2 x Notts Travel details / Barnsley pictures + report

League Fixtures

http://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/page/News/0,,10266~1690612,00.html

CFML editors note - generally many fixtures are redated by Clubs so a summary of changes will be compiled in the

upcoming weeks.

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City sign Terriers keeper until end of year
6:40am Monday 27th July 2009

City have high hopes for Huddersfield Town reserve goalkeeper Simon Eastwood after signing him on loan to the end

of the year.

The 20-year-old former England under-19s international played in the second half of City's pre-season friendly

against Barnsley at Valley Parade on Saturday.

Manager Stuart McCall said: "I have seen him play a couple of times. Huddersfield rate him very highly and he comes

well recommended.

"He also played ten games on loan at Woking last season and everyone speaks highly of him.

"He was a target for us but we didn't get any encouragement and then we missed out on a couple of other targets.

"Then we got a call from Huddersfield manager Lee Clark, who wants the lad to play regular football.

"We are pleased to get him and it should be a good fight for the shirt between him and Jon McLaughlin. He will be

on loan with us until December 31."

Meanwhile, McCall will continue his search for one or maybe two central midfield players.

Several trialists in that position have played in the pre-season games but McCall makes it clear he is looking at

other targets.

"Central midfield is a key area I need to strengthen and hopefully I will be able to do that in the next couple of

weeks," he said.

"We have a couple of irons in the fire. We certainly need one, possibly two new players in there."

Another decision McCall needs to make is who will captain the side following the departure of defender Graeme Lee

to Notts County.

Striker Peter Thorne wore the armband against Barnsley and McCall said: "I will probably have a team captain and

club captain.

"Peter Thorne has a lot of respect in the dressing room and he is one of the candidates along with Zesh Rehman, who

is defending well."

Another player's form McCall is pleased about is that of Chris Brandon, who missed most of last season through

injury.

Brandon, who joined the Bantams 12 months ago from Huddersfield, is one of the club's higher earners and there was

speculation he might leave them as Lee and Paul McLaren have done after City reduced their players' budget.

However, he still has one year left on his two-year contract and McCall said: "From day one, Chris Brandon has been

really sharp in training and in pre-season games. He is a fit lad and he has shown a good attitude and desire."





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Pre-Season Friendly
Bradford C (0) 0
Barnsley (1) 2 Foster 30, Macken 61
Att: 1,859 (559 from Barnsley)

Quite a few pictures on the Barnsley site
http://www.barnsleyone.com/article_template.php?seqno=706



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Positives outweigh negatives for City
8:30pm Sunday 26th July 2009

City 0, Barnsley 2

Stuart McCall warned that City must learn lessons from the two goals that cost them dearly in the pre-season

friendly against Barnsley at Valley Parade.

A goal in each half gave the Championship side a 2-0 win – Bradford's first defeat in the pre-season campaign – and

McCall said: "On the negative side, we gave two goals away.

"One was from a set-piece, which everyone knows is crucial in modern-day football, and the other when we gave the

ball away deep in our own half.

"These are valuable lessons we have got to learn from the match but there were a lot of positives as well and I

think for a good spell in the first half we were the better side.

"We defended well against good Championship players, and we had some good movement and a good passage of play in

the first half, but in the second half we got a little bit sloppy.

"I am never pleased to lose a game but all in all I was really happy with our display. I thought it was a decent

work-out and I was pleased with it."

McCall played somewhere near his full-strength side in the first half against a near first-choice Barnsley line-up

and there was some pleasing link-up play between strikers Peter Thorne and Michael Boulding and Chris Brandon the

left.

McCall looks well covered up front with proven goal-scorers Thorne and Boulding, and new signings Gareth Evans from

Macclesfield and James Hanson from Guiseley providing cover and competition.

However, he knows he needs more strength in the centre of midfield, where trialists Grant Smith and James O'Brien –

who played half a game each – failed to make an impact and the search for new blood in that part of the team will

continue.

Boulding, who has looked sharp and eager in pre-season games, had City's two best first-half efforts.

First, Brandon linked well with him before playing the ball through for Boulding to shoot across the face of goal.

Then, Thorne – captain for the day – combined well with Boulding, whose fierce cross-shot was turned away by

goalkeeper Luke Steele.

In between, only a last-ditch tackle from former City defender Darren Moore thwarted Thorne after another smart

piece of play involving him and Brandon.

However, Barnsley went ahead against the run of play in the 30th minute when City's defence failed to clear a

corner from Argentinian midfield player Hugo Colace and skipper Stephen Foster came running in at the far post to

head the visitors into the lead.

Four minutes later, City had the misfortune to lose Zesh Rehman, who was injured in a clash of heads with fellow

defender Steve Williams.

Both had treatment on the field but, while Williams played on, Rehman was led away and had to have three stitches

inserted in a wound on the back of the head.

Simon Ramsden, City's new signing from Rochdale, moved into the centre of defence and fellow new boy Jonathan

Bateson took his place at right back.

McCall had a special word of praise for Ramsden, saying: "I thought he was excellent at right back and centre

back."

The City boss introduced new loan goalkeeper Simon Eastwood in place of Jon McLaughlin at half-time.

The hosts' good work in attack continued as Boulding had another fine effort blocked by Rob Kozluk after being put

through by Brandon, while Moore dangerously sliced Luke O'Brien's centre over his own crossbar.

However, Barnsley gradually took control and scored a second goal after 61 minutes following a bad mistake by James

O'Brien.

His attempted clearance was intercepted by Jacob Butterfield, who played the ball through to last season's joint

top-scorer Jon Macken, the substitute beating Eastwood with an angled shot.

As Barnsley pressed forward, Eastwood did well to save from Nigerian striker Kayode Odejayi.

There was a procession of substitutes from both sides in the second half and McCall gave 24 minutes each to

strikers Evans and Hanson.

Neither had much chance to shine but Evans cut in from the left four minutes from the end before forcing Steele to

save his right-foot shot at the near post.

City: McLaughlin (Eastwood 45 mins), Ramsden, L O'Brien, Smith (J O'Brien 45mins), Rehman (Bateson 39mins),

Williams, Colbeck, Bullock (Sharry 76mins), Boulding (Hanson 66mins), Thorne (Evans 66mins), Brandon (Osborne

66mins).

Barnsley: Steele, Hassell, Kozluk, Moore (Potter 72mins), Colace (Hibbert 84mins), Foster, Campbell-Ryce (Lazarus

82mins), Odejayi (Sodje 68mins), Bogdanovic (Macken 54mins), Devaney (Hume 68mins), Butterfield (Adam 87mins).






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From the Official BCFC website...

Nottingham Forest ...
http://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/page/News/0,,10266~1736200,00.html




NOTTS COUNTY TICKET ARRANGEMENTS

Bradford City have been allocated the whole of the Jimmy Sirrell Stand at
Meadow Lane for their Coca-Cola League 2 opener of the season with Notts
County on Saturday 8 August.

4,000 places are available, for which there is no advance booking, price £20
adults, £12 concessions for senior citizens, students and young adults aged
16 and 17 and £5.00 for juveniles aged under 16.

Disabled supporters should contact Notts County direct on 0115 955 7204.

Official coach travel costs £17.00.




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O'Brien strike settles it as Law fails to get better of Bantams

Alfreton 0 City 1

Bradford City triumphed at Alfreton Town's rain-soaked Impact Arena.

A solitary Jamie O'Brien strike midway through the second half was enough to defeat the Blue Square North outfit – managed by former Bantams boss Nicky Law – and get City back to winning ways in their pre-season schedule after Saturday's defeat to Barnsley.

With the club travelling to Hyde tonight, the Bantams line-up had an unfamiliar look to it.

One player to benefit from the changes was second-year apprentice Phil Cutler, who coped admirably with the physical presence of Alfreton forward Paul Claydon in a composed performance by the youngster.

Lee Bullock, who captained the side, was a commanding figure in the midfield and Simon Ramsden continued on from his composed performance against Barnsley at the weekend, looking assured at right back.

Bullock's midfield partner was trialist O'Brien, who struggled to impose himself on the match despite some neat touches.

The absence of Saturday's skipper Peter Thorne gave Michael Boulding and James Hanson the chance to work on a partnership that had looked so promising during City's fixture with Park Avenue.

Both players worked hard and linked up to good effect on occasion.

Young keeper Simon Eastwood made his first start for the Bantams since moving on loan from Huddersfield Town.

On the stroke of half-time, City had Eastwood to thank for keeping the scores level when he produced a superb quickfire double stop from Anton Brown and Josh Law.

Leon Osborne was denied by a great save from Craig Dootson before City grabbed the winner when an inviting cross from Hanson found its way to O'Brien, who smashed home from close range.

Bantams manager Stuart McCall said: "It was a good work-out for all the lads involved and good that they all got 90 minutes under their belts.

"In periods we seemed to look good and tidy and in others they seemed to come back into it. It was a close match.

"These matches are normally good, honest workouts for the players and that's what it proved to be."

CITY: Eastwood, Ramsden, L O'Brien, J O'Brien, Cutler, Clarke, Osborne, Bullock, M Boulding, R Boulding, Hanson. Subs: Horne, Elliott, Dean, Mitchell, Harrison





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