CFML pre-season news #2010-05-24

Pitch invasion images, for those who haven't seen them.

http://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/page/News/0,,10266~2051776,00.html




===========================

Mr. Unbelievable - Chris Kamara

NEW BOOK LIFTS LID ON RICHMOND ERA

By Simon Parker (T&A)

Simon Parker selects extracts from Chris Kamara's new book 'Mr Unbelievable'

Football managers get fired for the most trivial of things. It can be the
most precarious of professions - but few can have suffered simply for
singing a song that the chairman did not like.

Chris Kamara reckons that was one of the reasons which led to his downfall
at Valley Parade. Despite leading City to play-off triumph at Wembley and
then keeping them up in the second tier, he was shown the door by Geoffrey
Richmond.

In his new book, 'Mr Unbelievable', Kamara reveals when he felt the cracks
started to appear.

Bizarrely, his first black mark was during the celebrations after clinching
promotion when he was reluctant to pose for pictures hugging Richmond and
holding the play-off trophy. Kamara felt that it was not a "proper" cup.

But he reckons the rot in their relationship really set in at the end of the
following season when the Kamaras hosted a party to celebrate staying up.

Kamara needs no invitation to pick up the mic and start crooning and, as the
booze flowed, he was soon regaling the 70 guests with a version of George
Gershwin's 'Summertime'. Only he had specially adapted the lyrics for his
version.

"Summertime, working for Geoffrey ain't easy, he wants to pick the team and
sign the players as well, but until that morning when he comes in and sacks
me, all I can say is Geoffrey, please don't pry."

As he warbled on, Kamara failed to notice the frosty glare from his wife
Anne - or the increasingly strained grin on Richmond's face.

Kamara recalled: "I was oblivious to causing him any offence, although I
guess on reflection it was a bit strange that Geoffrey and his wife left so
soon after my performance.

"I was used to people walking out halfway through one of my singing attempts
- thousands still do - but not the chairman of the club I managed."

There was another fall-out after Kamara signed Bolton's John McGinlay rather
than bringing back John Hendrie from Barnsley.

Richmond had masterminded the Hendrie deal. Kamara only became aware of it
when the story was broken by a national newspaper.

After a bust-up with the reporter for going behind his back, Kamara refused
Richmond's demand that he apologise and pulled the plug on the proposed
transfer.

Richmond then wanted to sign Wayne Allison, who was being tracked by
Huddersfield. Kamara believed his motives were purely down to petty rivalry
and instead used the money to snap up the previously-prolific McGinlay.

He said: "Sadly when John joined us it all went wrong. He couldn't hit a
barn door with a banjo.

"Bradford never saw the true John McGinlay. Meanwhile, Wayne Allison was
proving to be quite a player for Huddersfield. And boy, was I reminded of
that fact every day."

Kamara has since earned cult status on television as Sky's roving football
reporter thanks to his boyish enthusiasm for the game and well-documented
gaffes.

His autobiography features several of the best-known comic exchanges with
Soccer Saturday host Jeff Stelling, as well as anecdotes from his playing
and management career.

City feature heavily and Kamara recalls in detail the night they stunned
Blackpool to reach Wembley and the pre-match motivation provided by the home
side's programme providing travel details for the final.

He said: "Some genius had decided to publish an advert for the benefit of
supporters which offered coach trips to Wembley. There was a full price
list.

"I went out and bought ten programmes and pinned them all over our dressing
room. I made sure every single player read it.

"It did the trick. They were like wild animals waiting to be unleashed on
the Blackpool public."

'Mr Unbelievable - Fighting Like Beavers on the Front Line of Football' is
published by HarperSport.



===========================

City Plug Leak To Stop Money Dripping Away
 

City plug leak to stop money dripping away

By Simon Parker (T&A)

Bradford City have begun their off-field makeover at Valley Parade.

Major renovation to the controversial playing surface will get underway on
Monday. And work started yesterday to seal off a long-standing water leak in
front of the North West Corner which had been causing problems in front of
the Co-operative Stand.

Director Roger Owen's concerns were raised by the size of the water bill
when he joined the club ten months ago.

Long-time sponsors Mitton Mechanical Services carried out an energy audit
and Owen, a former director at Morrison's, admitted: "This highlighted water
usage at a level comparable with my old firm's vegetable packing facilities,
which was clearly wrong.

"The pitch slopes half an inch or so towards the Bradford End. As water will
always find its own level, that side of the ground became a problem.
Hopefully this will solve this once and for all.

"Facilities manager David Dowse has done some great recovery work on the
financial consequences of the leak, recovering a sum into five figures from
various quarters."



===========================

LAWRENCE DELIGHT AT LANDING CITY FRIENDLY

By Simon Parker (T&A)

City are set for a pre-season reunion with old favourite Jamie Lawrence.

The hard-as-nails midfielder now manages Zamaretto League club Ashford Town
(Middlesex), who have announced they have agreed to host a friendly against
Peter Taylor's side. The game at Short Lane has been provisionally arranged
for Thursday, July 22.

Lawrence, who was recently back at Valley Parade for a charity appearance,
cannot wait for the chance to face the club he still calls home.

"Everyone knows I've got a soft spot for Bradford and always will have," he
said. "It will also be great for our team.

"I asked a while back if we could play a friendly but then Stuart (McCall)
went so I wasn't sure. But the club have said they are more than happy for
it to go ahead."

Lawrence has no doubt that City will be preparing for an exciting season and
predicts a long-overdue upturn in fortunes next term.

He added: "I think they've got the right manager for the job at the minute.
He's done well since coming in and I'm sure they will hit the ground
running.

"I know Junior Lewis very well and he's a good coach and it was so important
that they kept Wayne Jacobs. He is a link to Bradford City and can educate
them about the club.

"Bradford have got a massive chance next season. I think the money worries
they've had are evening out and with Peter Taylor in place, they are going
to be right up there."

===========================

Boby Speaks!

http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/sportbcfc/8181934.print/


City can emulate team of 82, says Bobby Campbell
6:00pm Monday 24th May 2010
By Simon Parker

City equalled a 29-year low when they ended last season by trailing in 14th.

An unbeaten six-game run in the final month, including four wins in the last five, added a bit of polish to a forgettable campaign.

But they still wound up in the club's lowest league finish since 1981.

Let's hope that is an omen.

That team from three decades ago dusted themselves off from the disappointment – and 12 months later won promotion in second spot.

Within three years, City had gone up again.

Bobby Campbell was the figurehead forward from that era. City's record scorer with an unrivalled 137 goals – the only player in club history to break three figures – netted for fun.

The battering ram from Belfast scored 19 times in 1980-81 and then 24 to lead the Bantams out of the basement division the following season.

His physical style was perfectly suited to the rough and ready demands of the bottom league. And he believes nothing has changed.

"It's horses for courses," he said in a rare interview to the T&A. "You need someone like myself or John Hawley in the lower leagues.

"Then, when you get higher up, you look to players with more mobility.

"But for now you're up against big physical teams and you've got to match them.

"You score a lot of goals from set-pieces. When I played for Bradford I guarantee a third of my goals came from free-kicks and corners.

"Barry Gallagher used to score loads. We always knew there was a chance when we had a set-piece around the box, especially if you did them quick and before the opposition was organised.

"I was never the fastest but my arm was long enough to hold the other guy off so I could get to the ball first when it came over. That's what you've got to do."

Campbell reckons that Peter Taylor, with his proven track record as a manager in the lower divisions, ticks all the right boxes to emulate that success from the early 1980s.

He added: "I think Peter is just the sort of manager that they need. He's always been a good coach and had a good record, especially at this level.

"He's done a half-decent job already and if he can get something organised at Bradford, I'm sure they will be okay. I think he'll do very well.

"It was a great thing they did a couple of years ago with the season-ticket deal. It's better to have someone sat in the seat paying less than nobody there at all.

"They've got a 25,000 seater but it's a long time since they had 25,000 there. But if you get it half-full at least then the atmosphere's good and they will really get behind the team."

Campbell remembers playing against Taylor at Crystal Palace as a teenager – a night which finished with him kipping at a fan's home.

The striker was on loan at Halifax from his first club Aston Villa, who were due to face Norwich in the League Cup final the following day.

Campbell recalled: "Peter was the top man at Crystal Palace at that time just before he went off to Tottenham. Terry Venables was the manager.

"I was only 18 and had been in the Villa team but suffered a bad spell and went off to Halifax for my first taste of West Yorkshire.

"We went down to Palace on a Friday night before the cup final and drew 1-1. This kind Crystal Palace fan put me up for the night.

"I was in the players' bar afterwards and told him I was going to Wembley the next day. So he invited me to stop at his house.

"He didn't live too far from the ground and we ended up getting through quite a few drinks!"

Campbell would love to see City fans sinking plenty this time next year. He still remembers with huge affection his own successful exploits.

But, like any hungry goalscorer, he feels his final tally should have been higher – and fingers one particular team-mate for that.

"I scored 26 goals when we won promotion (in 1985) and John Hendrie had one assist to me. If he'd learned to cross the ball occasionally, I'd have got 50!"

===========================

Evans wins goal of the season

http://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/page/News/0,,10266~2058203,00.html?

CFML pre-season news #2010-05-14 - Match Saturday

From the Official BCFC Website...

TICKET OFFICE OPEN THIS SATURDAY
Posted on: Thu 13 May 2010

The Ticket Office at the Coral Windows Stadium will be open this Saturday
(15 May 2010) ahead of City's latest Burns Unit appeal charity fixture.

The Bantams Ticket Office will open from 9:00am - 12noon on Saturday morning
to enable supporters to either collect or purchase Season Tickets for the
forthcoming season.

Straight after the Ticket Office closes for the day, supporters will then be
given the opportunity to watch some former City greats in action free of
charge.

Following the success of last Sunday's memorial match, the Bantams are
hosting another charity fixture in aid of the Burns Unit.

City legends such as Dean Windass and David Wetherall will be in attendance
for the 12noon match with entrance into the Co-operative Main Stand free for
all supporters.

A bucket collection will take place, however, with all proceeds going to the
Bradford Burns Unit appeal fund.


===========================

From the Oldham Athletic Official website...

DUXBURY RELIVES DISASTER

The events to mark the 25th anniversary of the Bradford City disaster were
highly poignant for Latics coach Lee Duxbury.

Duxbury and his mother had to flee for their lives from the blaze in the
main stand at Valley Parade which claimed the lives of 56 fans.

The blaze broke out in the block where they were sat as they watched the
league match against Lincoln City.

Duxbury, who was about to start an apprenticeship with Bradford City that
summer, said: "The fire started two rows in front of where we were sat.

"I had got up to get refreshments just before half time as smoke came
through the seating.

"By the time I had got to the back of the stand, flames were above my head.

"I returned to my mum and we fought our way to the exit and on to the
pitch."

Duxbury added that the enormity of the disaster hit home when police did a
reconstruction.

"In the block of 30 where my mum and I were sat, there were only about eight
survivors," he explained.

Duxbury explained that he saw some horrific sights and he can still vividly
remember the screams of panic from supporters.

"It affected my mum badly, but I was only about 16 years of age at the time
and felt I could fight the world so it didn't hit me as hard," he continued.

Duxbury played for Bradford City Legends against Clitheroe on Sunday in a
match at Valley Parade which raised £12,000 for the burns unit at Bradford
Hospital.

And on Saturday he will be in action again for Bradford City Old Boys who
play Leeds College at Valley Parade in another fund-raising game which kicks
off at noon.



===========================

 Ramsden: I'll be here for two more years

Simon Ramsden has agreed a new deal to stick with City for another two years.

Ramsden, the pick of the defence last term, had an option in his current
contract for next season.

But he wanted to nail his colours to the mast with a new agreement that
will keep him at Valley Parade until the summer of 2012.

"I really think we are on the verge of doing something special and I
want to be part of that," said the experienced right back.

"I had a year's option on the previous contract but I wanted to commit
myself longer term.

"I had a chat about things with the manager and it was pretty
straightforward reach-ing an agreement.

"The last few seasons I've had a one-year contract so when the summer
comes around it's not a nice time for myself or the family.

"When I signed for Bradford, I obviously came here to help the club get
out of this league. That is still my aim.

"Committing for another two years gives me a great chance to achieve that.

"If we can add to this squad, then I can really see us doing well."

Ramsden admitted City's 14th-place finish was a bitter disappointment
after he left Rochdale last year but he believes the strong finish has
sown the seeds for optimism ahead of Peter Taylor's summer recruitment
plans.

He added: "It wasn't as if we were facing teams at the end who weren't
playing for anything. Beating them wouldn't have mattered so much but we
were playing sides who were going for the play-offs.

"We're still getting to know the gaffer but now that he has signed as
well as Jakes and
Junior Lewis, we can really look forward to next season.

"It's nice to get everything sorted so we can come back fitter and
stronger.

"Looking at next season, nobody stands out to walk away with the league.
If we can build on the squad we've already got then there's no reason
why we shouldn't be challenging hard."

And Ramsden insists he harbours no bitterness at missing out on former
club Rochdale's first promotion for over 40 years.

"Obviously I've got friends in Rochdale and I wish them well. It was
great for them to get promoted. But if you'd told me a year ago I'd be
captain of a club the size of Bradford in my first season then I would
have been very happy with that.

"It's an absolute honour and that's why I wanted to commit myself here
for the next couple of years."




===========================

From the Official BCFC Website

[It's changing from Coca-Cola to npower League Two]

npower FOOTBALL LEAGUE TWO TAKING SHAPE
Posted on: Thu 13 May 2010

The Bantams 2009/10 season may have come to a conclusion less than a week
ago, but thoughts are already quickly turning to the next league campaign.

City's fixtures for the newly titled "npower Football League 2" will be
released at 10:00am on Thursday 17 June 2010.

Bradford City are almost in a position to know all 23 of their league
opponents for next season with only a few blanks still left to be filled in.

npower League Two will comprise of:

Accrington Stanley
Barnet
Bradford City
Burton Albion
Bury
Cheltenham Town
Chesterfield
Crewe Alexandra
Gillingham
Hereford United
Lincoln City
Macclesfield Town
Northampton Town
Port Vale
Shrewsbury Town
Southend United
Stevenage Borough
Stockport County
Torquay United
Wycombe Wanderers
+ One Blue Square playoff winner.
+ Three League Two playoff losers.

===========================

play off fixtures for L2 and BSL

Saturday 15 May 2010
Coca-Cola League 2 Play-Off Semi Final
Aldershot Town vs Rotherham United

Sunday 16 May 2010
Coca-Cola League 2 Play-Off Semi Final
Dagenham & Redbridge vs Morecambe

Sunday 16 May 2010
Blue Square Premier Play-Off Final
Oxford United vs York City

Wednesday 19 May 2010
Coca-Cola League 2 Play-Off Semi Final
Rotherham United vs Aldershot Town

Thursday 20 May 2010
Coca-Cola League 2 Play-Off Semi Final
Morecambe vs Dagenham & Redbridge

Sunday 30 May 2010
Coca-Cola League 2 Play-Off Final
Semi Final winner 1 vs Semi Final winners 2

===========================

L2 v Crewe (a) W1-0 May 8th 2010

Coca-Cola League Two
Crewe Alex (0) 0
Bradford C (0) 1 Kendall 67
Att: 5,172

Stats: Crewe - Bradford C
Possession: 50 - 50%
Shots on target: 4 - 9
Shots off target: 1 - 4
Fouls: 3 - 12
Corners: 6 - 7

Ref: Steve Cook (Surrey).
Yellow cards:
Crewe: None.
Bradford C: Williams (51 min).

Crewe: 13. Adam Legzdins, 19. Ashley Westwood, 2. John Brayford, 6. Patrick
Ada, 23. Matt Tootle, 16. James Bailey, 28. Simon Walton (75), 18. Luke
Murphy, 11. Joel Grant (76), 8. Clayton Donaldson, 10. Calvin Zola.
SUBS: 4. Steven Schumacher, 12. Mat Mitchel-King, 15. Shaun Miller, 20.
Danny Shelley (76), 22. Ajay Leitch-Smith, 26. Harry Davis (75), 37. Oliver
Turton.

Bradford C: 13. Jon McLaughlin, 2. Simon Ramsden, 5. Zesh Rehman, 12. Steve
Williams, 28. Robbie Threlfall, 4. Michael Flynn, 8. Lee Bullock, 33. Adam
Bolder (65), 31. Gavin Grant (83), 9. Gareth Evans (31), 20. Leon Osborne.
SUBS: 3. Luke O'Brien (65), 15. Ryan Kendall (31), 23. Luke Dean, 19. James
O'Brien, 24. Louis Horne, 30. Matthew Convey (GK), 26. Scott Neilson (83).

Final position: 14th (62 points)

Season stats
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/team/squad?id=387&cc=5901



===========================


May 11th articles

http://m.independent.co.uk/;article=5/sport/football/



http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1275356/The-day-football-changed-forever-Theres-legacy-pride-Valley-Parade-tragedy.html



===========================

By Simon Parker (T&A)

Substitute Ryan Kendall gave City a winning send-off as they finished the
season six games unbeaten.

On-loan Kendall, who had come on for the injured Gareth Evans, sunk Crewe
with his second goal in Bantams colours.

City had made a bright start and Michael Flynn's diving header was batted
away after three minutes.

Adam Bolder was a prominent figure in midfield, twice testing former Halifax
keeper Adam Legzdins, as City were given plenty of room to play.

But they suffered a blow on the half hour when in-form Evans limped out of
the action.

Crewe came more into it and Bradford-born Clayton Donaldson should have
scored just before the break with a free header.

City were grateful to Jon McLaughlin six minutes after the restart as he
touched Luke Murphy's free-kick on to the bar.

But the visitors got their breakthrough in the 67th minute. Michael Flynn
took a free-kick quickly after being fouled and Kendall swept it home first
time from the edge of the box.

City had further chances as Legzdins tipped away a thumping drive from Flynn
and Kendall volleyed straight at the keeper from close range.

But Peter Taylor's side were good value for the win as they headed for the
summer break on a high.

===========================

Bradford City Football Club can confirm that Peter Taylor has decided not to retain the services of the following players:

Jonathan Bateson
Rory Carson
Matthew Clarke
Matthew Convey
Matthew Glennon
Steven O'Leary
Luke Sharry

The seven players listed above will now leave the football club when their contracts expire.
The football club would like to take this
opportunity to thank them all for their efforts during their employment
with Bradford City and wish them all the best for the future.
Players on loan to the football club will now also return to their parent clubs at the end of the season.
The football club will now begin contract
negotiations with the remaining players in Taylor's squad who
have contracts that expire in the summer

===========================

Jacobs and Lewis sign new deals

On the eve of City's final match of the season, two of Peter Taylor's
backroom staff have joined the Bantams boss in committing their
futures to the football club for next year.

Wayne Jacobs and Junior Lewis have both signed new one year contracts
this Friday which will keep them at Valley Parade until the end of
next season.

Jacobs will remain as Taylor's assistant, while Lewis will continue to
act as first team coach and take charge of the reserves.

The news will come as a timely boost to Taylor as he already begins
his plans for the new season.

The Bantams backroom staff spent Friday looking around City's new
training venue at Weetwood in Leeds, while Taylor has already
identified potential pre-season opponents.

The football club are also in talks over moving their reserve fixtures
for next season from the Coral Windows Stadium to a local non-league
venue to save wear and tear on City's main playing surface.

===========================

City season tickets set for price hike

City are ready to pull the plug on cheap season tickets because of
disappointing sales.

Fans have until tomorrow afternoon to snap up the current £184 deal
– the equivalent of £8 per game.

But the club are still well short of the 10,000 target they always
maintain makes the low prices viable.

Going into the weekend, the current figure is hovering around the
7,500 mark and the vast majority of those were sold at Christmas
during the first cut-price offer.

Joint-chairman Mark Lawn admitted the club will have to rethink their
policy for 2011.

He said: "Sales aren't going as we expected and unless we have a
very late surge it doesn't look like we will hit 10,000.

"That means we won't be able do to cheap season-tickets for the
following year. There will be no deals at Christmas or special prices.

"To get Peter Taylor the budget we promised him, we needed to get to
10,000 – and that's with Julian (Rhodes), his father and myself all
putting our hands in our pockets again.

"We haven't got any more pockets. The cupboard is getting awfully
bare.

"I think the Bradford public want to think long and hard about
whether they want cheap football."

City have earned national plaudits for their cut-price schemes, which
was first introduced to coincide with Stuart McCall's return to
Valley Parade in 2007.

Lawn added: "I'm not trying to tell people where they should be
spending their money but it's down to simple economics.

"The Bradford public have supported us in their thousands over the
last few seasons and I appreciate and thank them very much.

"But you get to the situation where we keep putting money in and
maybe it's the turn for other people.

"I do expect next year that if Peter gets it right and we are in the
top three, our crowds would be anywhere between 13,000 and 15,000. But
people will obviously have to pay more to watch."


===========================

BRADFORD FIRE PROGRAMME ADS
Posted on: 07.05.2010
This Saturday, for the second weekend running, all Football League club programmes will carry a full-page advert encouraging fans across England and Wales to help save the Bradford Burns Unit.

The Unit was set up at the city's university after the disaster at Valley Parade on 11 May 1985 which claimed the lives of 56 fans and injured more than 200. But as the 25-year anniversary approaches, the centre faces closure unless it receives a large financial injection.

The programme adverts - donated for free by The Football League - have been devised to raise national awareness of the 'Bradford Burns Unit Appeal' which is spearheaded by Bradford City Football Club and the Telegraph & Argus newspaper as they seek to raise the centre through £100,000 by the eve of the anniversary.

"The Football League is please to add its support to this important appeal," said Gavin Megaw, Director of External Affairs at The Football League. "It is important that we remember the work of the Burns Unit in the past and help to save its future.

"Hopefully the adverts will have an impact on football fans up and down the country and together we will help smash the £100,000 target."

You can donate to the appeal by clicking on www.justgiving.com/bcfcburnsunitappeal

===========================

City sold 8,527 Season Tickets

The first pricing period for Bradford City2010/2011 Season Tickets has
now finished.

Season Tickets for next season remain on sale, however, and are still
available at bargain prices!

Right now, City supporters can purchase an adult 2010/2011 Season
Ticket from the Bantams Ticket Office for only £250.00.

That works out at less than £11.00 per league home match!

At close of business on last Sunday (9 May 2010) the Bantams had sold
an amazing 8,527Season Tickets for next season already.

As well as adult Season Tickets, kids tickets are also on sale at
amazing value.
The football club also remain committed to offering juvenile
supporters the chance to watch professional football at superb value.

===========================

BANTAMS DEFENDERS SIGN NEW DEALS

Bradford City boss Peter Taylor has extended the contracts of defenders
Simon Ramsden and Steve Williams by another year.

Both players arrived at Valley Parade last summer, Ramsden on a free
transfer from Rochdale and Williams from non-league Bamber Bridge.

Central defender Williams has been a regular under Taylor and has helped the
Bantams keep clean sheets in three of their last five matches.

Right-back Ramsden had been sidelined for several weeks with a calf injury
before returning for City's last two league games.

===========================

News of our ex manager


http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/news/2964781/Stuart-McCall-arrested-over-ticket-row.html

L2 v Northampton (h) W 2-0 May 1st 2010

Coca-Cola League Two
Bradford C (1) 2 Evens 12, 81.
Northampton (0) 0
Att: 12,403

Stats: Bradford C - Northampton
Possession: 50 - 50%
Shots on target: 9 - 6
Shots off target: 2 - 4
Fouls: 9 - 10
Corners: 7 - 4

Ref: Phil Crossley (Kent)
Red card:
Northampton: Beckwith (37 min.)
Yellow cards:
Bradford C: None.
Northampton: Johnson (45+3).

Bradford C: 13. Jon McLaughlin, 5. Zesh Rehman (57), 6. Matthew Clarke, 12.
Steve Williams, 28. Robbie Threlfall, 4. Michael Flynn, 8. Lee Bullock, 33.
Adam Bolder, 20. Leon Osborne, 9. Gareth Evans, 31. Gavin Grant.
SUBS: 40. Matthew Glennon (GK), 2. Simon Ramsden (57), 3. Luke O'Brien, 15.
Ryan Kendall, 16. Jonathan Bateson, 19. James O'Brien, 26. Scott Neilson.

Northampton: 26. Jason Steele, 3. John Johnson, 6. Dean Beckwith, 11. Andrew
Holt, 23. Peter Gilbert (73), 2. Paul Rodgers, 8. Abdul Osman, 12. Ryan
Gilligan, 14. Liam Davis, 10. Adebayo Akinfenwa (73), 17. Billy Mckay (73).
SUBS: 1. Chris Dunn (GK), 5. Craig Hinton, 9. Steve Guinan (73), 15. Alex
Dyer, 19. John Curtis, 22. Courtney Herbert (73), 30. Kevin Thornton (73).

Next match: (A) Crewe, Saturday May 8, 2010. K.O. 3:00PM.




===========================

Coca-Cola League Two
Bradford C (1) 2 Evens 12, 81.
Northampton (0) 0
Att: 12,403

By Simon Parker (T&A)

Gareth Evans blasted two superb goals as City signed off their home campaign
with a third successive Valley Parade win.

The Bantams made it five games unbeaten and finished off ten-man
Northampton's play-off ambitions.

After a perfectly-observed minute's silence for the fire victims, the
visitors made the brighter start and Jon McLaughlin pulled off two saves to
keep them out.

But City took the lead with their first effort on target after 12 minutes -
and what a belter it was as Evans crashed a 30-yarder into the roof of the
net.

Northampton's hopes took a further dip when centre half Dean Beckwith was
sent off for a professional foul on Leon Osborne.

And they could have gone down to nine when John Johnson floored Evans with a
swinging arm.

Leon Osborne was twice denied his first City goal by Northampton keeper
Jason Steele in the second half.

And Steele kept out a fierce drive from Gavin Grant as the home side
threatened with their speed on the break.

But the keeper had no chance with City's second from another lightning
counter-attack nine minutes from time.

Grant fed Adam Bolder and his cross was met by a spectacular chest-high
volley from Evans.

With Northampton's heads dropping, Steele made further saves from Grant and
Michael Flynn as the home side finished in complete control.

===========================

Football Focus from VP


http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/football_focus/8655405.stm

3 postings on youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipP65Z5U9xY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5Athy6Ugjs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3yOcoOd8RY


Radio 4 are trailing that the Archive on 4 programme at 20.00 BST this Saturday is going to be
on the Bradford City Fire.

Archive on 4 is an hour long with a shorterned repeat Monday afternoon's at 15.00 BST.
If you can't listen to it live it will be available via Listen Again for a week on iPlayer which, unlike
TV, is also available for listeners outside the UK. And, of course, you can also listen to the live
webcast of Radio 4.

---
Not a direct post as it contains pictures and comments which could
potentially act as triggers.  I imagine there will be quite a lot of stuff
in the papers over the next few weeks, for the 20th year following the fire
there were articles in the Times nearly every day.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1268548/Gaby-Logan-How-mums-decision-leave-stand-early-saved-fatal-Bradfo

rd-FC-fire.html

Archive On 4 – The Bradford Fire: A Day That Will Live With Me For Ever is
on BBC Radio 4 on Saturday May 1 at 8pm. Gabby also presents a daily show,
Monday-Friday, 12pm-2pm, on BBC Radio 5 Live.





===========================

Emotionally-charged day ends in triumph for Bantams
7:30am Monday 3rd May 2010
By Simon Parker

City 2 Northampton 0

It was an afternoon when the past intermingled with the future.

The poignancy of the occasion as Valley Parade mourned a quarter of a century since the fire was marked by a City

display which sent out the right message for times ahead.

Peter Taylor could sense the special atmosphere of the occasion. And it gave him a glimpse of what it might be like

if he can reverse the club's decade of decline.

Taylor says it was the potential of the place which attracted him to the job in the first place. The chance to

rouse the sleeping giant was a powerful allure.

On Saturday, amid the solemn remembrance of the disaster victims and then the jubilation of a convincing win,

Taylor sensed it again.

"It brings a community even closer when a disaster happens like it did 25 years ago," he said. "That's the feeling

I've had at the football club ever since I've been here.

"There's a lovely feeling around the place. The supporters are desperate for their team to get back to where they

should be.

"That's the type of support we would get every week if we were to start being a good team in this division and

being up there. I thought there was a magnificent feeling, and any player in the changing room could see that."

I'm not going to waste too much space on those dim-witted few who spoiled the mood with their pointless posturing

on the pitch after the final whistle.

I just wonder what the travelling Northampton fans – many of whom were sporting the "remember" t-shirts in honour

of those who had lost their lives – must have thought of the goons gesturing in front of them. It was a pathetic

sight.

Far more importantly, Taylor's first day in the job "for real" saw a thoroughly-deserved third home win on the

bounce.

It wasn't easy, particularly in a first half where Northampton played with the poise and purpose of a side chasing

a play-off finish, but City worked their socks off to get the rewards.

Even down to ten men after Dean Beckwith's straight red for a professional foul on Leon Osborne, the Cobblers still

asked a few awkward questions.

But City's prowess on the counter-attack eventually wore down the visitors, who are effectively now resigned to

facing the Bantams again next season.

The team Northampton will encounter on their next visit north is anyone's guess. Only Taylor and the board know who

he wants to keep from the current crop of out-of-contract players and who will be thrown on that ever-growing

scrapheap.

The manager is not saying yet but revealed that his mind has been made up. The consistency of recent results will

certainly have helped confirm those decisions.

One thing you can guarantee is that Taylor's Bantams will not lack for pace going forward.

Raw speed is as effective as any weapon at this level and Northampton struggled to cope with the three musketeers

on Saturday.

Osborne and Gavin Grant were again the quick-on-the-draw deputies supporting sharp-shooter Gareth Evans – who, on

current form, must wish the season could be extended for another couple of months.

It is a staggering statistic but before Chester-field, Evans had scored only once in his previous 24 starts.

His superb double on Saturday made it three goals in two games and took him up to 11 in total.

Evans is now just two behind James Hanson – maybe the big man's prize as the club's top scorer in last week's

awards ceremony was a bit premature.

Evans laughed: "I like to think I can still take it off him! But James has had a fantastic season and, coming from

non-league, deserves everything that's come his way.

"It was painful on Tuesday to see the leading goalscorer title given away and maybe that had something to do with

my two goals."

His first goal was City's only shot on target in the first half.

Jon McLaughlin had already been called upon twice before the 12th-minute opener and pulled off a sharp save to deny

Northampton skipper Ryan Gilligan after a rare mix-up between Michael Flynn and Lee Bullock.

City's response came out of nothing. Adam Bolder nodded the ball on to Evans 30 yards from goal and he took it on

the chest, swivelled and unleashed a ferocious half-volley that screamed into the roof of the net.

It was as good a City goal as any this season and even topped his piledriver at Rochdale in Taylor's first win.

Northampton continued to trouble, with Adebayo Akinfenwa, despite his generous Sunday League proportions, always a

handful for Matt Clarke with his bulk and sheer body strength.

There were times when the two could have been a side-show at Wrestlemania as they grappled and grabbed. The

beautiful game it most definitely wasn't.

Akinfenwa's partnership with the nippy Billy McKay kept City on their toes, though most of the home side's problems

were of their own making as they tried to overplay in the wrong areas.

Beckwith was rightly dismissed for tugging back Osborne as he looked to break and John Johnson should have followed

for a forearm smash on Evans.

But Northampton remained dangerous from long throw-ins and McKay clipped the post to warn City against switching

off, thinking the job was done.

City needed a second goal – and could have had it on numerous occasions in a second half where they crackled and

fizzed as they poured forward.

With the Cobblers switching to three at the back, City eagerly exploited the gaps that appeared and Osborne was

twice prevented his first senior goal by good saves from Jason Steele.

The keeper acrobatically turned away a Grant effort that was bound for the top corner before Evans made sure nine

minutes from time with another classy strike.

Grant led the break again, Bolder crossed to the far post and Evans connected with a sweet chest-high volley.

From that point it was all City and Taylor justifiably felt they could and should have scored more from a

grandstand finish.

But it had been a satisfying day's work for the man at the helm. And a prequel, maybe, of many more to follow.


=================


From Friday...

Taylor signs one year contract

Bradford City are delighted to be able to announce that Peter Taylor
has signed a new contract with the football club.

Taylor's existing deal with the Bantams was due to expire next month,
but his new one year contract means that the 57 year old will remain
at the helm at the Coral Windows Stadium.

The news of the agreement, just a day before City's final home match
of the season against Northampton, also means that the visit of the
Cobblers won't be Taylor's last match in charge of the Bantams at
Valley Parade.



===========================

(thursday)
From Yorkshire Post:

BRADFORD City Council and Bradford Bulls last night insisted that the
Odsal Sports Village project remains on track and is the most viable
option for the future growth of sport in the city.

However, both parties did not categorically rule out the proposals of
Bradford City joint-chairman Julian Rhodes to base the two clubs at
Valley Parade under one umbrella.

Peter Hood, chairman of Bradford Bulls, said: "The Odsal Sport Village
remains on schedule, but as always with projects of this size that
encompass a number of partners, it is a slow process. We are confident
that will still happen.

"However, if it were to fail we would have to look at what is the best
option for the future of Bradford Bulls and if that option is moving to
Valley Parade then absolutely, we would look, along with Bradford City,
into seeing if that could work."

The council's strategic director for culture, tourism and sport, Jane
Glaister, said: "The council, with its partners, is investing in a
sports village for the whole community.

"Both City and the Bulls are private companies independent of the
council's control; should both clubs wish to pursue the option of ground
sharing at Valley Parade that would be their decision and not something
the council should seek to influence.

"However, Valley Parade does not offer the same opportunity to collate a
wide range of sport, leisure, education and health community facilities
alongside professional sport, and would not support its aspiration to
deliver the sports village.

"We have serious options for the Odsal Sports Village project and
everything is going to plan and is on timetable."

The council could not comment on the value of the Odsal site in its
present guise.


===========================

Come and see Village plan is alive, Hood tells Rhodes

BRADFORD Bulls chairman Peter Hood last night invited Bradford City
counterpart Julian Rhodes to join him at their next Odsal Sporting
Village meeting to prove the controversial project is far from "dead".

Rhodes had suggested in yesterday's Yorkshire Post that the city's two
major sporting clubs need to merge and play together at the Valley
Parade football ground if they are both to transform their fortunes.

He argued that in the wake of another "collapsed" deal for Odsal's re-
development, it was the sensible solution.

But Hood retorted: "To quote Mark Twain, reports of the death of Odsal
Sporting Village are greatly exaggerated.

"Julian Rhodes talks about the scheme being dead, having collapsed,
being kicked into touch and bit the dust but that's just not the case.

"I'll invite him along to our next meeting of the partners group on
May 13. If he is willing, he can come and see the representatives from
Sport England, Yorkshire Forward, Bradford College, Bradford
University, Bradford Bulls and others all talking about the sporting
village and all fully believing it is going to happen."

A decision by the Learning and Skills Council to freeze funding for
major campus refurbishment plans at Bradford College, a major partner
in the proposed Osdal Sporting Village, left the local authority with
just £19.3m of the required money for the original £75.5m plan.

That alerted City but, although Bradford Council and the partners are
now exploring other scaled-down schemes, Hood also insisted there is
still scope for the initial blueprint to eventually materialise.

"We could probably only go up to £45m or £50m if the scheme now
continued as a public partnership with the likes of the college and
university," he said.

"But we are talking to private developers who can possibly come in and
help deliver the £75m version.

"That is still on-going. Julian Rhodes also suggested Odsal should be
sold by the council and the money should be put into moving to Valley
Parade but the council does not own Odsal. Bradford Bulls does."

Hood maintained the Super League club envisage bulldozers will finally
move in on the Odsal site at some stage next year.


===========================

From Wednesday

BANTAMS STRIKER SWEEPS THE BOARD

Bradford City striker James Hanson has spoken of his delight after being
voted the Bantams' Player of the Year on Tuesday night.

Hanson, who joined the Bantams from non-league side Guiseley last summer,
has scored 13 goals during his first season in professional football and
picked up no fewer than five awards at the club's end-of-season dinner.

"This is all unbelievable, I didn't expect anything from (Tuesday's awards
ceremony)," the 22-year-old told the club's official website. "This is a
great honour and I am really pleased to pick this award up.

"I love being at the club and I have just tried to give my all every time I
come here, but I never really expected anything like this."

Hanson also picked up the Michael Stainthorpe Memorial Shield, Bradford City
Supporter's Club Under-25s Player of the Year, Telegraph & Argus's Most
Consistent Player of the Year and the accolade for being the club's top
scorer.

Lee Bullock picked up the Player's Player of the Year award, while captain
Simon Ramsden was named as the IDL Supporters Club Player of the Year. Tom
Marshall claimed the David Bairstow Memorial Trophy and Chris Elliott
clinched the Youth Team's Player of the Year award.


===========================

From Thursday

JULIAN RHODES last night called for the biggest shake-up in Bradford's sporting history with a merger of the city's

senior football and rugby league clubs.
In the wake of the £75.5m sporting village for Odsal being kicked into touch due to a funding shortfall, the City

joint chairman believes the time has come for his own club and the Bulls to be run by one entity with both playing

at Valley Parade.

Rhodes is adamant such a move would help revitalise both clubs after a slump in fortunes that has seen the Bantams

slip into the basement division and the Bulls finish last season in their lowest position of the Super League era.

Under his proposal, Odsal would be sold and the funds used to turn Valley Parade, which has had £15m spent on

redevelopment in the past 14 years, into a base for both clubs.

Speaking exclusively to the Yorkshire Post, Rhodes said: "After the collapse of another scheme for Odsal, the time

has come for some clear thinking.

"Bradford needs a lift as a city, everyone can see that, and sport could be the catalyst for that positive change –

but only if there is some imaginative thinking that can provide us with a true vision.

"The two clubs sharing one stadium has always been worth investigating, it is why we were open-minded about

possibly moving to Odsal when the latest scheme was first suggested.

"But now that is dead, surely the time has come for City and the Bulls to look into pooling our resources at Valley

Parade? What I will say is we are not interested in the Bulls coming down here just to share our stadium with no

money.

"Instead, any plan has to be entirely dependent on Odsal being sold for a decent pot of money. With that in mind,

the Council's next step should be to investigate just how much the land at Odsal is worth because, without that,

there is no hope of the clubs coming together as one entity.

"If the two clubs don't move in together now, we never will. This is our last opportunity to get Bradford sport

going back in the right direction. Let's not waste it."

Rhodes's blueprint for the future of Bradford sport follows last month's news that the latest grandiose scheme for

Odsal, which included an 18,000 capacity all-seater stadium, has bitten the dust.

Since then, Bradford Council, who have committed £15m to the project from their capital budget, have started

looking at several scaled-down options.

Rhodes, however, believes this would be a monumental mistake and wants to sit down with Bulls chairman Peter Hood

and the council in the near future.

He said: "We have to get things moving. There are possible benefits for both clubs in terms of ticketing through to

shared overheads such as rent and utility bills.

"On the flipside, the clubs would miss out on individual naming rights for the stadium and other income streams.

"It is why the clubs coming together can only happen if Odsal is sold for a decent sum, hence why the council must

discover its true value."

One potential stumbling block to the two sharing Valley Parade is that the stadium is owned by an outside party,

namely the family pension fund of former City chairman Gordon Gibb.

The ground was sold in 2003 for £2.5m to try to alleviate the Bantams' then perilous financial position and the

League Two club last year paid £339,000 in rent.

Seventeen years remain on the lease, though City, who also rent the site that houses the club shop and office block

from Prudential, have an option to extend by a further 25 years.

Using the proceeds from selling Odsal to buying Valley Parade on behalf of a newly-formed stadium management

company would, according to Rhodes, be something to investigate.

However, he is also quick to point out that it is not the only option open to a newly-formed Bradford sporting

club. He said: "If the council come back and say Odsal is worth only £2m then that means us moving in together is a

non-starter. But if it is worth a decent sum, surely selling the land and using the proceeds to help both clubs get

back on their feet is the sensible option.

"Depending on what the findings are, there may be enough money to buy Valley Parade. But if there isn't then the

proceeds can still be put to good use.

"Moving the Bulls in here would also prevent the council spending another £15m on Odsal, money that could be spent

on worthier causes than a sports stadium.

"The council has wasted enough money on Odsal already and the question needs to be asked how they got into the

position where they were paying the Bulls so much to play there in the first place"


===========================

From Sunday 25th

From the Official BCFC Website...

NEILSON RETURNS TO BRADFORD

Scott Neilson will return to the Bantams during this week after completing
his loan period with Blue Square Premier side Cambridge United.

Neilson and his Cambridge team-mates brought the curtain down on the U's
Blue Square Premier season on Saturday afternoon with a 2-0 victory at
Altrincham Town.

With the U's campaign now concluded, Neilson will return to the Coral
Windows Stadium for the Bantams final two matches of their 2009/10 season.

The 22 year old enjoyed a successful spell at the Abbey Stadium, starting
every match and sparking a run of only three defeats from fourteen matches
for Cambridge since his arrival in early March.

His reappearance back into Peter Taylor's ranks will act as a timely boost
to the Bantams boss following Omar Daley's forthcoming three game
suspension.

===========================



Bradford City management team have called for a need for greater respect from spectators.  At Saturday's game

versus Northampton Town, Club officials were delighted at the gracious response of visiting fans who attended in

great numbers, bought "remember" t-shirts and placed flowers scarves and pennants on the memorial.  In addition,

one supporters group held a raffle on their coach, raising over £100 which was donated to the Burns Unit Appeal. 

For those supporters then to be abused and threatened both inside and outside the group is totally unacceptable.
 
The BBC's Football Focus feature earlier in the day captured the significance of the day for the Club as it

approaches the 25th anniversary of the Bradford City Fire Disaster.  How any football fan watching that programme

can fail to be affected by the tragedy and significance of what happened 25 years ago is beyond belief. 

Northampton Town fans, and fans from other clubs, have shown their respect to Bradford City and its supporters and

for a significant minority to behave in the way they did at the game is unacceptable.
 
Bradford City FC have agreed an immediate action plan which includes:

Making contact with Northampton Town to extend thanks and place an apology in the match programme and website
An examination of CCTV footage to establish individuals involved and issues banning orders
Banning of any spectators who can be identified as being on the pitch after the game
Reviewing stewarding and Policing arrangements for games in 2010/11
Reviewing the ground configuration for next year's matches
Improving the CCTV system in the ground for next year
 
The Club believes that this is latest and worst incident of a lowering of standards by some spectators.  Entry on

to the pitch when asked not to do so by the Club, abuse of visiting supporters in Midland Road, foul and abusive

language, persistent standing during the game and even the failure of stop the drumming in the Bradford End while

the Fire & Rescue Service Band were playing, all show a lack of respect for others.  The Club will look closely at

these issues over the summer months and asks that all true Bradford City fans help and support any of our efforts

to remove those who undermine the good name of the Club


===========================