CFML pre-season news #2010-07-08

Fixtures
http://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/page/Fixtures/0,,10266,00.html

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SQUAD NUMBERS

CITY PLAYERS ALLOWED TO CHOOSE SQUAD NUMBERS

City boss Peter Taylor gave his players the option to choose their own shirt
numbers for the 2010-11 campaign.

Most of last season's first-team squad will keep the same numbers but some
have changed, although Taylor insists there is nothing sinister to be read
into the switches.

"Rest assured, the numbers will have no bearing on my team selection for the
coming season," said the Bantams boss.

"I spoke with the lads and said I would be more than happy to select the
numbers but asked them if they would prefer to sort it between themselves,
which they did."

Goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin, fresh from signing a new three-year contract,
takes over the No 1 shirt, with new recruit Lloyd Saxton at 13.

Luke Oliver replaces the departed Matt Clarke at six and fellow summer
signing Tommy Doherty takes number eight, while new striker Jake Speight
succeeds Peter Thorne at ten and defender Shane Duff is 16.

Other changes include Lee Bullock moving to 22, Luke Dean to 18 and Louis
Horne to 27. First-year professionals Ryan Harrison and Chris Elliott are 21
and 24 respectively.

Squad numbers in full:
1 Jon McLaughlin,
2 Simon Ramsden,
3 Luke O'Brien,
4 Michael Flynn,
5 Zesh Rehman,
6 Luke Oliver,
7 Omar Daley,
8 Tommy Doherty,
9 Gareth Evans,
10 Jake Speight,
11 Scott Neilson,
12 Steve Williams,
13 Lloyd Saxton,
14 Leon Osborne,
15 -,
16 Shane Duff,
17 James Hanson,
18 Luke Dean,
19 James O'Brien,
20 -,
21 Ryan Harrison,
22 Lee Bullock,
23 -,
24 Chris Elliott,
25 -,
26 -,
27 Louis Horne,
28 Robbie Threlfall.





City have splashed out £25,000 on Conference hitman Jake Speight.

The diminutive 25-year-old striker netted 17 goals for Mansfield last term from 33 appearances, only 15 of which were starts. His haul included a hat-trick against Kidderminster on the final day.

Speight, who was also being tracked by Luton, Cheltenham and Stevenage, began as a trainee with Sheffield United. He moved on to Bury for a season before dropping out of the league.

His time in non-league included a sixth-month spell at Farsley Celtic in the 2008-2009 campaign, scoring six in 15 games.

He joined Mansfield last summer and finished their top scorer but turned down the offer of a new contract.

City co-chairman Mark Lawn said: "If he can score 17 to 20 goals for us next season, we will be well pleased."

http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/sportbcfc/8247130.City_snap_up___25_000_striker/?ref=rss

And from the official site:

Taylor swoops for Speight
Posted on: Wed 30 Jun 2010
Peter Taylor has moved to boost his striking options by completing the signing of Mansfield Town striker Jake Speight for £25,000.

Speight, 24, has put pen to paper on a two year contract to become Taylor's fifth summer signing.

The 5' 8'' striker will join up with the Bantams after enjoying a hugely successful season at Field Mill with the Stags.

The Sheffield born striker finished the 2009/10 campaign as Mansfield's top scorer.

Speight managed to notch up 17 goals in the Blue Square Premier last season despite starting only 15 matches.

Such form meant Speight was reportedly on the radars of several league clubs, but in the end it was the Bantams who have managed to secure his signature.

After starting his career at Sheffield United in 2004, Speight enjoyed a brief spell at Scarborough before returning into league football with Bury.

Speight featured at Gigg Lane for two years as he continued to learn his trade.

Searching for more regular first team football, Speight left the Shakers to join Northwich Victoria in 2007. After a season with Northwich, Speight returned to Yorkshire with Farsley Celtic, where he scored six goals in 15 matches.

A move to Droylsden beckoned for Speight in 2009 before he moved his career to another level at Mansfield with his amazing goalscoring feats.

http://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/page/News/0,,10266~2081611,00.html



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City staying at Apperley Bridge

City kick off pre-season today back at Apperley Bridge after Peter Taylor pulled the plug on plans to change training base.

The Bantams were expected to start an eagerly-anticipated campaign with a switch to new headquarters at the University of Leeds site in Weetwood.

But Taylor, who had been pressing for better training facilities, had a late change of heart because he was concerned that what the venue was offering did not fit the bill.

The City chief said: "All the boxes had to be ticked before going to the other place and they weren't. A couple of things we wanted couldn't be guaranteed, such as being able to train on certain areas on certain days, and I wasn't prepared to take that chance if it wasn't right.

"The contract hadn't been signed. It had to be right for both parties, on their side as well as ours.

"It was very close but we just couldn't agree 100 per cent on everything."

But Taylor is not down-hearted by the prospect of a return to Rawdon Meadows. He added: "My thinking is still the same. Everything has got to be right if we find a place to go to.

"To be fair to Apperley Bridge and the groundsman there, they have been terrific for us. I'm really pleased for the groundsman especially because he is a Bradford supporter and he used to work his socks off."

"I'm sure the players will be fine about it. Some of them will no doubt be pleased because it's less of a journey for them."

A full squad will re-assemble this morning, including new signings Jake Speight, Tommy Doherty, Luke Oliver, Robbie Threlfall and Lloyd Saxton. The first friendly at Eccleshill is only eight days away.

Taylor said: "I always look forward to pre-season. It's nice to see the players again and I'm looking forward to it even more because of the way we finished last season and the atmosphere around the place."


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From the Official BCFC website...

RESERVES MOVE TO ECCLESHILL
Posted on: Fri 02 Jul 2010

After much speculation, Bradford City can confirm that it is the football
club's intention to play their home reserve fixtures at Eccleshill United's
Plumpton Park.

The Bantams have decided to move their totesport.com Central League home
matches from the Coral Windows Stadium to Eccleshill in order to spare the
recently refurbished playing surface at Valley Parade.

The move is subject to a final inspection from the Football League, but all
signs seem to suggest that the Bantams should have no problems using
Plumpton Park as a venue for the reserves this forthcoming season.

Admission prices into Plumpton Park for City reserve fixtures will be
confirmed later.

Fans unfamiliar to Eccleshill United's home ground will get their first
opportunity to visit the venue next Friday (9th July 2010) when the Bantams
play their first pre-season friendly there.

Plumpton Park is situated approximately three miles away from Valley Parade
and can be found on Kingsway in Wrose (postcode - BD2 1PN).

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From the Official Cheltenham Town website...

SHANE DUFF JOINS BRADFORD CITY
Posted on: Fri 02 Jul 2010

Cheltenham Town Defender Shane Duff, who's contract with the Robins expired
in June, has today joined fellow League Two club Bradford City.

Shane enjoyed 10 successful years with the Robins, and was rewarded with a
testimonial season during the 2009/2010 campaign.

Recent seasons have seen Shane dogged by injuries and a damaged achilles
tendon suffered during the Robins 5-4 defeat to Bradford at The Abbey
Business Stadium back in August 2009 robbed Duff of the majority of the
2009/2010 season.

Shane was offered a new contract by Robins Manager Mark Yates for this
season, however the long serving defender has decided to move on and pursue
his career elsewhere.

Shane is a tall, strong central defender who joined Cheltenham Town straight
from school and spent a year in the youth team before being offered a
professional contract in 2000.  After a couple of years in the reserves and
a loan spell at non-league Evesham United, Shane was ready to make to the
move into first team football.

He made his debut in season 2002-2003 and the following season made a number
of appearances alongside his brother Michael in central defence before his
older sibling moved to Burnley.

Shane's performances during season 2004-2005 earned him the club's Player of
the Year award and established him as a first choice player. He went on to
play an important part as the Robins won promotion in 2006 and retained
their League One status the following season.

Shane was selected for the Northern Ireland under-21 squad for the away
match in Armenia in March 2003 and made his international debut at under-21
level three months later against Spain in Lurgan.

Also a talented cricketer, Shane appeared as a wicketkeeper-batsman for
Shipton-under-Wychwood in the 2002 National Village Knockout final at
Lord's.

During both the 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 League One campaigns Shane's
appearances were curtailed slightly by injury but he still managed to start
nearly two thirds of the games over the course of both seasons.

It was another frustrating campaign for Shane during 2008/09 when injury saw
him unavailable for four and a half months during the middle part of the
season. Nevertheless, he returned with gusto towards the end of that
campaign becoming an important face within a side that, despite suffering
relegation, showed true spirit and determination.

Now with Peter Taylor's Bradford City, all at Cheltenham Town would like to
thank Shane for his long-standing commitment to the club and wish him all
the very best in his future career.


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"HANSON" FRIENDLY OFF
By Simon Parker

Bradford City's pre-season friendly at Guiseley next week has been called
off.

Peter Taylor's side were due to visit Nethermoor next Tuesday as part of the
James Hanson transfer deal.

The match has been postponed, although the sides will look to rearrange it
for a future date.


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From the Official BCFC website...

CITY AMONG FAVOURITES WITH COREL
Posted on: Sun 04 Jul 2010

City fans look set for a season of joy, glory and excitement if bookmakers
Coral's pre-season odds for npower League 2 are anything to go by.

The Football League's new gaming and betting partner have Peter Taylor's men
down among their favourites for promotion this forthcoming season.

Coral currently have the Bantams at odds of 9/4 to gain promotion into
League 1, making them third favourites behind Gillingham and Rotherham
United.

The betting giants also have City as third favourites to win npower League 2
outright at odds of 10/1, again just behind Gillingham and the Millers.

Bantams fans can also have a flutter on the season opener at Shrewsbury
Town.

Taylor's side are 7/4 to leave the Greenhouse Meadow with all three points
on Saturday 7th August 2010.


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GUISELEY CRY FOUL OVER CITY ANTICS
By Richard Byram (Yorkshire Evening Post)

Guiseley chairman Phil Rogerson has hit out at neighbours Bradford City
after they cancelled the pre-season friendly agreed as part of striker James
Hanson's transfer to the League Two club.

Bradford are obliged to play the game against the Conference North new boys
by the end of the 2010-11 season as a result of a Football Association
tribunal that dictated this as part of the compensation deal for Hanson.

The match was due to be played at Nethermoor a week today, July 13.

But the Lions have now been informed that City managed Peter Taylor is
unwilling to fulfill the fixture until later in the season, blaming training
commitments for the decision.

Rogerson said: "After a week or so of Bradford trying to bring the kick-off
time forward to 7pm, a time that was unacceptable to both Guiseley and the
match referee, City have decided that they will not fulfill the fixture.

"Guiseley have been told that Bradford will be unable to train as planned
the following morning if they have a late night at Nethermoor."

Hanson went on to be Bradford's leading scorer last season and last week
signed a new deal to keep him at City until 2014.

Rogerson added: "We feel the decision to postpone the fixture, to a
mid-season date, severely reduces the value of the compensation and is not
felt, by Guiseley, to be in the spirit of the agreement."

He said the club would now seek to fill the hole in its pre-season schedule
ahead of the Lions' first season in Conference North.

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From the Official BCFC website...

TAYLOR EXPLAINS GUISELEY ISSUE
Posted on: Wed 07 Jul 2010

Peter Taylor has come out to try and clear up the situation regarding City's
postponed friendly with Guiseley.

Next Tuesday's game at Nethermoor was called off after the sides failed to
agree on a suitable kick-off time.

Guiseley released a statement saying that the proposed 7pm start was
unacceptable with them and the referee and they wanted it put back. It is
understood that they also contacted the Football Association to air their
grievance.

But the football club stressed that the fixture had always been down for an
earlier kick-off - in line with other pre-season away matches.

The game will still be played at some point during the season because it is
part of the tribunal agreement over James Hanson's move to Valley Parade.

Taylor said to the Telegraph & Argus: "I play all my midweek games at 7pm.
We haven't had a problem with other people.

"Unfortunately, pre-season games are just preparation for Shrewsbury Town
and I'm not prepared to change that.

"I only give players 45 minutes each because they will be training the next
day.

"We couldn't agree on the kick-off time so I felt it was best to call it
off. It looks as though the relationship is breaking down."

City open their pre-season campaign at Eccleshill on Friday - a date they
had originally offered to the Blue Square North side.

Had Guiseley taken it, the Bantams would have been more flexible over the
kick-off because there is no training planned for the weekend.

But the non-league club were unable to stage the match because of a function
booked for their clubhouse.

Taylor added: "As far as I'm concerned the game was going to be on the
ninth, which wouldn't have been a problem. But then Guiseley changed it.

"It was always down as 7pm and I'm amazed if the referee said he couldn't do
that. It must mean that he wouldn't be able to do any reserve football
because that kicks off at the same time."

City have eight warm-up matches planned and will not look to fill the gap.

Their final friendly against Park Avenue at Valley Parade on Tuesday, August
3 does take place at 7.45pm. But with the first league game four days later
at Shrewsbury, City are treating that week as the "proper" season and will
be off the following day.

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Gareth Grant in court

http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/8260257.Footballer____shot_man_dead_for_disrespect_to_friend___/