Michael Duff has returned to Yorkshire after being appointed head coach of Bradford City. The 48-year-old, who was sacked by Huddersfield Town in March 2025, has signed a contract at Valley Parade running until the end of the 2029-30 season.

Duff left Wycombe Wanderers last month, just short of his first anniversary in charge. He takes over from Graham Alexander, a former Burnley team-mate, who recently departed for Preston North End. Duff's first training session with the Bantams is scheduled for later this week, though he will serve a pre-existing one-match touchline ban and miss the EFL Trophy tie at Rotherham, with Mark Trueman taking charge.

"It is exciting to be here," Duff said. "The move has happened quite quickly and with where the club is sitting now and taking over from someone who I know and respect a lot, this is a great opportunity." He added that discussions with CEO Ryan Sparks and directors David Sharpe and Stephen Gent revealed a shared vision for the club's playing style.

Bradford City CEO Ryan Sparks said the club believed Duff was an "excellent fit". "Everyone is looking forward to working with him," Sparks added.

The appointment brings Duff back to a county where he has significant history. He managed Barnsley in the 2022-23 season, leading them to the League One play-off final, before his brief stint at Huddersfield Town. His departure from the John Smith's Stadium came after a defeat at Bristol Rovers saw Town drop out of the top six. Duff then linked up with Wycombe in September 2025, guiding them from 19th to an 11th-place finish last season.

His return sets up two Yorkshire derbies later this autumn, with both Huddersfield Town and Barnsley due to visit Valley Parade. Town, currently third in the standings with 15 points from eight games, are preparing for a top-of-the-table clash at home to Sheffield Wednesday this Friday. The Terriers are in strong form, winning their last two matches including a 5-0 thrashing of Rochdale. They face fourth-placed Wednesday at home on October 10. Duff will be eager to review the stats from these key matches as he plots Bradford's own campaign.

This story first appeared at pocklingtonpost.co.uk