Star striker Robbie Blake is to be offered improved terms and an extension to the remaining two years of his contract as Bradford City continue to build for the future.

The 22-year-old, who attracted interest from several Premiership clubs last term, is among a host of Bantams players who chairman Geoffrey Richmond is hoping to tie to the club well into the new Millennium.

Under-21 international Andy O'Brien, who last year signed a new contract to keep him at the club until June 2002, is another player who will be offered fresh terms following promotion to the Premier-ship.

And the three key players in Paul Jewell's squad who have just 12 months apiece remaining on their contracts, Gary Walsh, Darren Moore and Wayne Jacobs, are also to be offered new deals.

Richmond said: "Since the club won promotion we have decided that we want to recognise what the players have done for Bradford City and that is why we have offered new deals to the three players who had just 12 months remaining.

"We have also done the same for Gordon Watson and John Dreyer, who are both out of contract next month. I hope they agree to stay.

"In the cases of Robbie Blake and Andy O'Brien, we decided to make the offers even though they still have quite lengthy contracts at the moment. Robbie's existing deal runs until June 2001."

Richmond believes that it is vitally important for City that they ensure the current squad stays together after the tremendous success they enjoyed in the 1998-99 campaign.

He said: "This is what we are all about as a club. The success that has been achieved has been against a background of the tremendous team spirit within the dressing room.

"We consider it extremely important to keep this team together. We also recognise that being in the Premier League, we need to add quality to this side. But this is a good base to build on."

Meanwhile, Richmond has revealed that City have asked the Premier League if their first game of next season can be played away from Valley Parade.

The Bantams are working to improve the Valley Parade pitch during the summer and Richmond wants to give it as long as possible to recover. City are also midway through the construction of the magnificent 7,300 all-seater Kop.

The City chief said: "The first game of the new season is Saturday August 7 and we have made a request to the Premier League to ask to play away from home. I believe all the work will be completed before then but this would give us something of a cushion before the new season begins."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.