Officially the Intersonic Stadium but everyone still calls it Valley Parade Photo © 2005 Ciderspace

Two things to consider when looking at the history of the club is that Bradford has always been as much if not more a rugby than a football city. And that for some periods of time Bradford Park Avenue were the 'bigger' club.

Bradford City's origins lie in Manningham Rugby Club, who were also part of the breakaway that created Rugby League, first Champions in 1896. It's from them they inherited their unique (in the Football League) colours of claret and amber, though the egg chasers played in hoops not stripes. In 1903 moves were afoot to form a professional football club, and Manningham Rugby Club, in financial problems, indicated they could share their facilities at Valley Parade, playing at home on alternate weeks. A delegation went to London to apply for the election to the Football League of a club still in the process of forming who had never played a game. Sporting politics was in their favour as the Football League wanted a foothold in rugby dominated West Yorkshire. So Bradford City were elected, at the expense of Doncaster Rovers who must have been slightly miffed as they had only secured League status two seasons before. Back in Bradford a meeting was called and furious debate raged for several hours. At the end of it Manningham Rugby Club voted 75 votes to 34 to abandon the oval ball and merge into this new entity, Bradford City FC.

'The Paraders', as they were then nicknamed, started fairly slowly with a series of mid-table finishes in Division Two but in 1907-08 took the title and then remained in the top flight until relegation in 1922. Their best finish was fifth in 1910-11, the season they also won the F.A. Cup, beating Newcastle United 1-0 in a replay at the brand new Old Trafford.

The 1922 relegation from Division One was followed by another relegation down to Division Three North in 1927. They bounced back as Champions two seasons later and apart from a couple a dodgy seasons were solid performers at that level until relegated again in 1937. They were still in Division Three North when the Second World War broke out and the League suspended.

The home end holding 7,492 Photo © 2005 Ciderspace

After hostilities ceased and competitive football resumed Bradford City entered a long period of dark days. They had to rely on re-election in 1949 when they finished bottom of Division Three North. They timed their best spell of the Fifties just right, ensuring they ended up in Division Three rather than Division Four when the Football League was reorganised for the 1958-59 season. However they only lasted until 1960-61, when they were relegated into the basement.

In the Sixties Bradford City narrowly missed out on promotion on three occasions, but also needed re-election to retain their League status twice. However the decade ended optimistically for them with promotion in 1969. The next season rivalry with the other half of Bradford was ended, never yet to be resumed, as Park Avenue was replaced in the Football League by Cambridge United.

City were back in Division Four following relegation in 1972. 1973-74 was an odd season as former rivals Avenue were tenants at Valley Parade, having had to sell their ground to keep afloat financially. Supporters of both sides fought proposals to merge the two clubs and form a new one entitled 'Bradford Metro'. The idea never had a chance, and many Park Avenue fans preferred the fate of their club going into liquidation in the summer of 1974 rather than any continuing relationship with the hated City.

City again got promotion in 1976-77 but it was another false dawn, back down the following season. As Bradford bumped along going nowhere the visit of Hereford United to Valley Parade for the final game of 1980-81 reached new depths, attracting City's lowest ever attendance of 1,249. Roy McFarland was one of those 1,249, watching the team he was to take over the next season. And he brought immediate success, promotion as runners-up. McFarland left in the middle of the first season back in Division Three and Trevor Cherry took over. Crisis was back on the agenda as Bradford faced bankruptcy in the 1983 close season, avoiding liquidation by four hours. Amazingly, as the club limped on living from hand to mouth and with only three floodlights as there was no money to replace the one that had blown down, Cherry took them to the Division Three Championship in 1984-85, their first title since 1928-29. The last game of the season was at home to Lincoln City on 11th May, and Valley Parade was packed as the fans flocked in to celebrate a Championship already won and a return to Division Two after 48 years.

With the news cameras there to record what should have been a day of undiluted happiness a first whisp of smoke appeared at the Kop end of the wooden Main Stand towards the end of the first half. With a rapidity beyond belief within four minutes a fireball had engulfed the entire length of the stand. In those few minutes fifty-six supporters died and many hundreds more were injured. The disaster touched the whole world of football and beyond, and the relief fund raised topped £4,000,000. The huge dignity and courage shown by hundreds of individuals and families across the City of Bradford as they faced their grief remains an inspiration.

The Sunwin Stand, which stands on the site of the old Main Stand, destroyed with the loss of 56 lives Photo © 2005 Ciderspace

The following season was naturally a particularly traumatic one. City were without a home and after early 'home' games played at Leeds Road and Elland Road moved in with Bradford Northern at Odsal. The authorities were keen on developing Odsal into a Super-Stadium for the rugby league and football teams to share jointly. But for the Bantams the emotional need was to return to a rebuilt Valley Parade, and this they eventually did in December 1986. A huge burst of energy, perhaps in response to the disaster, saw Bradford only miss promotion to Division One in 1987-88 by a single point. Even when they fell away and were relegated to Division Three in 1989-90 there was conviction amongst supporters they would be back. It would take them longer than they hoped, and the arrival in 1994 of one of the most controversial figures in the club's history - Geoffrey Richmond.

As the 1995-96 campaign drew to a close Richmond sacked his second manager in two years and brought in Chris Kamara. Kamara produced a late charge from mid-table to snatch the final play-off place on the last day of the season. The Bantams then overturned a 0-2 deficit in the first leg of the play-off semi-finals with a 3-0 victory away at Blackpool. From there defeating Notts County at Wembley in the Final 2-0 was a piece of cake.

The following season Bradford held on to their status by the skin of their teeth. Although the next, 1997-98, was better with a mid-table finish patience was not Richmond's middle name and Kamara paid a swift price. Richmond had been blustering about 'a big name', so when the then rather unknown Paul Jewell arrived few were impressed. Nine months later he was hero of the city, as a win on the last day over Wolves saw the Bantams runners-up and automatically promoted to the Premier League. Back in the big time after 77 years.

Hardly anyone gave them a chance of survival, but the scrap went to the last game of the season where victory over Liverpool kept them up. Jewell barely had time to enjoy the celebrations before he'd walked away. The popular view was he could take no more of his chairman. Coach Chris Hutchings was promoted to manager but sacked by November. Successor Jim Jefferies could do no better, and Bradford finished bottom of the table.

Richmond was full of a quick return, but when Jefferies resigned at Christmas 2001 the Richmond Dream began to unravel. Players had been signed on huge lengthy contracts, with the likes of Benito Carbone on £40,000 a week. To pay for this Richmond had sold everything down to the fixtures and fittings at Valley Parade to lease-back companies. The club collapsed into administration and Geoffrey Richmond walked away. Theme park owner Gordon Gibb, along with the Rhodes family who had long term connections with the club, stepped in to keep the club alive, but the financial burden was huge and when Gibb in turn resigned at the end of 2003 the club had to seek administration again in February 2004, with the debt burden revealed as £34 million. Not suprisingly in those circumstances the club was relegated.

Over the summer of 2004 it was the fans raising £250,000 that kept the club in business in the short term. Although no more than a sticking plaster it bought time for former chief executive, and now new chairman, Julian Rhodes to put forward a rescue package. After protracted negotiations, and another huge cash injection from the Rhodes family, Bradford exited this administration in December 2004.

Doesn't seem to be sponsored this season, so nice and simple: the East Stand Photo © 2005 Ciderspace

Prediction Corner : This was a difficult one to call - aren't they all - but looks to be getting easier as a further season passes. On the surface Bradford seem as if they should be a 'big' club, but for long periods of their history have struggled. Is their natural home the Championship and even Premier League of recent years, or the lower levels they mostly inhabited for decades before that? Will the real Bradford City please stand up. A couple of mid-table campaigns in League One is being followed by........ yet another mid-table season in League One. They are still losing too much money, and the recent shipping out of Dean Windass on loan simply to cut the wage bill smacks of a club which is still dicing with the cliff edge of financial survival and has given up on doing anything in this campaign. They seem to have liked 11th since they came down so, 11th again.

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RECENT RESULTS

06/10/2009

Notts County

Home

JPT2

D

2-2

3701

Boulding 20, Brandon 90

FORTHCOMING FIXTURES

CLUB GOALSCORERS

Name	LGE	FAC	FAT	LGC	CC	Total
Chris Brandon	0	0	0	1	0	1
Michael Boulding	0	0	0	1	0	1

ATTENDANCE STATISTICS

Highest League Attendance: 0, vs ,
Lowest League Attendance: 999999, vs ,
Average League Attendance: Not Applicable

CURRENT LEAGUE SEQUENCE STATISTICS

Games Without A Win:	0		Games Without A Home Win:	0
Games Without An Away Win:	0		Games Without Defeat:	0
Games Without A Home Defeat:	0		Games Without An Away Defeat:	0
Games Without A Draw:	0		Games Without A Score Draw:	0
Games Without A No-Score Draw:	0		Games Without Scoring:	0
Games Without Conceding:	0		Home Results Sequence:
Away Results Sequence:			Overall Results Sequence:

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As you approach the end of the M606 keep in the middle or right-hand-lane, signed Ring Road East (A6177). The stadium is well signed all the way in from the end of the motorway, but if you want more details :
Taken from Bradford City Official Site -
Go under tunnel (follow signs for Leeds/Bradford Airport). McDonalds is now on your left. Over traffic lights at Asda Superstore and turn left at roundabout into Wakefield Road. Stay in middle lane. Over two roundabouts staying in middle lane (signs to Shipley & Skipton) on to Shipley Airedale Road (A6037), which then becomes Canal Road. Just after Tesco (on left) turn left into Station Road (A6177), and left again into Queens Road. Up hill to third set of traffic lights and turn left into Manningham Lane. After the Gulf Petrol Station (on left), take first left into Valley Parade for stadium.

Stand for the away support - TL Dallas holding 1,840 Photo © 2005 Ciderspace

Parking

As a city 'centre' stadium parking is an issue. There is very limited car parking available in the immediate area of the ground. The roads in the area are either no parking or resident permit holders only in the main.

There are several private 'pay on entry / exit' car parks within walking distance, and unless you are lucky in finding some on-street parking you are likely to have to resort to these.

By Rail

The city has two railway stations. The main station is Bradford Interchange, but this is less convenient for the stadium - around a twenty-five minute walk. Closer is Bradford Forster Square, ten minutes walk away Valley Parade. Two trains an hour (from Northern Rail) run direct from Leeds to Forster Square, at ten and forty minutes past the hour. Journey time is twenty minutes.

It is just possible to make it by train from Yeovil on the day : 06.54 Yeovil Junction (South West Trains); 08.47 Basingstoke (Virgin Trains); 13.22 Leeds (Northern Rail); arrive Bradford Interchange 13.42 (or 13.40 from Leeds to Forster Square, arriving 14.00 by Northern Rail). Total duration: 6 hours 48 minutes (or 7 hours 6 minutes). It is not possible to get back to Yeovil by train before Sunday.

From London and the South-East Kings Cross will be your station of choice. Direct trains to Leeds are once or twice an hour from GNER. The last return with convenient connections leaves Forster Square at 18.02 (change at Leeds) arriving Kings Cross at 21.37.

By Bus

Buses in the city come from First Bradford and Keighley & District Travel Company. If using the bus services ask for those that run along Manningham Lane or Queens Road, which have the nearest stops to the stadium. The Nos. 622, 623, 626 and 662 amongst others run near the ground.

Taxis

A selection of Bradford taxi companies can be found here.

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There's a beer festival at Saltaire during September each year. In 2004-05 it actually coincided with the weekend of our trip to Bradford and............this site didn't find out about it until we got there. We hang our heads in shame. This time there's a beer festival scheduled in Bradford........... the weekend following our trip. Doh!

Possibly not quite as cheap as it used to be you should still find much of Bradford real value for money compared to down South.

Club Bar :

The Bantams Bar is at the home end. As far as we know this is not available to away supporters.

Local Pubs :

Cartwright Hotel: Ten minutes walk north of the stadium along Manningham Lane. Carefully refurbished Victorian hotel. Mid-market, with a bar open to the public. Cartwright Hotel, 308, Manningham Lane, Manningham, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD8 7AX. Tel: 01274 499908. Map: Click Here.

Castle Hotel: Close to the city centre and about half-way between Bradford Interchange and Forster Square railway stations, it's a mile from the stadium. There are always a constantly changing range of guests, mostly from small breweries, with the newish one of Oxenhope Moorland (opened 2003) frequently featured. For those looking for something better than a Travel Lodge to stay, but not wishing to break the bank, doubles and twins are £38.00 a night, singles £28.00. No breakfast included in that price however, that's £4.00 extra. Opening 11.00 a.m. - 11.00 p.m. Castle Hotel, 20, Grattan Road, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD1 2LU. Tel: 01274 393166. Fax: 01274 393200. Email: info@thecastlehotel.britain-uk.com. Website: Click Here. Map: Click Here.

Highly recommended © Hugh Gleave Corn Dolly: Top notch hostelry and highly recommended. Long-serving landlord - first class fella - and friendly clientele. Single bar, but the room is vaguely divided into a lounge and a games side. A few minutes walk from the city centre and Forster Square Station. Regular beers are Black Sheep Best, Everards Tiger and Taylor Landlord, and an excellent house beer badged as 'Corn Dolly' from Moorhouses, with an additional four changing guests always available. The beer is kept superbly. There's also Fosters, Carlsberg, Becks, Guinness and Strongbow. Good value food served lunchtimes in the week - chilli, Yorkshire Pudding with various fillings etc. Sandwiches only at the weekend, but large and tasty and a filling snack at a mere £1.00. Has a pool table, TV and own parking. If you ask at the bar for the quick route it's less than ten minutes to the away turnstiles. Has a limited bit of parking. Opening 11.30 a.m. - 11.00 p.m. Corn Dolly, 110, Bolton Road, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD1 4DE. Tel: 01274 720219. Map: Click Here.

Fighting Cock: About a mile west of the city centre and just over the mile from the stadium, in industrial back streets, this is probably the real ale pub in Bradford. Local CAMRA Pub of the Year on numerous occasions. Twelve real ales are on, with Greene King Abbot, Old Mill Bitter, Phoenix White Monk, Copper Dragon Golden Pippin, Taylor Landlord and Golden Best as regulars and the rest made up of guests. It's also one of the very few places in Bradford that does a farm house style cider. Stocks a wide range of bottled Belgian beers. Food is available at lunchtimes. Opening is 11.30 a.m. - 11.00 p.m. Fighting Cock, 21-23, Preston Street, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD7 1JE. Tel: 01274 726907. Map: Click Here.

Good, but not as good as the Corn Dolly next door © Hugh Gleave Goldsborough: Right next to the Corn Dolly (see above) and open half an hour longer, from 11.00 a.m. - 11.00 p.m. Wide ranging food menu served up until 8.00 p.m. Has Sky Sports, pool and darts. Own parking. Beers are Pride, Marston's Pedigree, Taylor Landlord and guests. Goldsborough, 118, Bolton Road, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD1 4DQ. Tel: 01274 740138. Map: Click Here.

Haigy's: Ten minutes walk west of the stadium in back streets the other side of the A650. Rather noticable as the outside is painted in Bradford City's colours. The regular beers are the absolutely excellent Phoenix Arizona and the decidedly less than excellent Tetley Bitter - but it makes up for the latter with a changing series of guests from breweries such as Newby Wyke (Little Bytham, Lincolnshire), Oakham (Peterborough), and Ossett Brewing Company (Ossett, West Yorkshire). Has pool table and own parking. There's a late licence, with opening from 5.00 p.m. - 2.00 a.m. Monday to Thursday, and 12 noon to 4.00 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Sunday is the more usual 12 noon - 11.00 p.m. Haigy's, 31, Lumb Lane, Manningham, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD8 7QU. Tel: 01274 731664. Map: Click Here.

Melborn Hotel: A further five minutes or so walk away from the ground past Haigy's (above). The establishment has built its trade around live music and good beer: Moorhouse's Premier, Tetley and guests. Opening 4.00 p.m. - 11.00 p.m. weekdays, 12 noon - 11.00 p.m. Saturday. Own parking. Melborn Hotel, 104, White Abbey Road, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD8 8DP. Tel: 01274 726867. Map: Click Here.

New Beehive Inn: Not far from, but a little closer to the stadium than, the Castle Hotel (see above). Four room hostelry - including one no-smoking and a games room - it has been carefully restored to its former state with wood panelling and gas lights. Beers are Kelham Island Best Bitter, Taylor Landlord, Archers Special IPA and guests, often including one from Bradford's only brewery Salamander. There's also a proper cider on draught. An additional cellar bar opens at weekends with live music. As an inn there's accommodation, and it has its own parking. Opening is 12.00 noon - 11.00 p.m., with a late licence until 2.00 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 6.00 p.m. - 12.00 midnight on Sunday. New Beehive Inn, 171, West Gate, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD1 3AA. Tel: 01274 721784. Map: Click Here.

Park Hotel: Around a ten minute walk north of the stadium. Park Hotel, 6, Oak Avenue, Manningham, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD8 7AQ. Tel: 01274 546262. Map: Click Here.

Prospect Of Bradford: Largish outlet with spacious bar and games room a few hundred yard from the stadium - except there's a railwayline in between. Just over the mile round by road. Big on pub pianists and karaoke at the weekends. Beers are Taylor Golden Best and Tetley Bitter. Own parking. Opening is a rather unusual 2.30 p.m. - 5.30 p.m. and 7.00 p.m. - 11.00 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 2.30 p.m. - 11.00 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 12 noon - 10.30 p.m. Sunday. Prospect Of Bradford, 527, Bolton Road, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD3 0NW. Tel: 01274 727018. Map: Click Here.

Sir Titus Salt: The Wetherspoon in Bradford. Not particularly convenient for the ground - twenty-five minute walk - but better for Bradford Interchange station and especially for the Indian restaurants, for which Bradford is famed, which are thick on the ground in this area, clubbing, the theatre etc. Wheelchair friendly and a family zone. Smoking still allowed in some areas: the chain declared there would be a complete ban in all its pubs from May 2006, but then bottled out when it found it wasn't popular and trade had slumped in the pilot pubs. Opening is 9.00 a.m. - 12 midnight (1.00 a.m. Friday and Saturday) every day. Sir Titus Salt, Windsor Baths, Morley Street, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD7 1AQ. Tel: 01274 732 853. Map: Click Here.

Likelihood the Natives Will Understand You :

Yet another trip t' bl**dy Yorkshire. They might not understand us but we should be getting a handle on them by now.

Top-Tip :

Don't leave the Curry Capital of Britain without partaking. There are a number of websites dedicated entirely to curry in Bradford. One of the more up-to-date can be found here.

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