Jump to content

Bradford City A.F.C.: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
→Rivalry: Not really an encyclopaedic sentence, seems to lean a bit towards POV, so removed.
Line 412: Line 412:
{{see also|Bradford derby|West Yorkshire derby}}
{{see also|Bradford derby|West Yorkshire derby}}
Although their original neighbours [[Bradford Park Avenue A.F.C.|Bradford (Park Avenue)]] are now a non-league club, they still engage in a very fierce competition with local rivals [[Leeds United A.F.C.|Leeds United]]: they are considered to be the club's most hated rivals in modern times, although it could be said that this is a one-way rivalry: Leeds fans are unlikely to raise the same level of emotion talking about Bradford City that a City fan would in talking of Leeds. This rivalry is to some extent due to the two cities' proximity to one another, which has exacerbated in later years because there has been some football fans within Bradford choosing to travel the short distance to support Leeds rather than the home town's City. However, it's thought the main reason for this rivalry is the setting alight of a chip van by Leeds fans during a game between the two sides at [[Odsal Stadium|Odsal]] in 1986, perceived by many Bradford City fans as a mockery of the [[Bradford City stadium fire]]. One of the less serious manifestations of this rivalry was the [[Fanzines|City Gent]] fanzines publication of a 'tribute to Leeds United AFC', the booklet having only blank pages.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.whoateallthepies.tv/miscellaneous/1058/bradford_fans_p.html |title=Bradford fans produce Leeds United fanzine for Christmas » Who Ate all the Pies |publisher=Whoateallthepies.tv |date= |accessdate=2012-08-13}}</ref> Leeds United's relegation to League One in 2007 may have reignited this rivalry, although Bradford's relegation to League Two removed the possibility that the three major West Yorkshire football teams (Leeds, Bradford and Huddersfield) might be in the same division for the first time since the 1980s in the [[2007-08 in English football|2007–08]] season.
Although their original neighbours [[Bradford Park Avenue A.F.C.|Bradford (Park Avenue)]] are now a non-league club, they still engage in a very fierce competition with local rivals [[Leeds United A.F.C.|Leeds United]]: they are considered to be the club's most hated rivals in modern times, although it could be said that this is a one-way rivalry: Leeds fans are unlikely to raise the same level of emotion talking about Bradford City that a City fan would in talking of Leeds. This rivalry is to some extent due to the two cities' proximity to one another, which has exacerbated in later years because there has been some football fans within Bradford choosing to travel the short distance to support Leeds rather than the home town's City. However, it's thought the main reason for this rivalry is the setting alight of a chip van by Leeds fans during a game between the two sides at [[Odsal Stadium|Odsal]] in 1986, perceived by many Bradford City fans as a mockery of the [[Bradford City stadium fire]]. One of the less serious manifestations of this rivalry was the [[Fanzines|City Gent]] fanzines publication of a 'tribute to Leeds United AFC', the booklet having only blank pages.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.whoateallthepies.tv/miscellaneous/1058/bradford_fans_p.html |title=Bradford fans produce Leeds United fanzine for Christmas » Who Ate all the Pies |publisher=Whoateallthepies.tv |date= |accessdate=2012-08-13}}</ref> Leeds United's relegation to League One in 2007 may have reignited this rivalry, although Bradford's relegation to League Two removed the possibility that the three major West Yorkshire football teams (Leeds, Bradford and Huddersfield) might be in the same division for the first time since the 1980s in the [[2007-08 in English football|2007–08]] season.

Also, [[Huddersfield Town F.C.|Huddersfield Town]] have had roughly the same league status as City for the last couple of decades and so it could be argued that they are City's closest rivals.


Matches against these sides have produced both amazing spectacles and some terrible moments—the [[1996-97 in English football|1996–97]] season providing examples of both. On 1 February 1997, Huddersfield Town defender [[Kevin Gray]] broke the leg of Bradford City striker [[Gordon Watson]] in two places with a horrific [[sliding tackle]]. Watson was, at that time, the most expensive player in Bradford City's history having cost them £575,000, and was playing in only his third match for the club. He required a six-inch plate and seven screws in his leg. It took Gordon almost two years of recovery and five further operations before he was able to return to football, after which he made just a handful of appearances for City before leaving the club. At [[Leeds]] [[High Court of Justice|High Court]] in October 1998 he succeeded in becoming only the second player in the history of football to prove negligence by another player and was later awarded in excess of £900,000 in damages,<ref>{{cite news
Matches against these sides have produced both amazing spectacles and some terrible moments—the [[1996-97 in English football|1996–97]] season providing examples of both. On 1 February 1997, Huddersfield Town defender [[Kevin Gray]] broke the leg of Bradford City striker [[Gordon Watson]] in two places with a horrific [[sliding tackle]]. Watson was, at that time, the most expensive player in Bradford City's history having cost them £575,000, and was playing in only his third match for the club. He required a six-inch plate and seven screws in his leg. It took Gordon almost two years of recovery and five further operations before he was able to return to football, after which he made just a handful of appearances for City before leaving the club. At [[Leeds]] [[High Court of Justice|High Court]] in October 1998 he succeeded in becoming only the second player in the history of football to prove negligence by another player and was later awarded in excess of £900,000 in damages,<ref>{{cite news

Revision as of 12:16, 17 August 2012

"BCAFC" redirects here. For others football clubs with the same initials, see BCFC (disambiguation).
Bradford City A.F.C.
Full nameBradford City Association Football Club
Nickname(s)The Bantams
The Paraders
The Citizens
Founded1903
GroundValley Parade
Bradford
Capacity25,136
ChairmanMark Lawn
Julian Rhodes
ManagerPhil Parkinson
LeagueLeague Two
2011–12League Two, 18th
Websitehttp://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk
Current season

Bradford City Association Football Club (also known as The Bantams, and previously The Paraders) is an English association football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, playing in League Two.

The club was founded in 1903. It was immediately elected into Division Two of the Football League despite not having played a previous game. Promotion to the top tier followed in 1908 and the club won the FA Cup in 1911, its only major honour. After relegation in 1922 from Division One, the club spent 77 years outside the top flight until promotion to the Premier League in 1999. City stayed up, with a then record low of 36 points, in the first season in the Premier League. Relegation followed the following season. Since then a series of financial crises have pushed the club to the brink of closure. The financial pressures have resulted in two more relegations to its current position in League Two. They are the lowest-ranked of all former Premier League clubs.

The club's colours are claret and amber and they play their home games at Valley Parade. The ground was the site of a fire on 11 May 1985, which took the lives of 56 supporters.

Bradford City have had more than 40 managers, all of whom have been from Great Britain or Ireland. The current manager is Phil Parkinson, who was appointed on 28 August 2011.[1]

History

Main article: History of Bradford City A.F.C.
See also: List of Bradford City A.F.C. seasons
The Bradford City team which won the 1911 FA Cup

Bradford City were formed in 1903 as a result of a series of meetings called by James Whyte, a sub-editor of the Bradford Observer, with Football Association representatives and officials at Manningham F.C., a rugby league side.[2] The Football League saw the invitation as a chance to promote association football in the rugby league-dominated county of the West Riding of Yorkshire. It duly elected the new club into Division Two of the league, in place of Doncaster Rovers. Four days later, at the 23rd annual meeting of Manningham FC, the committee decided to change code from rugby league to association football. Bradford City Association Football Club were formed without having played a game, taking over Manningham's colours of claret and amber, and their Valley Parade ground.[3]

Robert Campbell was appointed the club's first manager and with the help of the new committee, he assembled a playing squad at the cost of £917 10s 0d.[4][5] City's first game was a 2–0 defeat at Grimsby Town on 1 September 1903,[6] six days before their first home game attracted 11,000 fans.[7] The club finished 10th in their first season.[5] Peter O'Rourke took over as manager in November 1905, and he led City to the Division Two title in 1907–08 and with it promotion to the Division One.[8] Having narrowly avoided relegation in their first season in the top flight, City recorded their highest finish of 5th in 1910–11.[9] The same season they won the FA Cup, when a goal from captain Jimmy Speirs won the final replay against Newcastle United.[10] City's defence of the cup, which included the first Bradford derby against Bradford Park Avenue, was stopped by Barnsley after a run of 12 consecutive clean sheets.[11][12]

City remained in the top flight in the period up to the First World War and for three seasons afterwards, but were relegated in 1921–22 along with Manchester United.[13][14] Back in Division Two, attendances dropped and City struggled for form,[15] with five consecutive finishes in the bottom half of the table. They suffered a second relegation to Division Three (North) in 1926–27.[13] Two seasons later, O'Rourke, who had initially retired in 1921 following the death of his son, returned and guided City to promotion with a record haul of 128 goals.[8][16] O'Rourke left for a second time after one more season, and although City spent a total of eight seasons back in Division Two, they rarely looked like earning promotion back to the top flight. Instead in 1936–37, the club were relegated back to Division Three (North).[17] City won their third piece of silverware two seasons later, when they lifted the Third Division North Challenge Cup, but they were unable to defend the trophy because competitive football was suspended for the Second World War.[18]

After the war, City went through two managers in the first two seasons,[19] and were consistently in the bottom half of the Division Three (North) table until 1955–56. After three successive top half finishes,[20] City were placed in the new Division Three in 1958–59. Bradford spent just three seasons in Division Three, but during their relegation season in 1960–61,[21] they upset Division One side Manchester United in the inaugural season of the League Cup.[22] With 34 goals from David Layne, City nearly earned an instant promotion the following season, but it did also include a record 9–1 defeat to Colchester United.[21] Layne left for Sheffield Wednesday,[23] and without him City finished second from bottom of the league and had to apply for re-election.[21] They suffered the same fate three seasons later, but after another three difficult seasons during which time manager Grenville Hair died following a heart attack in training, City returned to Division Three. City's stay in Division Three lasted just three years, when they finished bottom in 1971–72.[24] Promotion via fourth spot was won again in 1976–77 but it was instantly followed by a relegation season.[25]

A memorial, erected on the club's new main stand at Valley Parade, to the victims of the fire in 1985

City failed to win promotion for three successive seasons, until the board appointed former England centre back Roy McFarland as manager in May 1981. McFarland won promotion in his first season, but was poached by his former club Derby County just six months later.[25] City won compensation from Derby and installed another England international Trevor Cherry as McFarland's replacement.[26] Cherry, with former teammate Terry Yorath as his assistant manager, failed to win for two months, but eventually the pair guided City to safety from relegation.[27] During the summer, however, the club chairman Bob Martin had to call in the official receivers. The club was saved by former chairman Stafford Heginbotham and former board member Jack Tordoff, but to ensure the club could start the new season, prize asset, striker Bobby Campbell was sold to Derby. City struggled but so did Campbell, and when he returned, the club went on a record run of ten successive victories. Although they missed out on promotion, City won the league the following season to return to the second tier of The Football League. However, City's triumph was overshadowed by the fire disaster, which killed 56 people when Valley Parade caught fire in the final game of the season.[28]

City played games away from Valley Parade for 19 months.[29] But just ten days after the new £2.6 million ground was opened, Cherry was sacked.[30] His replacement, Terry Dolan steered City away from possible relegation,[31] before he mounted a promotion challenge the following season. City went top of the table in September 1987, but fell away during Christmas and missed out on promotion on the final day of the season. Instead they entered the play-offs, but were defeated in the semi-finals by Middlesbrough.[32] Two years later City were relegated back to Division Three. For three seasons, City finished mid-table in the third tier, which was now renamed Division Two, following the advent of the Premier League.

Bradford City against Fulham at Valley Parade during the early 1990s

In January 1994, Geoffrey Richmond came from Scarborough to take over as chairman,[33] and promised to guide City to the Premier League within five years. He cleared the debts and after four months sacked manager Frank Stapleton to appoint his own manager, Lennie Lawrence.[33] Lawrence left after little more than a year to join Luton Town but his successor, Chris Kamara took City to the play-offs and their first game at Wembley Stadium. They defeated Notts County 2–0 in the final to earn promotion to Division One.[33] City avoided relegation back on the final day of the following season, but Kamara was sacked in January 1998.[34][35] Paul Jewell took over, initially on a temporary basis, before he was given a permanent contract. He bought the club's first £1 million signings and guided the club to the Premier League—the first time they had been in the top flight for 77 years—with a second place finish.[36][37] The following season, Jewell continued to defy the critics, who labelled his team Dad's Army, by avoiding relegation again on the last day with a 1–0 victory over Liverpool, with a goal from David Wetherall.[38]

However, Jewell left shortly afterwards. His assistant Chris Hutchings was promoted to the manager's position,[39] and despite a series of new expensive signings,[40][41] he was sacked by November 2000, with City second from bottom of the league.[42] Jim Jefferies took over but could not save the club from relegation.[43][44] At the end of the first season back in Division One, City were placed in administration with debts of nearly £13 million.[45] Two years later, the club suffered a second spell in administration and a second relegation.[46] Two top-half finishes followed, but the club were relegated for a third time in seven seasons in 2006–07 meaning the following season would be their first in the bottom tier for 26 seasons.[47] Former player Stuart McCall was appointed the new manager,[48] and although he said anything less than promotion would be a failure,[49] he later changed his mind after a poor start and finally led the team to a 10th place finish.[50][51] McCall eventually left Bradford City on 8 February 2010 following a board meeting after a run of poor results.[52]

During a tempestuous League Two encounter on March 2012, Bradford and Crawley Town players were involved in a post-match brawl, which led to five players being shown a red card in the dressing rooms. Andrew Davies, Luke Oliver and Jon McLaughlin of Bradford were sent off by the referee, who dished out the same treatment to Crawley pair Kyle McFadzean and substitute Claude Davis.[53]

Colours and club crest

Bradford City is the only professional football club in England to wear claret and amber. The club colours were inherited from Manningham FC, when the club converted to football upon Bradford City's foundation in 1903. However, whereas Manningham played in hoops, the new football club adopted claret and amber stripes.[54] Manningham RFC adopted the colours in 1884 before the move to Valley Parade in 1886. Having originally worn black shirts with white shorts, the club’s first game in claret and amber was against Hull on 20 September 1884, at Carlisle Road.

The reason Manningham chose claret and amber is not documented but it was the same colours of the West Yorkshire Regiment, which was based at Belle Vue Barracks on nearby Manningham Lane. Both Manningham, from 1886, and Bradford City, from 1903–08, used the barracks as changing and club rooms.

Bradford City has worn claret and amber, with either white or black, since it was founded. Since the fire in 1985, the club has used black on the kit as a memory to the 56 supporters who died.[55] The club's away shirt has traditionally been white and to a lesser extent also blue, but there has been a profusion of other colours and designs particularly in more recent years. The away kit for the 2008–2009 season was all white.[55] For the new 2009/10 season, the away kit will be all black with a thin claret and amber stripe down the centre-left.

City scarves have also sold in large numbers in recent years to fans of Harry Potter, because the colours are the same as Harry’s house scarf at Hogwarts School.[56]

A number of other clubs across the world wear claret and amber. They include Scottish club Motherwell, who originally wore blue and white until they wore claret and amber for the first time on 23 August 1913, against Celtic. It is erroneously believed that Motherwell chose the claret and amber colours because they were the racing colours of Lord Hamilton; it is more likely that Motherwell were influenced by Bradford City's English FA cup win in 1911.[57]

The club’s crest combines a series of logos from over the years. In 1974, City adopted a contemporary style crest incorporating the club’s initials, with a B-C logo. At the time, the new logo maintained the previous nickname of the Paraders. By December 1981, the club relaunched the Bantams as the official identity with a bantam on the new crest. The crest maintains the club colours and also includes the words The Bantams.

Nickname

Bradford City have had a number of nicknames during the history. In their early years, they were referred to as the Robins or Wasps, taking over the nickname of Manningham FC, as a result of Manningham's claret and amber hoops.[5] Other nicknames have been the Citizens or Paraders, but the club is better known as the Bantams.

Stadium

Main article: Valley Parade
See also: Bradford City stadium fire

Valley Parade was the site of a quarry on the hillside below Manningham, Bradford, owned by Midland Railway Company, in 1886, when Manningham RFC bought one-third of the land and leased the remainder, because they had been forced to find a new home. The spent £1,400 erecting a ground with a capacity of 20,000, club facilities and levelling the land.[58] When Bradford City were formed in 1903, they took over the ground, playing their first home game on 5 September 1903 against Gainsborough Trinity, drawing a crowd of 11,000.[7][59] Five years later, the club won promotion to Division One, and so commissioned football architect Archibald Leitch to redevelop the ground. The capacity was increased to 40,000 by December 1908 with a 5,300-seater main stand, a terraced paddock in front, a Spion Kop, and an 8,000-capacity Midland Road stand.[60] Its first game against Bristol City on Christmas Day attracted a crowd of 36,000.[61] On 11 March 1911, Valley Parade attracted its highest attendance, for an FA Cup game between Bradford City and Burnley during Bradford's FA Cup winning run.[62]

Until 1952, by which time Bradford City had bought the remaining two-thirds of the ground to own it outright,[63] the ground remained virtually unchanged.[61][64] However, twice during the next decade, the club's Midland Road stand had to be demolished. Club officials first closed part of the stand in 1952, as a result of the Burnden Park disaster six years earlier. Its frame was sold to Berwick Rangers and a replacement stand built in 1954.[63] Six years later, the new stand was itself demolished, and Valley Parade remained a three-sided ground until 1966, when the pitch was moved, and a new stand built.[65]

The Bradford End of Valley Parade, which was the first to be redeveloped after the ground reopened in 1986

On 11 May 1985, Valley Parade was the scene of a fatal fire, during which 56 supporters were killed and at least 265 were injured. The game was the final match of the 1984–85 season, before which City were presented with the Division Three championship trophy. The fire destroyed the main stand in just nine minutes.[58][66] The club played its home games at Odsal Stadium, a rugby league ground in Bradford, Elland Road, Leeds, and Leeds Road, the former home of Huddersfield Town, until December 1986, while Valley Parade was redeveloped.[67] The club spent £2.6 million building a new main stand and improving the Kop, and reopened the new ground on 14 December 1986 for an exhibition match against an England international XI.[68]

In 1991, the Bradford end of the ground was the next to be redeveloped, and was converted into a two-tier stand with a scoreboard. In 1996, following City's promotion to Division One, club chairman Geoffrey Richmond announced the construction of a 4,500 seater stand on the Midland Road side. Ahead of promotion to the Premiership in 1999, Richmond spent another £6.5 million to convert the Kop into a two-tier 7,500-seat capacity stand.[69] A corner stand between the Kop and main stand was opened in December 2000, taking the capacity to 20,000 for the first time since 1970.[70] The following summer, the main stand was also converted into a two-tier stand, taking the capacity to 25,136. Further projects were planned until the club went into administration in May 2002 so none have taken place.[69] The following year, Valley Parade was sold to Gibb's pension fund for £5 million, with the club's offices, the shop and car park sold to London-based Development Securities for £2.5 million,[71] but these (club offices, shop and car park) were bought back by the club's joint chairmen in the summer of 2011.[citation needed] The club's annual rent and maintenance costs to Gibb's pension fund is £1.2m, and so as of February 2009, the club is considering a return to Odsal. The club and Bradford Bulls would share the new £50m complex, which would also feature cricket, cycling and athletics facilities.[72] Valley Parade has had several other names under sponsorship naming deals and is now called the Coral Windows Stadium.[73] The club's bantamspast museum is also based above the ground's shop.[74]

Supporters

The club spearheaded an initiative in 2007 to slash the price of watching professional football for the 2007–08 season.[75] As a result season tickets to watch Bradford City were the cheapest in England at £138, the equivalent of £6 per match.[76] When the offer finished at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, 31 July 2007, the club confirmed the amount of season tickets sold was 12,019.[77] The scheme enabled the club to top the average league attendances for Football League Two during the 2007–08 season, attracting more than three times more than any other club. The club won the Perform Best Fan Marketing campaign category in The Football League Awards for the scheme and earned them an invitation to the Houses of Parliament.[78][79] The club aimed to attract 20,000 fans for the 2008–09 by offering a free season ticket to anyone buying a season ticket as long as 9,000 adults sign up, but they fell 704 short of the target.[80] Joint-chairman Mark Lawn announced in November 2008 that season tickets in the Bradford End for the 2009–10 season would be available for just £99 and £138 for the rest of the ground if bought in December 2008.

Basic adult season ticket prices for season 2012-13 are set at £199 until 31-5-2012, thereafter they rise to £299.

Bradford City has two official mascots—City Gent and Billy Bantam.

Rivalry

See also: Bradford derby and West Yorkshire derby

Although their original neighbours Bradford (Park Avenue) are now a non-league club, they still engage in a very fierce competition with local rivals Leeds United: they are considered to be the club's most hated rivals in modern times, although it could be said that this is a one-way rivalry: Leeds fans are unlikely to raise the same level of emotion talking about Bradford City that a City fan would in talking of Leeds. This rivalry is to some extent due to the two cities' proximity to one another, which has exacerbated in later years because there has been some football fans within Bradford choosing to travel the short distance to support Leeds rather than the home town's City. However, it's thought the main reason for this rivalry is the setting alight of a chip van by Leeds fans during a game between the two sides at Odsal in 1986, perceived by many Bradford City fans as a mockery of the Bradford City stadium fire. One of the less serious manifestations of this rivalry was the City Gent fanzines publication of a 'tribute to Leeds United AFC', the booklet having only blank pages.[81] Leeds United's relegation to League One in 2007 may have reignited this rivalry, although Bradford's relegation to League Two removed the possibility that the three major West Yorkshire football teams (Leeds, Bradford and Huddersfield) might be in the same division for the first time since the 1980s in the 2007–08 season.

Matches against these sides have produced both amazing spectacles and some terrible moments—the 1996–97 season providing examples of both. On 1 February 1997, Huddersfield Town defender Kevin Gray broke the leg of Bradford City striker Gordon Watson in two places with a horrific sliding tackle. Watson was, at that time, the most expensive player in Bradford City's history having cost them £575,000, and was playing in only his third match for the club. He required a six-inch plate and seven screws in his leg. It took Gordon almost two years of recovery and five further operations before he was able to return to football, after which he made just a handful of appearances for City before leaving the club. At Leeds High Court in October 1998 he succeeded in becoming only the second player in the history of football to prove negligence by another player and was later awarded in excess of £900,000 in damages,[82][83] making it "the most expensive tackle in British football and legal history".

The return fixture that season was a happier affair. It provided a spectacular display of goals in which City took a 3–0 lead, including one famous goal scored directly from a corner by ex-England star Chris Waddle, before the game swung in Huddersfield's favour as they fought back to the final score of 3–3.

The most recent derby with Huddersfield Town at Galpharm Stadium on 4 October 2011 in the Football League Trophy second round ended in a 2–2 draw, with Bradford City winning 4–3 on penalties.

There are also lesser rivalries with Barnsley, Burnley, Hull City, Oldham Athletic, Sheffield United, Sheffield Wednesday and York City. Since relegation to League Two in 2007, Rotherham United have generally been the nearest divisional neighbours to Bradford, which has led to a minor rivalry developing between the two sides. As of May 2012, the geographically nearest club to Bradford is York City, who returned to the Football League and now occupy the same league as Bradford for the first time since the 1996-97 season.

The club is linked with American amateur side Palmetto FC Bantams.[84]

Players

Current squad

As of 11 August 2012[85]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Scotland SCO Jon McLaughlin
2 DF England ENG Stephen Darby
3 DF Australia AUS James Meredith
4 MF England ENG Ricky Ravenhill (captain)
5 DF England ENG Andrew Davies
6 DF England ENG Luke Oliver
7 MF England ENG Kyel Reid
8 MF England ENG Ritchie Jones
9 FW England ENG James Hanson
10 FW England ENG Ross Hannah
11 MF England ENG Garry Thompson
12 GK England ENG Matt Duke
No. Pos. Nation Player
14 MF England ENG Will Atkinson
17 FW England ENG Alan Connell
18 MF England ENG Gary Jones (vice-captain)
19 FW England ENG Adam Baker
21 FW Bermuda BER Nahki Wells
23 DF Northern Ireland NIR Rory McArdle
24 DF England ENG Nathan Doyle
30 MF Scotland SCO Scott Brown
31 MF England ENG Forrayah Bass
— DF England ENG Dean Overson
— DF England ENG Steve Williams

Player of the Year

Year Winner
1999 Scotland Stuart McCall[86]
2002 England Andy Myers[87]
2003 Scotland Andy Gray[88]
2004 England Paul Heckingbottom[89]
2005 England Mark Bower[90]
2006 England David Wetherall[91]
2007 England Nathan Doyle[92]
2008 England Joe Colbeck[93]
2009 England Luke O'Brien[94]
2010 England James Hanson[95]
2011 England No Award[96]
2012 England Luke Oliver[97]

Captains

The following is a list of the officially-appointed captains of the Bradford City first-team.

Name Nation Years Notes Ref
Charlie Bicknell  England 1934–1936 [98]
Bruce Stowell  England 1967–1972 [99]
Peter Jackson  England 1982–1986 City's youngest captain (started at 21 years old) [100]
Stuart McCall  Scotland 1998–2002 [citation needed]
David Wetherall  England 2002–2008 [101]
Graeme Lee  England 2008–2009 [102]
Peter Thorne  England 2009–2010 [103]
Simon Ramsden  England 2010–2011 [104]
Guy Branston  England 2011 [105]
Michael Flynn  Wales 2011–2012 [106]

Former players

Main articles: List of Bradford City A.F.C. players and List of Bradford City A.F.C. players with fewer than 50 league appearances
See also: Category:Bradford City A.F.C. players

In 2007 former Telegraph & Argus sports journalist David Markham released the book The Legends of Bradford City, initially written to mark the club's centenary in 2003. It featured biographies of 100 players and staff members from the history of the club. The players were:

Staff

Current staff

As of 21 June 2012[107]
Position Name Nationality
Chairman Julian Rhodes  English
Chairman Mark Lawn  English
Manager Phil Parkinson  English
Assistant Manager Steve Parkin  English
Youth Team Manager Steve Thornber  English
Youth Coach Ian Ormondroyd  English
Youth Coach Peter Horne  English
Fitness Coach Nick Allamby  English
Physiotherapist Matt Barrass  English
Physiotherapist Chris Royston  English

Former managers

Main article: List of Bradford City A.F.C. managers

Statistics

Main article: Bradford City A.F.C. records

Honours

Records

A graph showing Bradford City's league history

All records from Bradford City F.C. official website.[111]

Sponsors

Team

  • 1982–1983 National Breakdown
  • 1983–1984 Toy City
  • 1985–1987 Bradford Mythbreakers (Bradford City Council)
  • 1987–1988 Bradford 'Great' City (Bradford City Council)
  • 1988–1991 Grattan
  • 1992–1995 Freemans
  • 1994–1997 Diamond Seal
  • 1997–2005 JCT600
  • 2006–2009 Bradford & Bingley
  • 2009–2012 Map Group (UK)

Kit

  • 1982–1985 Patrick
  • 1985–1988 Admiral
  • 1988–1991 Bukta
  • 1991–1993 Front Runner
  • 1993-1994 Admiral
  • 1994–1999 Beaver
  • 1999–2001 Asics
  • 2001–2003 BCFC Leisure
  • 2003–2004 Diadora
  • 2004–2011 Surridge Sport
  • 2011–2015 Nike[112]

Stadium

See also

References

  1. ^ "Phil Parkinson appointed Bradford City manager". BBC Sport. 28 August 2011.
  2. ^ Frost, Terry (1988). Bradford City A Complete Record 1903–1988. Breedon Books Sport. p. 11. ISBN 0-907969-38-0.
  3. ^ Frost. Bradford City A Complete Record 1903–1988. p. 13.
  4. ^ Frost. Bradford City A Complete Record 1903–1988. p. 65.
  5. ^ a b c Frost. Bradford City A Complete Record 1903–1988. p. 14.
  6. ^ Frost. Bradford City A Complete Record 1903–1988. p. 149.
  7. ^ a b Frost. Bradford City A Complete Record 1903–1988. p. 54.
  8. ^ a b Frost. Bradford City A Complete Record 1903–1988. pp. 65–66.
  9. ^ Frost. Bradford City A Complete Record 1903–1988. p. 16.
  10. ^ Frost. Bradford City A Complete Record 1903–1988. p. 49.
  11. ^ Frost. Bradford City A Complete Record 1903–1988. p. 17.
  12. ^ Frost. Bradford City A Complete Record 1903–1988. p. 159.
  13. ^ a b Frost. Bradford City A Complete Record 1903–1988. p. 21.
  14. ^ "1920–1929". Manchester United Football Club. Retrieved 14 May 2008.
  15. ^ Dewhirst, John (1998). City Memories – An Illustrated Record of Bradford City A.F.C. True North Books. pp. ch. 2. ISBN 1-900463-57-1. {{cite book}}: Invalid |nopp=pages (help); Unknown parameter |nopp= ignored (|no-pp= suggested) (help)
  16. ^ Frost. Bradford City A Complete Record 1903–1988. pp. 34–35.
  17. ^ Frost. Bradford City A Complete Record 1903–1988. p. 22.
  18. ^ Frost. Bradford City A Complete Record 1903–1988. p. 356.
  19. ^ Frost. Bradford City A Complete Record 1903–1988. p. 23.
  20. ^ Frost. Bradford City A Complete Record 1903–1988. p. 168.
  21. ^ a b c Frost. Bradford City A Complete Record 1903–1988. p. 24.
  22. ^ Frost. Bradford City A Complete Record 1903–1988. p. 152.
  23. ^ Frost. Bradford City A Complete Record 1903–1988. p. 113.
  24. ^ Frost. Bradford City A Complete Record 1903–1988. p. 26.
  25. ^ a b Frost. Bradford City A Complete Record 1903–1988. p. 27.
  26. ^ Frost. Bradford City A Complete Record 1903–1988. p. 81.
  27. ^ Frost. Bradford City A Complete Record 1903–1988. p. 306.
  28. ^ Frost. Bradford City A Complete Record 1903–1988. p. 28.
  29. ^ Frost. Bradford City A Complete Record 1903–1988. p. 59.
  30. ^ Frost. Bradford City A Complete Record 1903–1988. pp. 28–29.
  31. ^ Frost. Bradford City A Complete Record 1903–1988. p. 29.
  32. ^ Frost. Bradford City A Complete Record 1903–1988. p. 30.
  33. ^ a b c Markham, David (2007). The legends of Bradford City. Breedon Books Sport. p. 165. ISBN 978-1-85983-572-2.
  34. ^ Markham. The legends of Bradford City. p. 103.
  35. ^ "Chris Kamara's managerial career". Soccerbase. Retrieved 17 May 2008.
  36. ^ Markham. The legends of Bradford City. p. 99.
  37. ^ Sutcliffe, Richard (10 May 1999). "Premier display!". Telegraph & Argus. Retrieved 13 May 2008. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  38. ^ "The miracle workers". Telegraph & Argus. 15 May 2000. Retrieved 13 May 2008. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  39. ^ "Bradford pull off great escape". BBC Sport. 29 July 2000. Retrieved 13 May 2008.
  40. ^ "Bantams aim to fly high". BBC Sport. 13 August 2000. Retrieved 13 May 2008.
  41. ^ "Bradford swoop for Collymore". BBC Sport. 26 October 2000. Retrieved 13 May 2008.
  42. ^ "Bradford sack Hutchings". BBC Sport. 6 November 2000. Retrieved 13 May 2008.
  43. ^ "Jefferies is new Bradford manager". BBC Sport. 20 November 2000. Retrieved 13 May 2008.
  44. ^ "Jefferies upbeat in defeat". BBC Sport. 29 April 2001. Retrieved 13 May 2008.
  45. ^ "Bradford City in administration". BBC Sport. 16 May 2002. Retrieved 13 May 2008.
  46. ^ "Bantams in administration". BBC Sport. 27 February 2004. Retrieved 13 May 2008.
  47. ^ Parker, Simon (28 April 2007). "Woeful City relegated". Telegraph & Argus. Retrieved 13 October 2008. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  48. ^ "McCall named new Bradford manager". BBC Sport. 22 May 2007. Retrieved 13 May 2008.
  49. ^ Parker, Simon (8 June 2007). "McCall: I'll Have Failed If We Don't Go Up". Telegraph & Argus. Retrieved 13 October 2008. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  50. ^ Greenhalf, Jim (1 February 2008). "McCall: The big interview". Telegraph & Argus. Retrieved 13 October 2008. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  51. ^ "Final 2007/2008 Football League Two Table". Soccerbase. Retrieved 13 May 2008.
  52. ^ "Stuart McCall leaves Bradford City". Bradford City A.F.C. 8 February 2010. Retrieved 8 February 2010.
  53. ^ "Five players red-carded in DRESSING ROOMS after post-match brawl". inside World Soccer. 28 March 2012.
  54. ^ Dewhirst, John. City Memories – An Illustrated Record of Bradford City A.F.C. pp. ch. 1. ISBN 1-900463-57-1. {{cite book}}: Invalid |nopp=pages (help); Unknown parameter |nopp= ignored (|no-pp= suggested) (help)
  55. ^ a b "All white change strip for next season". Bradford City official website. 22 April 2008. Retrieved 13 October 2008.
  56. ^ "Potter magic sells footie scarves". CBBC Newsround. 9 December 2002. Retrieved 30 December 2007.
  57. ^ "Motherwell FC – 1886-1917". Motherwellfc.co.uk. Retrieved 13 August 2012.
  58. ^ a b Frost. Bradford City A Complete Record 1903–1988. p. 53.
  59. ^ Frost. Bradford City A Complete Record 1903–1988. p. 170.
  60. ^ Inglis, Simon (1987). The football grounds of Great Britain. Willow Books. p. 117. ISBN 0-00-218249-1.
  61. ^ a b Dewhirst, John (1998). City Memories – An Illustrated Record of Bradford City A.F.C. True North Books. pp. ch. 1. ISBN 1-900463-57-1. {{cite book}}: Invalid |nopp=pages (help); Unknown parameter |nopp= ignored (|no-pp= suggested) (help)
  62. ^ "Facts". Bradford City official website. Retrieved 13 October 2008.
  63. ^ a b Frost. Bradford City A Complete Record 1903–1988. p. 56.
  64. ^ Frost. Bradford City A Complete Record 1903–1988. p. 55.
  65. ^ Frost. Bradford City A Complete Record 1903–1988. p. 57.
  66. ^ "BBC On this day – 1985: Fans killed in Bradford stadium fire". BBC Sport. 11 May 1985. Retrieved 16 March 2008.
  67. ^ Frost. Bradford City A Complete Record 1903–1988. pp. 60–61.
  68. ^ Frost. Bradford City A Complete Record 1903–1988. pp. 59–60.
  69. ^ a b "Transformation of Valley Parade". Bradford City official website. Retrieved 13 October 2008.
  70. ^ "City to break crowd record". Telegraph & Argus. 16 December 2000. Retrieved 16 March 2008. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  71. ^ "Valley Parade sold for £5m". BBC Sport. 8 August 2003. Retrieved 16 April 2008.
  72. ^ "Bantams ponder Bulls groundshare". BBC Sport. 12 February 2009. Retrieved 13 February 2009.
  73. ^ "The Coral Windows Stadium". Telegraph & Argus. 29 July 2007. Retrieved 13 October 2008. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  74. ^ "Bantams museum reopens". Bradford City official website. 10 August 2007. Retrieved 13 October 2008.
  75. ^ "Bradford City WILL slash ticket prices". Telegraph & Argus. 27 April 2007. Retrieved 13 October 2008. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  76. ^ "Bradford City Set to Offer Cheapest Season Tickets in the UK". TheOffside.com. 24 May 2007. Retrieved 30 December 2007.
  77. ^ "City break 12,000 Season Ticket barrier". Bradford City official website. 1 August 2007. Retrieved 13 October 2008.
  78. ^ Parker, Simon (3 March 2008). "Bantams land prestigious award". Telegraph & Argus. Retrieved 13 October 2008. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  79. ^ Parker, Simon (13 December 2008). "Pioneering City honoured with trip to parliament". Telegraph & Argus. Retrieved 14 December 2008. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help) [dead link‍]
  80. ^ Parker, Simon (16 June 2008). "City fail to hit magic 9,000 mark". Telegraph & Argus. Retrieved 16 June 2008. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help) [dead link‍]
  81. ^ "Bradford fans produce Leeds United fanzine for Christmas » Who Ate all the Pies". Whoateallthepies.tv. Retrieved 13 August 2012.
  82. ^ "Holmes awarded £250,000". BBC Sport. 23 February 2004. Retrieved 30 December 2007.
  83. ^ "Singer & Friedlander Football Review 1998–99 season". University of Leicester. 7 December 2001. Archived from the original on 20 November 2007. Retrieved 30 December 2007.
  84. ^ "Palmetto FC Bantams Join PDL". United Soccer Leagues. 8 September 2011.
  85. ^ "Team". Bradford City A.F.C. Retrieved 18 July 2012.
  86. ^ Bradford City official website – Wolves 1999: Where are they now?
  87. ^ Bradford City official website – Andy Myers wipes board at Player-of-the-Year Awards
  88. ^ Bradford City official website – Andy Gray named Player-of-the-Year
  89. ^ Bradford City official website – Paul Heckingbottom gets Player-of-the-Year Award
  90. ^ Bradford City official website – 2006 Player-of-the-Year Voting
  91. ^ Bradford City official website – David Wetherall named Player-of-the-Year
  92. ^ Bradford City official website – Nathan Doyle named Player of the Year
  93. ^ Bradford City official website – Joe Colbeck profile
  94. ^ Bradford City official website – Luke O'Brien lands Player of the Year
  95. ^ Bradford City official website – James Hanson lands Player of the Year title
  96. ^ Simon Parker (19 April 2011). "Bradford City bin awards night after rubbish season". Telegraph & Argus. Retrieved 19 April 2011. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  97. ^ "Oliver crowned Player of the Year". Bradford City A.F.C. 25 April 2012.
  98. ^ "Charlie Bicknell profile". Bradford City A.F.C.
  99. ^ Paul Firth (20 June 2011). "Bruce Stowell, an amateur turned professional". Boy From Brazil.
  100. ^ "Peter Jackson profile". Bradford City A.F.C.
  101. ^ "David Wetherall profile". Bradford City A.F.C.
  102. ^ "Graeme Lee - Captain Marvel". Bradford City A.F.C. 6 August 2008.
  103. ^ "Thorne named as new captain". Bradford City A.F.C. 6 August 2009.
  104. ^ "Ramsden confirmed as captain". Bradford City A.F.C. 5 August 2010.
  105. ^ "Branston named as captain". Bradford City A.F.C. 16 July 2011.
  106. ^ "Revenge not on Flynn's mind". Bradford City A.F.C. 29 November 2011.
  107. ^ "Who's Who at Bradford City". Bradford City A.F.C.
  108. ^ Peter Atherton, Wayne Jacobs, David Wetherall and Dean Windass appointed player/caretaker managers.
  109. ^ The divisions were renamed in 1992 with the formation of the Premier League meaning Division Two became the new Division One
  110. ^ The divisions were renamed in 1992 with the formation of the Premier League meaning Division Three became the new Division Two
  111. ^ "Facts". Bradford City official website. Retrieved 13 October 2008.
  112. ^ "Club confirm Nike deal". Bradford City A.F.C. 27 January 2011. Retrieved 27 January 2011.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Bradford_City_A.F.C.&oldid=507827677"