Bradford City A.F.C. facts for kids
 |
|||
| Full name | Bradford City Association Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Bantams The Paraders The Citizens |
||
| Founded | 1903 | ||
| Ground | Valley Parade | ||
| Capacity | 24,840 | ||
| Coordinates | 53°48′15″N 001°45′32″W / 53.80417°N 1.75889°W | ||
| Chairman | Stefan Rupp | ||
| Manager | Graham Alexander | ||
| League | League Two | ||
| 2018–19 | League One, 24th of 24 (relegated) | ||
|
|
|||
Bradford City Association Football Club is a professional football team from Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They are known as "The Bantams" and play in EFL League Two, which is the fourth level of English football. Their home ground is Valley Parade.
The club started in 1903 and quickly joined the Football League Second Division. They won this division in 1907–08 and were promoted to the top league. Their biggest achievement was winning the 1911 FA Cup final, which is still their only major trophy.
Over the years, Bradford City has moved between different leagues. They were relegated in 1922 and 1927, but won the Third Division North title in 1928–29. They also won the Third Division North Cup in 1939.
In the 1980s, they had a successful period, winning promotion in 1981–82 and then the Third Division title in 1984–85. A sad event happened in 1985 when a fire at their stadium, Valley Parade, caused the loss of 56 lives.
Bradford City returned to the second tier in 1996 through the play-offs. Then, in 1998–99, they were promoted to the Premier League, returning to the top flight after 77 years! They even played in Europe in the UEFA Intertoto Cup in 2000–01. However, they were relegated from the Premier League that season.
After facing financial difficulties, the club dropped back to the fourth tier. But they made a fantastic comeback under manager Phil Parkinson. They reached the League Cup final in 2013 and then won the League Two play-off final to get promoted again. They were relegated from EFL League One in 2019.
In recent years, the club has continued to compete in League Two. In 2023, they set new attendance records for the league, showing strong support from their fans.
Contents
Club History
Bradford City was formed in 1903. This happened after meetings between James Whyte, a newspaper editor, and football officials. The Football League wanted to promote football in Yorkshire, a region where rugby was very popular.
The new club took the place of another team, Doncaster Rovers, in the Second Division. Bradford City also took over the colours and ground of a rugby league team called Manningham F.C. This is how they got their claret and amber colours and their home at Valley Parade.
Their first game was a 2–0 loss to Grimsby Town in September 1903. Just six days later, 11,000 fans came to their first home game. The club finished 10th in their first season.
In 1905, Peter O'Rourke became manager. He led City to win the Second Division title in 1907–08. This meant they were promoted to the top league, the First Division.
After avoiding relegation in their first season in the top league, City achieved their highest ever finish, coming 5th in 1910–11. In the same season, they won the FA Cup. Captain Jimmy Speirs scored the winning goal in the final replay against Newcastle United.
City stayed in the top league until 1922, when they were relegated. Back in the Second Division, fewer fans came to games, and the team struggled. They were relegated again in 1926–27 to the Third Division (North).
Two seasons later, Peter O'Rourke returned as manager. He led City to promotion again, with the team scoring a record 128 goals. City spent eight more seasons in the Second Division but didn't manage to get back to the top league. In 1936–37, they were relegated to the Third Division (North) once more.
Two seasons later, City won their third trophy, the Third Division North Challenge Cup. However, they couldn't defend the trophy because competitive football was stopped for the Second World War.
After the war, City struggled in the Third Division (North). In 1958–59, they were placed in the new national Third Division. They only spent three seasons there before being relegated to the Fourth Division in 1960–61.
Despite being in a lower league, they caused an upset in 1960–61. They beat First Division side Manchester United in the first ever League Cup. With 34 goals from David Layne, City almost got promoted the next season. But they also suffered a record 9–1 defeat to Colchester United.
City returned to the Third Division in 1968–69. Their stay lasted only three years, as they finished last in 1971–72. They won promotion again in 1976–77 but were immediately relegated the next season.
In 1981, former England player Roy McFarland became manager. He led City to promotion in his first season. After McFarland left, another England international, Trevor Cherry, took over.
The club faced financial problems, but former chairman Stafford Heginbotham and Jack Tordoff saved it. To help the club, star striker Bobby Campbell was sold. When he returned, City went on a record run of ten wins in a row.
In 1984–85, City won the Third Division title and were promoted back to the second tier. However, this triumph was overshadowed by a terrible event. During the final game of the season, the main stand at Valley Parade caught fire. This tragic event killed 56 people.
City had to play their home games at other stadiums for 19 months. The new Valley Parade ground cost £2.6 million and reopened in December 1986. Two years later, City were relegated back to the Third Division.
In 1994, Geoffrey Richmond became chairman. He promised to get City to the Premier League within five years. He cleared the club's debts and appointed Chris Kamara as manager. Kamara led City to the play-offs and their first game at Wembley. They won 2–0 against Notts County in the 1996 final, earning promotion to Division One.
City avoided relegation the next season. In 1998, Paul Jewell became manager. He bought the club's first players for £1 million and guided them to the Premier League. This was their first time in the top flight for 77 years! The next season, they avoided relegation again on the last day with a 1–0 win over Liverpool.
Paul Jewell left, and his assistant Chris Hutchings took over. Despite signing expensive players, Hutchings was sacked in November 2000. Jim Jefferies became manager but couldn't save the club from relegation.
The club then faced serious financial problems, going into administration twice. This led to more relegations in 2004 and 2007, putting them back in the fourth tier. Former player Stuart McCall became manager in 2007.
In January 2013, City made history by becoming the first fourth-tier club since 1962 to reach the League Cup final. They beat three Premier League teams on their way: Wigan Athletic, Arsenal, and Aston Villa. They played Swansea City in the final at Wembley but lost 5–0.
This amazing cup run earned the club a lot of money, around £2.3 million. On 18 May 2013, City returned to Wembley. They beat Northampton Town 3–0 in the League Two play-off final to get promoted to EFL League One.
In January 2015, Bradford City caused a big upset in the FA Cup. They beat Premier League leaders Chelsea 4–2 away from home. They then beat another Premier League club, Sunderland, 2–0 at home. They reached the quarter-finals but lost to Reading after a replay.
The club was relegated to League Two at the end of the 2018–19 season. In February 2022, Mark Hughes was appointed manager, but he left in October 2023.
Club Colours and Crest
Bradford City is the only professional football club in England that wears claret and amber. These colours were passed down from Manningham F.C. when Bradford City was founded in 1903. Manningham F.C. started wearing these colours in 1884.
The reason Manningham chose claret and amber isn't fully known. However, these were the same colours as The Prince of Wales's Own West Yorkshire Regiment, a local army group. Both Manningham and Bradford City used the barracks of this regiment for their changing rooms in the early days.
Since the tragic fire in 1985, the club has used black on their kit as a way to remember the 56 fans who died. Away kits have often been white or blue, but many other colours have been used too.
Interestingly, many fans of Harry Potter buy City scarves. This is because the claret and amber colours are the same as Harry's house scarf at Hogwarts School!
Other clubs around the world also wear claret and amber. One example is the Scottish club Motherwell, who started wearing these colours in 1913.
The club's crest has changed over the years. In 1974, they used a crest with the initials "B-C". In 1981, the club brought back the "Bantams" nickname. The current crest features a bantam (a type of small chicken) and the words "The Bantams."
Club Nickname
Bradford City has had several nicknames. In their early days, they were called the Robins or Wasps. They were also known as the Citizens or Paraders. However, the most famous and commonly used nickname is "The Bantams."
Home Stadium: Valley Parade
Valley Parade was originally a quarry site. In 1886, Manningham RFC bought part of the land and leased the rest to build a stadium. They spent £1,400 to create a ground that could hold 20,000 people.
When Bradford City was formed in 1903, they took over Valley Parade. Their first home game there was on 5 September 1903, with 11,000 fans attending.
In 1908, after City was promoted, the stadium was redeveloped by famous football architect Archibald Leitch. Its capacity grew to 40,000. On 11 March 1911, Valley Parade saw its highest ever attendance of 39,146 for an FA Cup game.
The stadium remained mostly unchanged until 1952. Parts of the Midland Road stand had to be demolished twice due to safety concerns. For a while, Valley Parade was a three-sided ground.
On 11 May 1985, Valley Parade was the site of a terrible fire. This happened during the last game of the season, and 56 supporters lost their lives. The wooden main stand was destroyed in just nine minutes.
While Valley Parade was rebuilt, the club played its home games at other stadiums. The new ground cost £2.6 million and reopened on 14 December 1986.
Over the years, more parts of the stadium were redeveloped. In 1991, the Bradford End was updated. In 1996, a new 4,500-seat stand was built. Before City's promotion to the Premier League in 1999, the Kop stand was converted into a two-tier, 7,500-seat area.
A corner stand was added in 2000, bringing the capacity to 20,000. The main stand was also updated, making the total capacity 24,840.
In 2003, Valley Parade was sold for £5 million due to the club's financial issues. The club now pays rent to use the stadium. The stadium has also had different names over the years due to sponsorship deals, including Northern Commercials Stadium and Utilita Energy Stadium. Since 2022, it has been known as the University of Bradford Stadium.
Supporters
Bradford City is known for its loyal supporters. In 2007, the club made season tickets very affordable, costing just £138, which was about £6 per match. This made them the cheapest season tickets in England.
As a result, the club sold 12,019 season tickets. This helped them have the highest average attendance in Football League Two during the 2007–08 season. They attracted more than three times more fans than any other club in the league!
The club continued to offer affordable season tickets in later years. For the 2015–16 season, adult season tickets were £149, and kids under 11 could get in for free with an adult ticket. This led to a record-breaking 18,000 tickets being sold.
Bradford City has an official mascot named Billy Bantam.
In September 2022, Bradford City set a new League Two record for season ticket sales, with 14,190 tickets sold. On 4 March 2023, they set a new attendance record for Football League Two, with 20,383 fans at a home game against Colchester United. They broke this record again on 8 May 2023, with 22,576 supporters attending a game against Leyton Orient.
Club Rivalries
Bradford City has a local rivalry with Bradford Park Avenue, known as the Bradford derby. They also have bigger rivalries, called the West Yorkshire derby, with nearby clubs Huddersfield Town and Leeds United.
Fans also consider clubs like Burnley, Barnsley, and Oldham Athletic to be rivals.
European Football
Bradford City has only played in European football once. This was in the 2000 UEFA Intertoto Cup.
| Season | Competition | Round | Opponents | 1st leg | 2nd leg | Aggregate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | UEFA Intertoto Cup | Second round |  FK Atlantas |
3–1 | 4–1 | 7–2 |
| Third round |  RKC Waalwijk |
2–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 | ||
| Semi–finals |  FC Zenit Saint Petersburg |
0–1 | 0–3 | 0–4 |
Club Honours
Here are some of the main trophies and achievements of Bradford City:
- FA Cup
- Winners: 1910–11
- Football League Second Division (now Championship, level 2)
- Champions: 1907–08
- Runners-up: 1998–99
- Football League Third Division (now League One, level 3)
- Champions: 1928–29, 1984–85
- Play-off winners: 1996
- Football League Fourth Division (now League Two, level 4)
- Runners-up: 1981–82
- Promoted: 1968–69, 1976–77
- Play-off winners: 2013
- Football League Cup
- Runners-up: 2012–13
- Football League Third Division North Cup
- Winners: 1938–39
Club Records
Here are some interesting records held by Bradford City:
- Biggest League Win: 11–1 against Rotherham United (1928)
- Biggest FA Cup Win: 11–3 against Walker Celtic (1937)
- Highest Home Attendance: 39,146 against Burnley (1911 FA Cup)
- Most Appearances for the Club: 574 by Ces Podd
- Most Goals Scored for the Club: 143 by Bobby Campbell
- Most Goals in One Season: 36 by David Layne (1961–62)
- Most Goals in One Match: 7 by Albert Whitehurst (1929)
- Highest Transfer Fee Paid: £2.5 million for David Hopkin (2000)
- Highest Transfer Fee Received: £2 million for Des Hamilton (1997) and Andy O'Brien (2001)
Sponsors
Bradford City has had different companies sponsor their kits and stadium over the years.
Kit and Main Sponsors
| Period | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
|---|---|---|
| 1982–1983 | Patrick | National Breakdown |
| 1983–1984 | Toy City | |
| 1984–1985 | None | |
| 1985–1987 | Admiral | Bradford Mythbreakers |
| 1987–1988 | Bradford 'Great' City
(Bradford City Council) |
|
| 1988–1991 | Bukta | Grattan |
| 1991–1992 | Front Runner | None |
| 1992–1993 | Freemans | |
| 1993–1994 | Admiral | |
| 1994–1997 | Beaver | Diamond Seal |
| 1997–1999 | JCT600 | |
| 1999–2001 | Asics | |
| 2001–2003 | BCFC Leisure | |
| 2003–2004 | Diadora | |
| 2004–2006 | Surridge Sport | |
| 2006–2009 | Bradford & Bingley | |
| 2009–2011 | Map Group (UK) | |
| 2011–2013 | Nike | |
| 2013–2016 | JCT600 | |
| 2016–2022 | Avec Sportt | |
| 2022–present | Macron |
Stadium Sponsors
- 1995–1999 The Pulse
- 2005–2007 Bradford & Bingley
- 2007 Intersonic
- 2007–2016 Coral Windows
- 2016–2019 Northern Commercials
- 2019–2022 Utilita Energy
- 2022–present University of Bradford
Images for kids
-
Bradford City's 1911 FA Cup final winning goalscorer Jimmy Speirs
See also
In Spanish: Bradford City Association Football Club para niños
- Football in Yorkshire
