City-centre pubs are preparing for their busiest-ever Sunday with thousands of football fans expected to gather for the televised crunch clash between Bradford City and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

City had hoped to stage a free screening of the game at Valley Parade but have been denied permission by Sky TV.

That means that thousands of fans without tickets for the game at Molineux will be looking to watch the vital game in pubs across the district - and hopefully toast to City's success.

A win at Wolves would see City promoted to the top flight of English football for the first time in more than 70 years. Meanwhile if rivals Ipswich fail to win their game against Sheffield United, City are promoted anyway.

The largest television screen in town is the 15ft screen at the Freestyle and Firkin pub in Great Horton Road. A spokesman said: "All our draught beers will be £1 a pint from midday when we open, until the first goal is scored. We expect to be very busy and we have room for 500 fans." Susan Richards, of the Queens Hall in Morley Street, said: "We have the second biggest screen in the city centre. We can take 200 people on the balcony and 600 in the main bar.

"We will be open from 12.30 and Carling and Worthington's beers will be £1 a pint until the first goal is scored."

Haigy's in Lumb Lane, which is a favourite pre-match drinking spot for the City faithful, does not have Sky TV, said landlord David Haigh.

However the pub was gearing up to welcome back triumphant fans returning to the City from the West Midlands.

The pub - painted in the team colours of claret and amber - could have an even more eye-catching design for the start of the next season.

"My wife has said that if City get promoted we can have caricatures of all the players painted on the blank side wall," Mr Haigh said.

Fans preparing to watch the game at home on Sunday should know that coverage of Wolves v Bradford City starts at 12.00 (KO 1.30pm) on Sky Sports 2 with Ipswich v Sheffield United kicking off at 1.30pm on Sky Sports 3. Viewers on both channels will be kept up to date with the corresponding game through "picture in picture" technology.

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