Jewell quits

Just a month after winning a desperate relegation battle to keep the club in the Premier League, Mr Jewell said: "I feel I have taken Bradford City as far as I can".

The 36-year-old dropped his bombshell resignation request on City amid interest in the Premiership's own miracle worker from a host of other clubs.

And Bradford chairman Geoffrey Richmond today admitted he was facing a losing battle to keep Jewell at Valley Parade.

Mr Jewell performed a footballing miracle to keep City in the Premiership against all the odds thanks to a final day victory over Liverpool.

But the 36-year-old exclusively told the Telegraph & Argus today: "I have done a lot of soul searching since the end of the season and I have been thinking over my future. I think it is time to move on."

Despite Mr Richmond turning down the resignation it seems certain that Paul Jewell's tenure at Valley Parade is now over.

The chairman admitted chances of the manager staying at Bradford were remote.

He said: "That would appear to be very unlikely indeed. You can lead a horse to water but whether you can make him drink is another matter."

Mr Jewell said he did not have a job lined up but it is believed that his record at Valley Parade has impressed Wigan Athletic's chairman Dave Whelan. Sheffield Wednesday and Bristol City are also monitoring developments.

He said: "I am very grateful for the chance I was given by Geoffrey Richmond to manage Bradford City.

"But I would also like to think I have repaid the faith he showed in me and at the same time proved wrong a lot of people who didn't want me to have the job in the first place. I think it is best for myself and the club if I move on."

The bombshell comes just two weeks ahead of City's debut in the Intertoto Cup and has left fans stunned.

City Gent editor Dave Pendleton said: "I am genuinely speechless at this news.

"Everything was going so well. He had won over the many doubters and the future looked good.

"I can't understand what has happened. If something is not right down at the club then it needs sorting out."

Mr Richmond added: "Paul Jewell offered to resign as manager of Bradford City, but I refused to accept the resignation.

"When I asked him why he had done this after being at Bradford City for 12-and-a-half years, including two-and-a-half-years as manager, he said it was time to take up new challenges.

"I asked him if he had any jobs lined up and he said he didn't have a new job lined up but he had received three calls from three agents representing three different clubs in the last week or so offering jobs.

"He told me he wanted to be free to explore new avenues. I have refused his offer of resignation but I will be monitoring the position closely over the coming days.

"Paul Jewell has two years of his three year contract left, a contract signed just after we gained promotion to the Premiership.

"When he was appointed manager in the summer of 1998 we gave him a two year contract, but when we gained promotion the following year that contract was torn up and replaced with a three year contract of which one year has expired.

"It should be noted that some weeks before the end of last season when our place in the Premiership looked to be in considerable doubt I made it clear that Paul Jewell would remain as manager whatever happened at the end of the season."