Who is favourite to replace Graham Alexander at Bradford City?
Graham Alexander leaves Bradford City at the top of League One, switching to a Championship job.
Alexander and his assistant Chris Lucketti joined Preston North End by mutual agreement on Monday 28 September, after Bradford reluctantly let Preston speak to them last week.
Bradford City Next Manager Odds
Who's Favourite to Be Bradford City's Next Manager?
| Selection | Best odds | Best at | Worst odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Duff | 2/1 | BetVictor | 2/1 |
| Paul Heckingbottom | 2/1 | BetVictor | 2/1 |
| Tom Cleverley | 5/1 | BetVictor | 5/1 |
| Dave Challinor | 10/1 | BetVictor | 10/1 |
| Robbie Savage | 12/1 | BetVictor | 12/1 |
| Conor Hourihane | 14/1 | BetVictor | 14/1 |
| Alan Sheehan | 14/1 | BetVictor | 14/1 |
| Richie Wellens | 16/1 | BetVictor | 16/1 |
| Matt Bloomfield | 16/1 | BetVictor | 16/1 |
| Leam Richardson | 16/1 | BetVictor | 16/1 |
| Lee Grant | 16/1 | BetVictor | 16/1 |
| Gary Rowett | 16/1 | BetVictor | 16/1 |
| Paul Warne | 20/1 | BetVictor | 20/1 |
| Ryan Lowe | 25/1 | BetVictor | 25/1 |
| Darren Moore | 25/1 | BetVictor | 25/1 |
| Darren Ferguson | 25/1 | BetVictor | 25/1 |
Michael Duff and Paul Heckingbottom are the joint favourites at 2/1. Each price implies a chance of about 33%.
The bet history shows how quickly the market moved after it opened at midday. Duff started at 10/1 with BetVictor, drifted briefly to 12/1, then came in to 6/1, 4/1 and 2/1 by 14:52. Heckingbottom opened at 12/1, briefly went out to 16/1, then crashed in to 4/1 and 2/1 by 13:16. Dave Challinor went the other way, from 4/1 at the open to 10/1. Tom Cleverley settled at 5/1 after starting at 10/1.
Heckingbottom's case is the one with the clearest Bradford link. He is out of work after being sacked by Preston earlier this month and he played for the Bantams.
Duff was sacked by Wycombe on 8 September after a winless start to the League One season, so Bradford wouldn't owe anyone compensation. He also has the kind of CV a League One club looks for. He won the League Two title with Cheltenham in 2020-21 and then took them to their highest-ever finish. At Barnsley he won 32 of 58 games and reached the 2023 League One play-off final. He knows the division and the region, having spent time at Barnsley and Huddersfield and grown up partly in North Yorkshire.
Cleverley, the Plymouth Argyle manager, was an early favourite in other books because he was raised in Bradford and came through the club's academy. He has said his focus is Plymouth.
Leam Richardson is in charge at Reading, who Bradford visit on Saturday. Challinor left Stockport in the summer after their League One play-off final defeat. Both are options.
Why Did Graham Alexander Leave Bradford City?
Alexander was appointed on 6 November 2023, when Bradford were mid-table in League Two. He won automatic promotion in 2024-25, then took them to the League One play-off semi-finals last season. His Bradford record was 79 wins from 158 games. CEO Ryan Sparks said managing in the Championship was an ambition of Alexander's, and that Bradford understood why he wanted to pursue the Preston move given his long playing connection there. Alexander called the decision incredibly difficult and pointed to promotion day in May 2025 as a career highlight.
Bradford stay first in League One on 15 points from seven games. Mark Trueman is in caretaker charge for Saturday's trip to Reading, with goalkeeping coach Colin Doyle assisting. The permanent appointment is still open.
