Paul Heckingbottom has drifted from 667/1000 to 5/1 with Skybet in the market for Bradford's next permanent manager, with 10/1 available at Bet Victor.
Paul Heckingbottom's odds to be Bradford's next permanent manager have drifted sharply out to 5/1 with Skybet, with three bookmakers easing their prices following reports that he has withdrawn from the running.
Three bookmakers have lengthened their prices on Heckingbottom after he reportedly declined a scheduled interview for the role.
Gary Rowett leads the market to be Bradford's next permanent manager at a best price of 1/2 with Bet Victor.
Heckingbottom is third-shortest in the market at a top price of 10/1 with Bet Victor, behind Rowett and Michael Duff.
Bradford City parted with Graham Alexander on 28 September 2026 while sitting top of League One.
This one has moved fast. Bradford City lost boss Graham Alexander and his assistant Chris Lucketti on 28 September 2026, with the pair leaving to take over at Preston North End just as the Bantams sat top of League One. Coach Mark Trueman and goalkeeping coach Colin Doyle were handed temporary caretaker duties while the board goes looking for a permanent appointment, and the betting market has been busy ever since.
The reason for the drift is straightforward. On 30 September 2026, Paul Heckingbottom reportedly pulled out of contention, deciding against attending a scheduled interview and opting to take time away from the dugout. That withdrawal is exactly why the odds on Paul Heckingbottom to be Bradford's next permanent manager have eased out so considerably, with Skybet pricing him at 5/1 and three bookmakers in total moving their prices. When a strongly fancied name steps aside, the market reacts quickly, and this move points firmly away from Heckingbottom taking the job.
Bradford Next Permanent Manager odds
Best odds on Paul Heckingbottom are now 10/1 with Bet Victor, while Gary Rowett heads the whole market at a best price of 1/2 with Bet Victor. Michael Duff is next in at 6/4 with Bet Victor, with Nigel Clough the outsider of the leading quartet at 12/1 with Bet Victor.
Last updated: 30 September 2026, 19:01 UK time
Odds below are live and may have changed since publishing this article.
Who takes over at Bradford next?
Gary Rowett is the standout name to be Bradford's next permanent manager, heading the market at a best price of 1/2 with Bet Victor. With Heckingbottom now stepping aside, the favourite looks even more prominent. Michael Duff follows in second at 6/4, and Heckingbottom himself sits third-shortest at a top price of 10/1, both available at Bet Victor. Nigel Clough completes the leading group at 12/1 with Bet Victor. With Trueman and Doyle steering things in the meantime, the board has room to work through its shortlist.
Gary Rowett – 1/2 with Bet Victor
Michael Duff – 6/4 with Bet Victor
Paul Heckingbottom – 10/1 with Bet Victor
Nigel Clough – 12/1 with Bet Victor
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Who takes over at Bradford next?
With Heckingbottom out of the frame, the direction of travel is clear. Gary Rowett remains the one to beat at 1/2 with Bet Victor, and the significant easing of Heckingbottom's price, out to 5/1 with Skybet, only tightens the focus on the favourite. Bradford are hardly in crisis either. This is a club that sat top of League One off the back of five wins from their opening seven games, so the board can afford to be patient with Trueman and Doyle in temporary charge while it lands the right permanent appointment. For punters weighing up Bradford's next permanent manager odds, Rowett is the name shaping this market, and until fresh names emerge from the club's recruitment process, he is the clear frontrunner.
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