Bradford City AFC is pleased to announce that Tom Butcher has been promoted to head of academy coaching.

He joined the club as a youth development phase coach in 2020, after previously working for Bradford City Community Foundation for 16 years.

After two years in the academy, he was promoted to lead coach of the youth development phase, where he oversaw numerous Premier League player sales while also developing young talent in City’s junior ranks.

Butcher stated, “I am absolutely delighted. I’m really excited to get started. “I’ve had the opportunity to work in a variety of roles and am familiar with the club’s mission.

I’ve been here for a long time, including five excellent years at the academy. “The values guide everything we do. It is extremely important to us, and my taking on this role helps to ensure continuity.

The people here have done some fantastic work, and it is time to move forward.” Tom Calvert, the academy’s head, added:

“This is an exciting appointment for the academy. Tom is the best person to lead our coaching program because he is intimately familiar with our philosophy, identity, and culture.

“He has worked hard over time to progress through the academy, overseeing the development of several players who have gone on to play for Premier League clubs.

“With Tom’s experience and skill set, I am confident that he will build on the foundations laid by his predecessors and provide excellent support to our coaching team.

“We believe that in order to develop the best players possible, we must invest in the development of our coaches and establish a consistent identity and working style across all phases.

“Having witnessed Tom’s work ethic and expertise in his previous roles, I am excited to see what he can achieve as Head of Coaching in the years to come.”

Tom replaces Ryan Farrell, who left the Bantams after 12 years to coach Manchester City’s under-18s.