Ambitious new manager Paul Jewell has not ruled out Bradford City winning a Division One play-off place in their last 17 matches.

And as he bids to make a flying start against Reading at Valley Parade tonight, he could do no worse than look back two years for inspiration.

On that occasion Chris Kamara was appointed until the end of the season and City stormed up from the mid-table to clinch promotion through the Division Two play-off final at Wembley.

Jewell said: "We are not out of the play-offs yet. We are only seven points away and there are 17 matches to play. Our aim is to win as many as possible.

"I want us to be passionate and committed and I want us to be winners."

Along with choosing a new number two, Jewell's top priority will be assessing the playing strength.

Chairman Richmond said: "Paul Jewell will want to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the squad.

"We are in deficit at the present time on transfer dealings in the current season and the position remains unchanged from what I spoke about some six or eight weeks ago.

"If later in the season it looks as if we are not going to be involved in the play-offs we will be looking to balance the books on the transfer dealings, but if we

are challenging for the play-offs then that won't happen.

"It all depends on how we are the closer we get to transfer deadline day, but I suspect there will be players coming in and going out in between times."

Jewell, who has the task of realising Richmond's target of being serious promotion challengers within 18 months, is excited by the challenges which lie ahead.

"The sky is the limit for a club like ours and if we can get the players doing the right things we can take things on from here. I want players to wear their shirts with pride," he said.

"I have enjoyed every single minute of being caretaker manager. The players know where they stand with me and I have had good co-operation from them.

"I have had 100 per cent backing from the board to the players. It has not been an ideal situation in the last three weeks, but the players have handled it very well.

"This is a big club that deserves success and we want to give the supporters what they deserve.

"It is a great opportunity for me to go on from here. You take bits and pieces from everyone you work with and use them to your advantage.

"When I was at Liverpool it was a pleasure to train with the best players and watch how they trained and conducted themselves. That is what I want to bring to Bradford City."

Jewell, is determined to make a success of his first management venture and earn a longer term deal.

And he will be relieved that chairman Geoffrey Richmond has chosen to cut short the agony and uncertainty attached to being caretaker manager on a short term basis.

Richmond had originally said that Jewell would be judged as a candidate on the strength of the results against Swindon on Saturday and Reading tonight.

But after Swindon's agonisingly late equaliser on Saturday, Richmond decided to cut short Jewell's wait.

He said: "After the match I decided that I wasn't prepared to put Paul Jewell through that again tonight.

"I am certain that everyone in the ground felt totally gutted not only because we had victory snatched from us in the 95th minute but everyone must have thought of what Paul Jewell had been through with so much at stake.

"I didn't want to put him through that again so a decision was made on Saturday night."

Since then all thoughts have turned to selecting his his number two and despite the Jan Molby setback, Jewell hopes to have a new man in harness soon to help him build City's future

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