Bradford City: Outgoing chairman Mark Lawn says selling club was hard

Mark Lawn has seen Bradford rise to League One and reach the League Cup final in nine years as co-chairman

Outgoing Bradford City chairman Mark Lawn says selling the club was like 'losing your soul.'

Lawn and co-chair Julian Rhodes sold the club to German businessmen Edin Rahic and Stefan Rupp on Sunday.

The duo have seen Bradford promoted to League One and reach this season's play-offs since taking over in 2007.

"I am quite willing to turn around and help them in any way that I can because I am still a Bradford fan," Lawn told BBC Radio Leeds.

"The Bradford fire galvanised this town and our city. Unless you understand and went through that, and I did, you don't understand why the fans and the football club are so close.

"That's something I'd try to help them understand if they really want me to."

New owners Rahic and Rupp released a statement on Tuesday stating they had no plans to dramatically change the club's structure.

During Lawn's period in joint charge, the Bantams also reached the League Cup final in 2013 and the quarter-finals of last season's FA Cup following wins over Chelsea and Sunderland.

Lawn became co-chairman of Bradford in 2007 to help the club reduce its debts, before overseeing Bradford's play-off promotion to League One in 2013.

"It's like losing your soul, it has been very difficult to let go," he continued.

"Yet I know just by talking to Edin and Stefan that they want to look to get us into the Premier League.

"It's a different mentality (when) you are a custodian of the football club, and I think Bradford City fans should look forward to it."