

Jacobs picked up the bug during the team's stay at Catterick army camp and was forced to stay in bed for the final day.