How Are They Doing

Bradford are currently in 14th place with 23 points.

November results

Bradford 1 Accrington 0

Bradford  5 Barnsley 1 (EFL Trophy)

Notts County 4 Bradford 2

Bradford  1  v Barrow 2

Bradford 1 Wycombe 2 (FA Cup)

Manager

Graham Alexander became manager of Bradford City on 6th November 2023. Mark Hughes was sacked in October and Kevin McDonald was in temporary charge in the interim.

In a lengthy playing career as a right back and defensive midfielder, Alexander represented Scunthorpe, Luton, Preston, and Burnley. He also made 40 international appearances for Scotland.

He is the fourth oldest player to score in Premier League history. He was also a penalty kick specialist. On 16 April 2011, in Burnley’s win over Swansea in a Championship match, Alexander became only the second outfield player in English football history to have made 1,000 professional appearances. He is third on the list of football appearances in England.

Alexander was appointed manager of Fleetwood in December 2012. He won the 2013–14 League Two play-offs and promotion to League One but was sacked by Fleetwood in September 2015. He then managed Scunthorpe for two years before being appointed manager of Salford City on 14 May 2018. Alexander guided Salford to promotion in his first season but was sacked in October 2020. He then had 18 months as manager of Scottish club Motherwell. Motherwell & Bradford play in the same colours so Alexander won’t have to change his wardrobe.

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Rovers Connections

Jake Young was at FGR between 2020 & 2022. He played 51 times scoring 9 goals before joining Bradford. Bradford have loaned him out to Barrow and now Swindon.

Jordan Garrick played Rugby League for Bradford Bulls but that probably doesn’t count though..

Ones to Watch

Bradford’s man in form is striker Andy Cook (pictured).  Now 31, the striker was with Tranmere between 2016 and 2018 where he top-scored in both his seasons in the National League.  After scoring the goal that secured Tranmere’s promotion to the EFL, he left to join Walsall.  After Walsall, Cook moved to Mansfield before joining Bradford this summer after a successful loan spell.

Current top scorers Andy Cook – 6 goals, Jamie Walker – 4 goals, Alex Pattison, Tyler Smith, Alex Gilliead – all 3 goals.

Club History

Bradford City won the FA Cup in 1911 (their only success), beating Newcastle 1-0 in a replay at Old Trafford.  Some 100,000 people turned out to welcome the team back to Bradford.  Eight of the team that day were Scottish.

The club was founded in 1903 and immediately elected into the Football League Second Division. Promotion to the top tier followed as they won the 1907–08 Second Division title and then they went on to win the 1911 Cip Final, which remains the club’s only major honour. They were relegated in 1922 and again in 1927, before winning the Third Division North title in 1928–29. Another relegation in 1937 did allow the club to go on to win the Third Division North Cup in 1939, however a further relegation followed in 1962 to leave the club in the newly created Forth Division. They secured promotions back into the third tier in 1969 and 1977 but were relegated in 1972 and 1978. They found success in the 1980s under the stewardship of first Roy McFarland and then Trevor Cherry, winning promotion in 1981–82 and following this up with the Third Division title in 1984–85, though they were relegated out of the Second Division in 1990.

Bradford were promoted back into the second tier via the play-offs in 1996, before securing another promotion in 1998–99 to reach the Premier League, marking a return to the top-flight after a 77-year absence. They entered Europe and reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Intertoto Cup in 2000–01 but ended the campaign with relegation from the Premier League. A succession of financial crises followed as the club entered administration twice in two years and further relegations followed in 2004 and 2007 to leave the club back in the fourth tier. They found success under the management of Phil Parkinson  by reaching the League Cup Final and then going on to win that year’s L2 Play Off Final but were relegated from L1 in 2019.

Bradford are the only professional English team to wear claret and amber, colours they have worn since they were formed in 1903 (they are the same colours as Motherwell in Scotland). Sales of Bradford scarfs have been brisk since they are the same as Harry Potter’s house colours at Hogwarts.

The worst moment in Bradford’s history came in 1985.  On 11 May 1985, Valley Parade was the scene of a fatal fire, in the tragedy 56 supporters were killed and at least 265 were injured.  The game was the final match of the season.  Before the game City were presented with the Division 3 championship trophy. The fire destroyed the main stand in just nine minutes.

Famous Bradford City Fans

Don’t be surprised if Bradford’s number 14 seems strangely familiar. The Dalai Lama has been seen to be holding up Bradford shirts on different occasions, despite being based in India, exiled from Tibet, so probably not easy to get to matches. He also blessed the side as they prepared to face Swansea City in the 2013 League Cup final which they, unfortunately, lost.

Zayn Malik The former X-factor and One Direction star has been a Bradford City supporter all his life and has been seen on a number of occasions going to games.

Gigi Hadid – The Los Angeles-born lingerie model might not be your typical Bradford City fan but having been in a relationship with Zayn Malik, she was converted to being a Bantam. The couple split up in 2021 in acrimonious fashion though so she may not be quite so keen on the Bantams now.

Snooker world-champion Joe Johnson, who was crowned back in 1986 after overcoming world number one Steve Davis in the final. Whenever he was not playing during the tournament, he was seen wearing a T-shirt with the slogan ‘Bradford’s Bouncing Back’ (in reference to the Stadium fire from five years previously).

Gareth Gates. The double-platinum selling singer finished second in Pop Idol behind Will Young but was born in Bradford is a big fan of the Bantams.

Club Mascot

Billy the Bantam is Bradford City’s mascot.

Enough to put you off eating the chicken nuggets

or

maybe even make you become a vegan.