Bantams chairman Geoffrey Richmond today urged City fans to smile through the pain as their two-year dream in the Premiership came to an end.

Relegation was officially confirmed on Saturday when the Bantams were beaten 2-1 at Everton, missing two penalties in the process.

And it was double heartbreak in Bradford as the Bulls went down at the hands of St Helens in the 100th Challenge Cup final at Twickenham.

But as City contemplate next season back in the Nationwide League, Richmond called on supporters to face the future in a positive frame of mind.

And although the city's dignitaries were disappointed they remained convinced the Bantams would bounce back.

The Lord Mayor, Councillor Stanley King, said: "The team have fought so hard to get into the Premiership and now they are going back down to the first division."

But he said: "Being in the first division is a great achievement in itself. There are teams in lower positions who would give anything to be there."

And while the Bantams' climb to the top echelon of English football had brought extra prestige and media interest in the city, Coun King said the negative effects of relegation would be minimal.

"It means that the city really has something to fight for again - to get straight back up into the Premier League."

An £8m "parachute" payment as part of the Sky deal with the Premiership will soften the blow of relegation although survival would have more than doubled that windfall, with the top 17 sides picking up around £18m.

City will also miss out on a bumper new TV package for the top flight which kicks in from August.

Richmond, who has given manager Jim Jefferies a £5m wage cap for Division One, said today: "I want our supporters to look back on our two years in the Premier League as something very special.

"We are all guilty of sometimes taking a very short-term view but we should look at the historical perspective. We came into the Premier League in very dramatic fashion and that was the first time that this club had been in the top flight for 77 years.

"We then defied all the odds, incredible odds, to survive in our first season. We were really looking to defy gravity before we had even kicked a ball.

"Now we have to accept that we are going down but the club going down to Division One bears no recognition to the club I arrived at seven years ago, nor that which went into Division One.

"And the next time we go into the Premier League we may still be one of the smaller sides but we will be considerably better equipped to match the big clubs you must compete with.

"We can over-react to the taunts of the national pundits. Every club that gets relegated probably could say that the whole world was against them.

"But I don't want to go down with a snarl on our faces but a smile.

"Our recent games when most people felt we would lose, lose and lose following the sale of a number of players have actually seen us play our best and most confident football of the season."

Gerry Sutcliffe, MP for Bradford South and an ardent Bantams fan, said: "It is disappointing but it looks like the club are already building for next season and hopefully they can be straight back playing the likes of Manchester United."

He said City's move into the Premier League had thrust Bradford into the national spotlight and brought 'great commercial benefits'.

And Bradford Council leader Margaret Eaton echoed his view that it would have little negative effect on the city.

"In Bradford, especially at the moment, we need good news and so this is a big disappointment.

"But while the move into the Premiership had a massive positive effect, I don't think dropping down will have a similar negative effect. It doesn't do any real damage.

"While I am sad for the team and fans, they have done fantastically well over recent years and they should be proud of that. They should not give up and can go straight back up there."