Bradford City have appointed their first fitness conditioner to help prepare them for their first season in the Premiership.

Ed Barranowski will have the job of ensuring the Bantams are in prime condition for the big kick off on August 7.

He will join them when the players report back for pre-season training on Monday, June 28.

And he comes to Valley Parade on the recommendation of former Liverpool, Blackburn and Newcastle manager Kenny Dalglish.

City boss Paul Jewell said: "Ed is very highly rated by Kenny and we are delighted to snap him up.

"The game of football is changing all the time with regards the demands placed on players and we want to be ahead of the opposition when it comes to our preparations.

"A lot of clubs have conditioners and Ed will be with us throughout every day of pre-season training. Then, once the new season is underway he will be visiting us twice a week to work with the players and help maintain their fitness levels."

He added: "We want the players as fit as possible and having Ed throughout pre-season will help us do just that.

"He will be travelling to St Kitts with us for our week long tour which includes games against the St Kitts national side and the Canadian Under 23 side.

"This will be a very important part of our build up so we need our fitness conditioner out there with us."

Last year Jewell took his squad to an army training camp in Cheshire to boost their fitness.

This proved to be a huge success with players and staff enjoying a very useful, if tiring, few days before returning to Bradford for the remaining weeks of pre-season.

The summer preparation proved invaluable during a long and tiring campaign.

Jewell is determined that the current squad will be as fit if not fitter than their rivals.

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