Bradford City CEO receives abusive messages and calls as number leaked online

Bradford City's search for a new manager has descended into a farce after the phone number of the club's chief executive was reportedly leaked online.

Ryan Sparks' number was posted online by an anonymous fan of the League Two club.

It led to the 30-year-old receiving a barrage of messages and calls, many of which were abusive. He has since changed the number.

A report in the Mail claims that agents are now struggling to get in touch with Sparks as they bid to convince him of their respective clients' suitability for the vacancy.

The report adds that Sparks has had to begin parking away from the club's Valley Parade stadium after a number of smashed bottles were recently seen next to his car.

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Bradford are without a manager after sacking previous incumbent Derek Adams earlier this month.

Adams, who has twice won promotion out of the fourth tier, told local radio before his dismissal that they would not find a manager as successful as him.

"If they're going to get a new manager in they're not going to get a manager as successful as myself in the door," he said.

"That's obvious to everyone, because my record is up there with everyone's in League Two.

If they want to do that (sack) then that's up to the football club, but I came to Bradford City from a League One club, to a League Two club to try to help them get out."

City have won just one of their last six league games and find themselves 13th in the table - nine points shy of the play-off spots.

Tuesday night sees the Bantams host Yorkshire rivals Harrogate Town.

Caretaker boss Mark Trueman said of the game: "It is my job to change the mentality from dropping off players to going up and playing higher with the line.

"We have got to be braver. We do not get a lot of time in this game, but these changes are not going to happen overnight.

"The players' mentality is so important, and winning helps that, but it is my job to change it and hopefully we will see it against Harrogate.

"We know it is a derby. We have to be physical, and we need to be aggressive both on and off the ball.

"They have got a lot of individual quality. We saw the likes of Jack Diamond and how positive he is on the ball. Jack Muldoon and Luke Armstrong can also threaten our backline.

"I want to get pressure on the ball high up the pitch. We left too much space and dropped too early without leaving bodies to press the ball. We have got to give the supporters a performance they want. That is energy, work rate and aggression."