L2 Southend (a) Friday April 15th Ko 7.45pm L0-4

Next fixture
L2 Burton (h) Tue April 19th Ko 7.45pm D1-1
L2 Sat April 23 15:00 (A) Accrington

Current table
http://www.sportinglife.com/football/live/tables/cc_league2.html

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

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

Pictures


"Last Match" Highlights on Bantams Player
http://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/page/player/LastMatch/0,,10266~1612005~36,00.html

Links

BBC's end-of-season predictor.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_3/predictor/default.stm

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

Match stats
http://www.soccerbase.com/teams/team.sd?team_id=234#teamTabs=results

Stats: Southend - Bradford C
Possession: 53 - 47%
Shots on target: 8 - 5
Shots off target: 4 - 2
Fouls: 11 - 16
Corners: 8 - 6

Ref: Mark Brown (E. Yorkshire)
Yellow cards:
Southend: Ferdinand (32 min.)
Bradford C: Threlfall (61 min.)

Southend: 1. Glenn Morris, 2. Sean Clohessy, 5. Graham Coughlan, 23. Chris
Barker, 16. Luke Prosser (75), 7. Anthony Grant, 31. Kane Ferdinand, 8.
Craig Easton (83), 12. Ryan Hall, 10. Barry Corr, 20. Harry Crawford (71).
SUBS: 24. Rhys Evans (GK), 17. Louie Soares, 19. Miguel Comminges, 21. Blair
Sturrock (71), 25. Teddy Nesbitt (75), 28. Kyle Asante (83), 30. Alex
Woodyard.

Bradford C: 1. Jon McLaughlin, 3. Luke O'Brien, 22. Lee Bullock, 6. Luke
Oliver, 28. Robbie Threlfall, 20. Tom Adeyemi (63), 23. David Syers, 19.
Jonathan Worthington, 9. Gareth Evans (83), 4. Michael Flynn, 11. Scott
Dobie (64).
SUBS: 40. Lenny Pidgeley (GK), 10. Jake Speight (64), 14. Leon Osborne (63),
25. Chibuzor Chilaka, 30. Adam Robinson, 31. Alex Flett, 32. Dominic Rowe
(83).


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

NPower League Two
Southend U (2) 4
Bradford C (0) 0
Att: 5,217

By Simon Parker (T&A)

City were crushed 4-0 at Roots Hall tonight to stay locked in the fight for
survival.

Jon McLaughlin's reflex save kept out a Graham Coughlan header before
Southend took the lead from the penalty spot.

Luke O'Brien, forced to play right back, fouled Harry Crawford and Barry
Corr slammed the spot-kick past the diving keeper.

As Southend took control, Luke Prosser headed over from close range. But the
Shrimpers grabbed their second two minutes before the break, Anthony Grant
firing home from 25 yards with a slight deflection off Jon Worthington.

City did improve straight after the break and Tom Adeyemi was denied at the
near post. Scott Dobie missed a great chance when he tried to round the
keeper from Michael Flynn's pass.

But any slight hope of a comeback disappeared after 65 minutes when Kane
Ferdinand headed Southend's third.

Four minutes later, the Shrimpers sealed the deal with the outstanding Hall
bagging his second after a blunder from McLaughlin.

Robbie Threlfall fired a late free-kick against the bar before clearing off
the line from Coughlan in stoppage time.




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

DALEY BACK WITH BRADFORD CITY
By Simon Parker (T&A)

Omar Daley has returned to City from his loan with Rotherham.

The winger was back in training with the Bantams this morning (Saturday) ahead of
Tuesday's important home clash with Burton.

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

STUART McCALL'S MOTHERWELL REACH SCOTTISH CUP FINAL

Motherwell secured a comfortable passage through to the final of the
Scottish Cup as a three goal first half blitz from Stuart McCall's men saw
them breeze past St Johnstone (3-0) at Hampden.

The Steelmen will now look to replicate the triumph of 1991, and the three
goal victory over the Perth side gives the former Bantam the chance to lift
silverware within the first six months of his Fir Park reign. They will
return to Hampden next month to face either Celtic or Aberdeen in the final.

McCall said: "First and foremost I'm absolutely delighted to be in the
final. I think we probably merited it but I looked at the clock after 25
minutes and we were 2-0 up and not really played to be honest. We got a goal
from a set-piece and a bit of individual brilliance from Jamie Murphy. I
said prior to the game we had players in the team like Murphy who could
produce a bit of individual brilliance and he certainly did that."

"Without being too negative, we could have played better in the first 45
minutes. St Johnstone had a lot of possession but the third goal was a
terrific goal, a good lay-off from Franny (Jeffers) and a great finish from
Sutty. The bits of excellence we got the two goals from and Lasley and
Murphy just went wide of the post. We played in little spells, if these
little spells are good enough to get you goals then great. In fairness to St
Johnstone they certainly deserved a goal in the second half but, all in all,
job done."

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

L2 Torquay (h) April 9th Ko 3pm L0-3

Next fixture
L2 Southend (a) Friday April 15th Ko 7.45pm
L2 Burton (h) Tue April 19th Ko 7.45pm (£1 ticket deal - see below)

Current table
http://www.sportinglife.com/football/live/tables/cc_league2.html

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

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

Pictures


"Last Match" Highlights on Bantams Player
http://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/page/player/LastMatch/0,,10266~1612005~36,00.html

Links

BBC's end-of-season predictor.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_3/predictor/default.stm

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

Match stats
http://www.soccerbase.com/teams/team.sd?team_id=234#teamTabs=results

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

Match report

Syers admits Torquay had it too easy
7:20am Monday 11th April 2011
By Simon Parker

David Syers surveyed City's heaviest home loss of the season to Torquay and admitted: "We made it too easy for them."

The Bantams dropped back to 17th place and saw the gap to the League Two drop zone trimmed again to six points after Saturday's 3-0 beating.

It was a demoralising defeat against the fifth-placed Gulls after the win at Macclesfield in midweek had seemingly lifted them clear of any danger.

Midfielder Syers said: "We were playing against two very different teams. You cannot underestimate how much confidence Torquay have.

"We kept the ball pretty well for the first 20 minutes but then got ourselves into a bad situation.

"Every time we got a bit of momentum, we seemed to give them a goal. It was just too easy for Torquay to sit back and have chances.

"We'd have a good little spell and then concede again. It just takes the wind out of you.

"We're 40 games into the season and you can see the difference between a side that's used to winning and one that has been losing like us.

"It becomes harder and harder to keep going when things go against you."

Syers had one of City's few shots as they missed the presence of James Hanson up front. The striker at least has a chance of recovering from his hamstring injury to face Southend on Friday.

Peter Jackson had no complaints with the heavy scoreline. The interim boss conceded: "That's probably the first time since I've been manager when we've been outplayed for most of the game.

"We're bitterly disappointed in terms of how we got beaten. This team are so up and down and that's why another manager has lost his job, because they've not been good enough this season.

"Everyone was full of confidence after the way we played the other night. But it's important you perform and get points in front of your home fans.

"It's all right going to Macclesfield and playing well in front of 400 (City fans) but to get turned over at home is hard to take and adds pressure. It's a lonely place when you're 3-0 down with ten minutes to go."

Jackson revealed that Lewis Hunt was not included for personal reasons.

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

Bradford City fans are quids in again
6:30am Thursday 14th April 2011
By Simon Parker

City are repeating their £1 ticket offer for fans for Tuesday's crunch Valley Parade clash with fellow strugglers Burton.

The club slashed prices against Stockport in February and a whopping 15,332 crowd saw them edge home 3-2 in a thriller.

The Bantams are now ready to do the same for their game against the third-bottom Brewers.

Director of operations David Baldwin said: "It's another proverbial six-pointer and we want to drum up as much support as possible."

Tickets go on sale this morning and must be bought in advance by 5pm on Monday. The offer will not apply on match day because of police requirements.

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

From the club programme from last Saturday

Mike Harrison
editor - The City Gent
 
I know that few City fans buy a programme at the match these days, so many of you might have missed this gem of a gaffe that appeared in the Torquay one last Saturday.
 
On page 8 in the Football league Stat Pack Peter Jackson's record is as follows:
 
Played 128, Won 41, Drawn 35, Lost 52, Goals For 200 Against 216, Ave pts/game 1.23
 
This is pretty good going for someone who's acting as interim manager and has only been at VP for less than 2 months!
 
The next figures give the game away though.
 
Biggest win City 7 Rochdale 1 (29/11/1958)
Biggest loss QPR 5 City 0 (15/04/1960)
 
Given that Jacko only turned 50 last week, all this hapened even before he was a twinkle in the eye of his father!
 
Some numpty has confused Peter Jackson with the Peter Jackson who managed City in the late 50s early 60s. But there again, someone at the club missed this error as well!
 
Classic!
 
Mike Harrison
editor - The City Gent

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

Hunt refusing to play ball over Bradford City contract

Hunt refusing to play ball over Bradford City contract
7:00am Wednesday 13th April 2011
By Simon Parker

Lewis Hunt won't kick another ball for City – unless he agrees to drop a wage clause in his contract.

The defender was left out completely from the squad that lost to Torquay on Saturday.

And while he will be back in training as usual with his team-mates tomorrow morning, Hunt has been warned that he will not feature again if he is not prepared to renegotiate – something he is not willing to do at present.

Hunt has played 19 games since joining City on a one-season deal last summer. One more appearance would automatically trigger a further year on the same terms.

With next term's budget expected to be much reduced, City will not give him that. They have asked Hunt to drop the clause but the right back has refused to budge.

Peter Jackson said: "Lewis can still be involved and still play if he agrees to pull the clause out. But he thinks we should have stuck by the contract.

"He can change his mind but that's up to the player. I asked him again yesterday and I can't see him doing that.

"It's purely down to monetary terms. I've got one eye on next season's budget and things are going to be massively tight.

"I was willing to talk about a new contract with Lewis but not on the same terms he has now. It's disappointing but that's his choice."

Hunt, who was sidelined for four months with a serious knee injury, strung together a run of 11 straight games leading up to the clean sheet at Macclesfield eight days ago. He had also filled in well as a makeshift centre half.

Speaking to the T&A last week, he said: "It's in the club's hands (about my future). What will be, will be.

"I came up here with high expectations. I really thought we'd do well this season and it's not worked out that way at all."

Jackson watched former Middlesbrough teenager Phil Shead on trial at right back yesterday as the reserves won 1-0 at Port Vale.

But he admits City will have to make do in that role for the remaining six games, with Lee Bullock the most likely to fill in.

The interim boss added: "It's been a problem position since I came to the club but I thought Bullock did okay there on Saturday, although he could have done better with one of the goals.

"It's left us a little bit short, which is not ideal, but one more win will see us safe and ease things a bit."

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

L2 Macclesfield (a) April 5th W1-0

Next fixture
[ L2 Torquay (h) April 9th Ko 3pm  L0-3 ]
L2 Southend (a) Friday April 15th Ko 7.45pm
L2 Burton (h) Tue April 19th Ko 7.45pm


Current table
http://www.sportinglife.com/football/live/tables/cc_league2.html

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

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

Pictures
http://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/page/News/0,,10266~2332311,00.html?

"Last Match" Highlights on Bantams Player
http://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/page/player/LastMatch/0,,10266~1612005~36,00.html

Links

BBC's end-of-season predictor.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_3/predictor/default.stm

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

Match stats


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

Tuesday evening match report

Happy birthday for Jackson as Hanson goal earns welcome victory
8:30am Wednesday 6th April 2011
By Simon Parker

Peter Jackson will today toast his 50th birthday after a win he ranks as one of the best of his managerial life.

City's interim boss got the present he really wanted with three points at Macclesfield last night.

The 1-0 win hoisted the Bantams five places up the League Two table – and revived his own hopes of securing the hot-seat full time after successive defeats against Shrewsbury and Stevenage.

Jackson roared: "I'm delighted for everybody connected with the club because this was a massive win for us. It makes it a wonderful birthday.

"If you rank the five top games in my career as a manager, this is up there as one of them.

"Macclesfield in front of just over 1,000 people will be up there for me personally with the top five victories I've had."

James Hanson headed the only goal but had to limp off later with a slight hamstring injury. He will be struggling to face Torquay at Valley Parade on Saturday.

"That was the one disappointment because I thought Hanson was sharp and back to his old self," said Jackson.

"Everybody was a bit low after Saturday but I knew this team was well capable of getting a result. We had key players back in their positions.

"We thoroughly deserved the victory and could have won by four or five. People will look at the score and think it was a close game but it wasn't.

"We defended well, broke well, got in the right areas and really caused them problems. I can't remember Jonny (McLaughlin) making a save."

The win – City's third during Jackson's seven games in charge – has eased them nine points away from the drop zone.

He said: "We had to beat the teams in and around us after taking two very good teams close without getting anything. We've done that and moved up five places.

"We've gone up to 15th on Peter Jackson's 50th birthday. It's marvellous!

"I'm having a little drink with the staff today and then I'm going out with Mrs Jackson and my beautiful family for a meal. I can enjoy it even more now and I'm so proud of my players."


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

http://www.boyfrombrazil.co.uk/2011/04/bradford-city-made-half-a-million-profit-in-200910-but-its-not-all-good-news/?

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

CASH-STRAPPED CITY WANT RENT TALKS WITH LANDLORDS
By Simon Parker (T&A)

City want to renegotiate the rent with their Valley Parade landlords after
falling late on their last payment.

The club currently pay around £370,000 a year to former chairman Gordon
Gibb's pension fund for the stadium and the same to investment company
Prupim, who own the office block.

The latest quarterly bill was settled a week late because of a cash flow
problem when it was due.

City admit the overheads are hitting finances hard while they remain stuck
in League Two. Joint-chairman Mark Lawn's £2m loan and their £1m chunk from
Fabian Delph's move from Leeds to Aston Villa have been swallowed up by the
team's wage bill.

Director of operations David Baldwin confirmed that they are paying the
price for a failure to win promotion.

He said: "We're trying to be prudent and constantly reviewing outgoings to
see if we can reduce them accordingly.

"Over the last four years we've had (playing) budgets of £1.3m, £1.9m, £1.3m
and £1.5m.

"In reality, the break-even budgets are probably below £1.3m. There are some
big pushes in there, so Mark's extra investment and the Fabian Delph money
have been put in to those because we need to get out of this division.

"When you do that, you can get much greater amounts of money in terms of
advertising and TV rights.

"But four years down the line, we're not out of this division and we've got
to budget according to our measure."

City signed a 25-year lease for the stadium after their second
administration in 2004. But the rent for the ground – and surrounding
offices – is having more and more impact the longer they remain in the
bottom division.

Gibb has been reluctant to hold talks in the past but City are hoping that
he will reconsider their position.

Baldwin added: "We're keen to have discussions with both landlords to see
how we can restructure those rents in order to be sustainable as a feasible
trading service that's not running on deficits.

"We're not running up masses of debt. We've spent the money available to us
and want to make sure going forward that we stay within a break-even budget.

"Other clubs run their stadium for a fraction of the cost of ours. We may
have large crowds but large crowds on a reduced ticket price – and those
numbers have gone down each year.

"We had 12,200 (season-ticket holders) the first time we did the promotion
but are now down to 9,600 last year. That's a lot of income not coming in
over three years and the costs are still creeping up.

"The bottom line is that we're not being alarmist. We're not in debt.

"We're just making sure that we don't get into debt by having expenditure
that we can't sustain."

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

L2 (A) Stevenage, April 2, 2011. K.O. 3PM. L1-2

Next fixture
(Macclesfield April 5th W1-0 ... report out, hmmm, Thursday)
L2 Torquay (h) April 9th Ko 3pm

Current table
http://www.sportinglife.com/football/live/tables/cc_league2.html

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

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

Pictures
http://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/page/News/0,,10266~2330112,00.html?

"Last Match" Highlights on Bantams Player
http://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/page/player/LastMatch/0,,10266~1612005~36,00.html

Links

BBC's end-of-season predictor.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_3/predictor/default.stm

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

Match stats + team info best viewed online
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/match?id=294779&cc=5739

Stevenage                 Bradford City
10(6)     Shots (on Goal)     4(2)
6     Fouls     10
5     Corner Kicks     5
3     Offsides     1
64%     Time of Possession     36%
1     Yellow Cards     2
0     Red Cards     0
2     Saves     4



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

Saturday evening match report

4:59pm Saturday 2nd April 2011
By Simon Parker

Peter Jackson's bid to keep the City hot-seat suffered another setback at in-form Stevenage this afternoon.

The home side clocked up a sixth win on the bounce to leave the Bantams still looking over their shoulders at the bottom, especially with Barnet's impressive win at Burton.

Tom Adeyemi had a half-chance saved by Chris Day in an even start but it went downhill from there.

The Bantams were lucky to escape on 21 minutes as Stacy Long chipped over a stranded Jon McLaughlin but the ball pinged back off the bar.

Stevenage upped the ante more and more as the half wore on and went in front nine minutes before the break from the penalty spot.

Referee Brendan Malone had done City few favours but there were no complaints after Steve Williams bundled over Long and John Mousinho tucked away the spot-kick.

City were second to the ball too often and would have gone further behind right on the interval but for Lewis Hunt who twice cleared off the line in a matter of seconds from home skipper Mark Roberts.

Jackson had a face like thunder as he headed for the dressing room, no doubt ready to deliver a few choice words.

Former City coach Junior Lewis, sitting in the stand behind the dug-outs, would have known how he felt.

Stevenage resumed as they left off and Darius Charles went close with a header after a mix-up between Williams and McLaughlin.

McLaughlin saved well from Darren Murphy before David Syers nearly equalised in the 70th minute. Getting forward for once from his right-back role, his shot on the turn from Leon Osborne's cross was parried by Day and the rebound fell behind the incoming substitute Chib Chilaka.

City were having more of a go and two minutes later Syers made no mistake, squeezing a cross-shot inside the far post for his ninth goal of the season.

Parity lasted just four minutes as Craig Reid's cutback was swept home by an unmarked Darius Charles from ten yards out to restore Stevenage's lead.

Jackson threw on Luke Oliver up front - a position he'd played in an FA Trophy final for Stevenage - and Jake Speight.

And there was one late chance three minutes into stoppage time but Chilaka nodded wide.
===========================

Monday morning match report

Jackson's inherited problems all too plain to see
6:20am Monday 4th April 2011
By Simon Parker

Stevenage 2, City 1

Peter Jackson and Colin Cooper sat in dugout isolation as they idly watched the players warm down.

It would not be too hard to hazard a guess at what they were thinking.

Not that Jackson gave much away in his post-match press conference. The interim boss, usually the bubbliest of characters, struck a flat and listless character in front of the microphones.

Jacko talked of the need to pick the players up for tomorrow's "massive" encounter with Macclesfield. First he has to get his own chin off the floor.

The prize that he is so desperate to claim remains elusively out of reach. Saturday's result had done him few favours and Jackson knew it.

City had finished with a front three of Jake Speight, Chib Chilaka and Luke Oliver.

That's a striker who has not scored for City from open play since August, another who has not got one at all and a centre half thrown forward as nuisance value.

On the same afternoon, Crewe were smashing Cheltenham for eight – nearly a quarter of what City have managed since August! The problems that Jackson inherited are all too plain to see.

Once again the goal that proved City's undoing was self-inflicted after a mistake by David Syers. But, as it has regularly been pointed out, Syers is no natural defender. The fact that he was his side's most potent attacking threat said it all.

Jackson went on the defensive afterwards when questioned about persisting with employing the season's only bright spot as a makeshift right back.

At least Oliver's presence in the closing stages should allow him to restore the natural order to City's formation at Moss Rose.

Ironically Lewis Hunt was the best performer at centre half, a role he continues to fill with the confidence of someone more than just filling in.

But Oliver's return would allow Hunt to resume his usual right-back duties – and free Syers to go foraging from midfield again. Please.

Jon Worthington, too, must be brought back to add some bite to a midfield where Michael Flynn continues to struggle.

Jackson had tried Leon Osborne for the first time but the winger proved as peripheral a figure as he has done through the many opportunities given him by Peter Taylor.

So once again there was little output from City's flanks.

Scott Dobie was pushed up top to partner James Hanson after Jackson lost patience with Speight. But that move didn't work either as the frontmen got nothing out of the uncompromising Stevenage central defenders.

It highlights the size of City's decline that few eyebrows would have been raised by the final scoreline.

Anyone glancing through the programme would have read the warning signs about Stevenage's finishing power.

Last season they won 14 of the last 15 league games on the way to the Conference crown. The year before it was something similar.

So a sixth straight victory at this stage of the season seems par for the course for a side with an unquenchable belief in their own destiny.

Graham Westley and his team put plenty of non-league noses out of joint on their way up. They clearly thrive on rubbing rivals up the wrong way.

"Our success is deeply resented by the many and appreciated only by the few," is the Westley mantra.

No surprise there were a few sparks flying on the touchline with two such combustible characters a matter of metres apart. The fourth official frequently found himself the meat in the sandwich.

Westley was on referee Brendan Malone's case from the off, picking up on any contact with his targetman Darius Charles.

The striker – who can bizarrely also play left back – looked quite capable of handling himself and dished plenty back. But it was the out-of-sorts Steve Williams who bore the brunt of Westley's ire and, predictably, Malone's whistle.

After an early half-chance for Tom Adeyemi, one of City's bolder performers, the game had quickly settled into an expected pattern as Stevenage pounded away.

Stacy Long left Jon McLaughlin grounded with a deft chip that bounced back into play off the bar.

Then City pressed the self-destruct button once again as Williams bundled into Long. Charles knocked in the loose ball but Malone had already pointed to the spot, John Mousinho making no mistake anyway from 12 yards.

City, having held their ground for the first quarter, were starting to creak.

Hunt kept them in it, first getting a vital touch on Long's drive and then twice defying home skipper Mark Roberts with a game of head tennis on his own goalline.

The outlook remained just as bleak into the second half. Williams and McLaughlin got in each other's way to gift Charles a free header, before the keeper made amends with a smart block from Darren Murphy.

City needed a lift from somewhere – and got it from the reluctant right back. Syers burst upfield, took a return pass from Osborne in the box, swivelled and forced the save from a startled Chris Day. The rebound, typically, ran just behind substitute Chilaka.

But there were signs of life and City's extra zip was soon rewarded with an equaliser. Again it was that man Syers who squeezed his shot inside the far post for his ninth goal of the term.

Suddenly a few cracks were appearing in the home psyche; the earlier cockiness of the place drifting away as West Yorkshire voices rang out from the far end.

Could City go on and pinch the win? Er, no. Syers played himself into trouble, Williams was caught on his heels and Craig Reid cut back for Charles to fire in from acres of room.

Having punched the air just four minutes before, Jackson was left pounding the top of the dugout in sheer frustration.

It threatened to get worse as Murphy played in Chris Beardsley. This time fortune favoured the bravery of McLaughlin, the shot pinging off his body and safely away from the gathering red and white shirts.

Still there was one final opportunity for City's B-list frontline. With Day in no man's land, Gareth Evans hoisted the ball hopefully into the box and Chilaka planted a free header two yards wide. Same old story.

Westley bellowed at the assistant referee as the clock past the agreed four minutes of added time and the prompt whistle produced a chorus of "another one bites the dust" from the tannoy.

Stevenage crowed over another three points; Jackson and Cooper were left to stew on their own prospects. The future remains unsure for all concerned. Attendance: 3,079

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

Oliver insists Bantams are not far away from getting consistent results
6:10am Tuesday 5th April 2011
By Simon Parker

Luke Oliver reckons City are "two per cent" off being a decent side.

The big defender is set to swell the ranks at Macclesfield tonight after making his comeback from a hamstring injury in the 2-1 loss against Stevenage.

For Oliver, Saturday was another example of the fine margin between success and failure. Eight of City's last nine defeats have been by a single goal.

He admitted: "It's very annoying because it's not as if we've been thumped too many times.

"I don't think there's a lot of difference between the teams in most games. But maybe we're just lacking that extra two per cent to get the result.

"I personally feel on our day we can beat anyone. We've just not had enough of those days.

"We come away every time thinking the performance wasn't too bad and maybe we'll get it right again the next week. It's very frustrating for everyone."

Oliver is not predicting a nasty sting in the tail of a wretched season – and City can do themselves a huge favour by leap-frogging Macc with a victory.

He said: "We're very confident that we won't get caught up in any relegation battle. But we have to bounce back again tonight and get as far away from the bottom two as we can.

"We want to get into mid-table with a strong finish so things are looking up for next season.

"Over the course of the season, we've probably done better against the better teams.

"It's the points that we've dropped against those lower down which is why we are where we are. We need to correct that tonight.

"It will be a battle and we've got to stamp our authority on them."

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

From the Official BCFC Website…

FOOTBALL LEAGUE STRIKE NEW SKY DEAL

The Football League and Sky Sports have signed a new broadcasting agreement
to run for three seasons from 2012/13.

The new deal, worth £195m, will see Sky Sports extend their unrivalled live
coverage of the npower Football League, Carling Cup and Johnstone's Paint
Trophy into 2015.

The League is also engaged in ongoing discussions with broadcasters
regarding free-to-air match highlights.

Under the new agreement Sky Sports will broadcast, exclusively live, each
season:

- 75 matches from across the npower Football League.
- The npower Football League Play-Offs - including all three Finals.
- 15 matches from the Carling Cup, including both legs of each Carling Cup
semi-final and the Carling Cup Final from Wembley Stadium.
- The Johnstone's Paint Trophy Final and at least two matches from the
preceding rounds.

Sky Sports will also broadcast highlights and clips of the npower Football
League, Carling Cup & Johnstone's Paint Trophy. The agreement encompasses
television, broadband internet, video-on-demand and mobile services.

In announcing the new agreement Football League Chairman Greg Clarke said:

"Sky Sports is a highly valued partner of The Football League and we are
delighted to extend our relationship for a further three seasons. They are a
class act and our clubs will welcome their continued support.

"This has been a challenging climate in which to negotiate television
rights, given the state of the economy and the lack of competitive tension
in the sports broadcasting market.

"I am confident that our clubs will take heart from seeing such a
significant ongoing investment in their competitions, despite a reduced
level of broadcasting income, as it provides financial certainty in
uncertain times."

Barney Francis, Managing Director of Sky Sports said:

"Sky Sports has had a long and successful partnership with The Football
League.

"We have seen the growth of attendances, the huge success of the Play-Offs
and some wonderful Carling Cup Finals.

"This new deal will extend the relationship to 2015 and will take us beyond
our 1000th live Football League game.

"Sky Sports will bring viewers more live matches - over 100 a year from
across all divisions and each of The League's competitions - and be the home
of live npower League, Carling Cup and Johnstone's Paint Trophy football."