Kamara's successor Paul Jewell took Bradford into the Premier league in 1999 as Division One runners-up. They defeated Liverpool on the final day of the 1999-2000 season to avoid relegation however Jewell left soon afterwards to take charge of demoted Sheffield Wednesday.

Jewell's assistant Chris Hutchings was named as manager for the 2000-01 season but was sacked in November after a disaster start to the season confined them to the bottom of the Premiership. Scotsman Jim Jefferies took over but was unable to stave off relegation and left halfway through the following season with financial problems beginning to count against the club. He was replaced by Chesterfield manager Nicky Law.