Read this article online
http://texasbantam.blogspot.com/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/46810838356/
===========================
Signings, Loans and Injuries
Caleb Folan: Bradford City release striker
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/25527615
Injuries
Rory McArdle is suspended while striker James Hanson remains doubtful with a calf strain.
Winger Raffaele De Vita (thigh) is not expected back, while defender Andrew Davies (knee) remains a long-term absentee.
===========================
General Links
Current table
http://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/fixtures-results/league-table/
http://www.sportinglife.com/football/league-one/table
http://m.espn.go.com/soccer/standings?leagueTag=ENG.3&lang=EN&wjb=
Fixtures
http://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/fixtures-results/fixtures-list/
http://m.espn.go.com/soccer/scoreboard?leagueTag=ENG.3&lang=EN
The "Social media Corner"
http://paper.li/f-1315926867
http://www.bradfordcity.tv/
Head to Head stats
http://www.11v11.com/teams/bradford-city/tab/opposingTeams
http://www.statto.com/football/teams/bradford-city/
T&A Reports & Pictures
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/sportbcfc/sportbcfcmatch/
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/sportbcfc/sport_bantams_pics2012/
Bantams Player (subscription required)
http://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/commercial/Bantams-player/
BBC headlines and highlights (video may be uk only)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/teams/bradford-city
Pulse audio (last match highlights, post match interviews)
http://www.pulse.co.uk/on-air/pulse-sport/
Match stats
http://www.soccerbase.com/teams/team.sd?team_id=234#teamTabs=results
2013 suite
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYVaty8hdHg
2013 DVD trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFvZKFeCPt8&feature=share
Fairplay standings
http://espnfc.com/stats/fairplay/_/league/eng.3/english-league-one?cc=5901
===========================
Preview
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25441808
Game links
http://m.espn.go.com/soccer/gamecast?gameId=368311&action=stats&lang=EN&wjb=
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25441808
VIDEO INTERVIEW: Phil Parkinson
http://youtu.be/pTcpd4svgNM
Goals
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjxJjqPMOiw
Live Blog
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/sportbcfc/10900292.FT__City_0_Rotherham_1/
===========================
Final whistle - match report
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/sportbcfc/10900550.Evans_is_the_Grinch_who_stole_Christmas_at_Bradford_City/
Evans is the Grinch who stole Christmas at Bradford City
6:40am Friday 27th December 2013
By Simon Parker
City 0, Rotherham 1
In this season of goodwill to all men, Valley Parade will always make one notable exception.
Steve Evans will forever be the Grinch in City's eyes. And he stole Christmas with three more points in West Yorkshire yesterday – Rotherham's sixth successive win over the Bantams.
Now the fear is that this latest setback may also have stolen their season. Defeat leaves them eight points adrift of the play-offs and continuing to lose ground. With only one win from their last 13 league games, the momentum is heading in the wrong direction.
Once again, City can point to an exceptional goal as their undoing. Nobody seems to score tap-ins against them these days. But there was never any serious evidence of a fightback in front of the biggest home crowd of the season.
There was little cutting edge with the possession and Rotherham's lead, established a quarter of the way into the game, always looked comfortable. No wonder Evans rarely appeared from the sanctuary of his dugout. He didn't need to.
Phil Parkinson's team selection took everyone by surprise. With no James Hanson or Andy Gray, who failed to recover from his weekend dead leg, Parkinson threw Oliver McBurnie in the deep end for his first start.
The 17-year-old Leeds lad, a 21-goal sensation for the youth team, made his debut against the Millers as a late substitute in the FA Cup defeat but this was another level.
McBurnie was not the only unexpected addition as Carl McHugh got the nod to fill the defensive void left by Rory McArdle's one-match ban.
The Irish youngster's only two appearances this season had been in cup ties but perhaps his inclusion ahead of Matt Taylor and Luke Oliver was a vote for heart over height from the City boss.
And the bench included Ricky Ravenhill, suddenly recalled a week early from his Northampton loan after Aidy Boothroyd's sacking. The midfielder had not kicked a ball for City since September.
McBurnie got a traditional welcome to the big stage inside two minutes, Claude Davis stepping in his way to level the youngster.
The start was predictably fast and furious, with nobody given too long to settle in possession. James Meredith was tripped by Mark Bradley level with the Rotherham box but Gary Jones' inswinging free-kick into the goalmouth eluded the claret and amber heads.
Nahki Wells had keeper Adam Collin scrambling with a shot on the turn that passed the post, before Bradley picked up the first booking for a late challenge on Nathan Doyle.
Davis, one of the central figures of that infamous brawl with Crawley, did not last long as he was subbed for Rob Milsom.
But the wind was knocked out of City's sails after 20 minutes. Lee Frecklington rode a couple of tackles on the edge of the box, Kieron Agard helped the ball on to Haris Vuckic and the Slovenian produced a fine lob which left Jon McLaughlin rooted to the spot.
City had chances to whack the ball away during the build-up but it was a quality strike which the keeper could not stop.
The irony that it was Vuckic, a player that City had considered bringing in on loan, just added to the sense of frustration around the ground.
"That man Steve Evans, he's laughing at you," taunted the sold-out away end as the rest of Valley Parade fell silent.
It was depressingly familiar territory for the Bantams; losing to the Millers once again – and conceding first for the fourth successive home game.
For a short spell, Rotherham were in the ascendancy as City struggled to clear their heads.
Garry Thompson had a shot blocked and McBurnie a soft header comfortably caught before the pair combined for City's best attack of the game. The youngster shielded the ball well to find Thompson, whose well-struck cross-shot was palmed behind by Collin.
That stirred up the atmosphere – but not as much as Vuckic's clumsy lunge on halfway which left Kyel Reid in a heap. Out came the referee's book for a second time.
Rotherham wanted similar retribution when Ben Pringle was fouled by Stephen Darby and Evans appeared on the edge of the pitch to gesticulate furiously. As the jeers got louder, referee Darren Bond ignored the visiting pleas and kept his card holstered.
There was nothing between the teams, although City had finished the first half in better fashion. But there was a lot of work ahead to claw their way back from a potentially damaging defeat.
With the booking hanging over him, Vuckic did not appear after the break. But Rotherham quickly threatened a second goal through their other Newcastle loanee.
Bradford-born James Tavernier whipped a fierce free-kick over the wall but McLaughlin threw himself to the left to turn it behind. From the corner, Kari Arnason nodded against the post but he had already been penalised for a push.
Parkinson made his first change just after the hour mark with Mark Yeates, back on sub duty after a flat display at Peterborough, getting another opportunity in Thompson's place.
Tavernier, pushed forward in the reshuffle after Vuckic went off, had another chance to bury his home-town club but blazed loosely over the bar into the travelling support.
Then he had a third try after slack play from Matthew Bates with a low shot which McLaughlin pushed round the post.
Rotherham carried all the threat as Frecklington's low cross-shot flew across the goalmouth and Agard's dangerous burst was cut out in the nick of time by Bates.
Joe Skarz took the Millers' bookings to four but their grip on proceedings remained unruffled.
Reid was a shadow of the second-half menace at Peterborough, with Wells another passenger. McBurnie looks a prospect but this was a difficult test for him and he made way for Alan Connell late on.
Parkinson even resorted to the Peter Taylor tactic of throwing on Luke Oliver as an emergency centre forward for the final stages.
Five minutes of stoppage time offered hope of another dramatic climax to rival Coventry and Leyton Orient but, like the previous 90, Rotherham negotiated the extra minutes without a hint of trouble.
Attendance: 18,218
===========================
When the dust settled - match report
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/sportbcfc/10900572.print/
Parkinson fumes at 'unrecognisable' Bradford City display
8:30am Friday 27th December 2013
By Simon Parker
Phil Parkinson refused to use City's lack of numbers as an excuse for their latest loss to Rotherham and admitted: "We were poor."
The Millers won 1-0 at Valley Parade yesterday to make it six on the bounce against their Yorkshire rivals.
It was the fifth successive meeting when City have failed to score and the defeat dropped them to 11th in League One.
Parkinson pitched in teenager Oliver McBurnie up front because he was missing James Hanson and Andy Gray, who was sidelined with the dead leg he suffered before netting against Peterborough.
Haris Vuckic, the Newcastle striker who nearly joined City in August, scored the only goal.
Parkinson was fuming with his side's "unrecognisable" performance in the second half in front of the largest home crowd of the season.
He said: "Maybe we looked like a team who conceded before half-time again. It was a 'here we go again' scenario.
"In the past we've always found something in our reserve but we just didn't have enough quality out there.
"I thought we played well in the first half. The goal set us back but we came back strong towards the end.
"But the second half was really poor. We were unrecognisable from what we're all about as a team.
"I don't think it was lack of effort. Our decision-making on the ball and basic passing was really poor.
"That's taking into consideration we were up against a really good side and went into the game really weakened.
"We had a lot of strong characters out of our team. But I still felt we could have done a lot better in the second half.
"We were poor, we can't hide away from that. We made too many basic errors and didn't play with enough calmness in possession."
Seventeen-year-old McBurnie lasted 73 minutes and Parkinson felt he coped well with the occasion.
The City boss said: "It was always a big ask of Olly but I felt he was excellent for the first 45 minutes.
"Obviously he tired towards the end but he's going to be a good player. I thought he did everything possible in his powers to give the team a lift.
"It was a big call to put him in but I thought it was the right one in the context of the players we had out.
"We had three target men injured – Hanson, Gray and (Caleb) Folan. Gray was really struggling, which was a shame because he'd played really well at Peterborough."
Rotherham chief Steve Evans felt his side should have won more emphatically – but he also backed the Bantams to emerge from their current slump. They have now won only once in the league since October 5.
Evans said: "We were dominant. There was an electric atmosphere but I think the crowd will feel they were beaten by the better side.
"The game was about character and we had that. The lads are disappointed we didn't win three or four nil.
"But I have great respect for Bradford and they will bounce back.
"Bradford have some great players. I love (Gary) Jones, he plays like a 22-year-old.
"I love (Nahki) Wells, (Kyel) Reid and the keeper is useful. This is a good Bradford side and I think they will come back."
===========================
From the T&A:
Folan has a dig at Parky
Caleb Folan has left Bradford City with a parting shot at Phil Parkinson.
The striker's departure had been predicted after making only six substitute appearances during his short-term stay.
Folan has not been involved since the 0-0 draw at Crewe on November 2 and has been sidelined with a hamstring injury.
He announced tonight: "It saddens me to say that my time here has now expired and I will be moving on.
"The most important thing for me right now is playing football and I'm sure you will understand that I need to pursue that.
"It saddens me that I have had no contact from the manager over the last month regarding my departure or anything else of that matter, not even a hand shake as a man, so that bothers me. But I will say I appreciate the club allowing me to come on board and assist in bringing my fitness back to a good place. It's a great club and I've been honoured to represent Bradford City."
===========================
http://texasbantam.blogspot.com/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/46810838356/
===========================
Signings, Loans and Injuries
Caleb Folan: Bradford City release striker
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/25527615
Injuries
Rory McArdle is suspended while striker James Hanson remains doubtful with a calf strain.
Winger Raffaele De Vita (thigh) is not expected back, while defender Andrew Davies (knee) remains a long-term absentee.
===========================
General Links
Current table
http://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/fixtures-results/league-table/
http://www.sportinglife.com/football/league-one/table
http://m.espn.go.com/soccer/standings?leagueTag=ENG.3&lang=EN&wjb=
Fixtures
http://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/fixtures-results/fixtures-list/
http://m.espn.go.com/soccer/scoreboard?leagueTag=ENG.3&lang=EN
The "Social media Corner"
http://paper.li/f-1315926867
http://www.bradfordcity.tv/
Head to Head stats
http://www.11v11.com/teams/bradford-city/tab/opposingTeams
http://www.statto.com/football/teams/bradford-city/
T&A Reports & Pictures
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/sportbcfc/sportbcfcmatch/
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/sportbcfc/sport_bantams_pics2012/
Bantams Player (subscription required)
http://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/commercial/Bantams-player/
BBC headlines and highlights (video may be uk only)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/teams/bradford-city
Pulse audio (last match highlights, post match interviews)
http://www.pulse.co.uk/on-air/pulse-sport/
Match stats
http://www.soccerbase.com/teams/team.sd?team_id=234#teamTabs=results
2013 suite
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYVaty8hdHg
2013 DVD trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFvZKFeCPt8&feature=share
Fairplay standings
http://espnfc.com/stats/fairplay/_/league/eng.3/english-league-one?cc=5901
===========================
Preview
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25441808
Game links
http://m.espn.go.com/soccer/gamecast?gameId=368311&action=stats&lang=EN&wjb=
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25441808
VIDEO INTERVIEW: Phil Parkinson
http://youtu.be/pTcpd4svgNM
Goals
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjxJjqPMOiw
Live Blog
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/sportbcfc/10900292.FT__City_0_Rotherham_1/
===========================
Final whistle - match report
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/sportbcfc/10900550.Evans_is_the_Grinch_who_stole_Christmas_at_Bradford_City/
Evans is the Grinch who stole Christmas at Bradford City
6:40am Friday 27th December 2013
By Simon Parker
City 0, Rotherham 1
In this season of goodwill to all men, Valley Parade will always make one notable exception.
Steve Evans will forever be the Grinch in City's eyes. And he stole Christmas with three more points in West Yorkshire yesterday – Rotherham's sixth successive win over the Bantams.
Now the fear is that this latest setback may also have stolen their season. Defeat leaves them eight points adrift of the play-offs and continuing to lose ground. With only one win from their last 13 league games, the momentum is heading in the wrong direction.
Once again, City can point to an exceptional goal as their undoing. Nobody seems to score tap-ins against them these days. But there was never any serious evidence of a fightback in front of the biggest home crowd of the season.
There was little cutting edge with the possession and Rotherham's lead, established a quarter of the way into the game, always looked comfortable. No wonder Evans rarely appeared from the sanctuary of his dugout. He didn't need to.
Phil Parkinson's team selection took everyone by surprise. With no James Hanson or Andy Gray, who failed to recover from his weekend dead leg, Parkinson threw Oliver McBurnie in the deep end for his first start.
The 17-year-old Leeds lad, a 21-goal sensation for the youth team, made his debut against the Millers as a late substitute in the FA Cup defeat but this was another level.
McBurnie was not the only unexpected addition as Carl McHugh got the nod to fill the defensive void left by Rory McArdle's one-match ban.
The Irish youngster's only two appearances this season had been in cup ties but perhaps his inclusion ahead of Matt Taylor and Luke Oliver was a vote for heart over height from the City boss.
And the bench included Ricky Ravenhill, suddenly recalled a week early from his Northampton loan after Aidy Boothroyd's sacking. The midfielder had not kicked a ball for City since September.
McBurnie got a traditional welcome to the big stage inside two minutes, Claude Davis stepping in his way to level the youngster.
The start was predictably fast and furious, with nobody given too long to settle in possession. James Meredith was tripped by Mark Bradley level with the Rotherham box but Gary Jones' inswinging free-kick into the goalmouth eluded the claret and amber heads.
Nahki Wells had keeper Adam Collin scrambling with a shot on the turn that passed the post, before Bradley picked up the first booking for a late challenge on Nathan Doyle.
Davis, one of the central figures of that infamous brawl with Crawley, did not last long as he was subbed for Rob Milsom.
But the wind was knocked out of City's sails after 20 minutes. Lee Frecklington rode a couple of tackles on the edge of the box, Kieron Agard helped the ball on to Haris Vuckic and the Slovenian produced a fine lob which left Jon McLaughlin rooted to the spot.
City had chances to whack the ball away during the build-up but it was a quality strike which the keeper could not stop.
The irony that it was Vuckic, a player that City had considered bringing in on loan, just added to the sense of frustration around the ground.
"That man Steve Evans, he's laughing at you," taunted the sold-out away end as the rest of Valley Parade fell silent.
It was depressingly familiar territory for the Bantams; losing to the Millers once again – and conceding first for the fourth successive home game.
For a short spell, Rotherham were in the ascendancy as City struggled to clear their heads.
Garry Thompson had a shot blocked and McBurnie a soft header comfortably caught before the pair combined for City's best attack of the game. The youngster shielded the ball well to find Thompson, whose well-struck cross-shot was palmed behind by Collin.
That stirred up the atmosphere – but not as much as Vuckic's clumsy lunge on halfway which left Kyel Reid in a heap. Out came the referee's book for a second time.
Rotherham wanted similar retribution when Ben Pringle was fouled by Stephen Darby and Evans appeared on the edge of the pitch to gesticulate furiously. As the jeers got louder, referee Darren Bond ignored the visiting pleas and kept his card holstered.
There was nothing between the teams, although City had finished the first half in better fashion. But there was a lot of work ahead to claw their way back from a potentially damaging defeat.
With the booking hanging over him, Vuckic did not appear after the break. But Rotherham quickly threatened a second goal through their other Newcastle loanee.
Bradford-born James Tavernier whipped a fierce free-kick over the wall but McLaughlin threw himself to the left to turn it behind. From the corner, Kari Arnason nodded against the post but he had already been penalised for a push.
Parkinson made his first change just after the hour mark with Mark Yeates, back on sub duty after a flat display at Peterborough, getting another opportunity in Thompson's place.
Tavernier, pushed forward in the reshuffle after Vuckic went off, had another chance to bury his home-town club but blazed loosely over the bar into the travelling support.
Then he had a third try after slack play from Matthew Bates with a low shot which McLaughlin pushed round the post.
Rotherham carried all the threat as Frecklington's low cross-shot flew across the goalmouth and Agard's dangerous burst was cut out in the nick of time by Bates.
Joe Skarz took the Millers' bookings to four but their grip on proceedings remained unruffled.
Reid was a shadow of the second-half menace at Peterborough, with Wells another passenger. McBurnie looks a prospect but this was a difficult test for him and he made way for Alan Connell late on.
Parkinson even resorted to the Peter Taylor tactic of throwing on Luke Oliver as an emergency centre forward for the final stages.
Five minutes of stoppage time offered hope of another dramatic climax to rival Coventry and Leyton Orient but, like the previous 90, Rotherham negotiated the extra minutes without a hint of trouble.
Attendance: 18,218
===========================
When the dust settled - match report
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/sportbcfc/10900572.print/
Parkinson fumes at 'unrecognisable' Bradford City display
8:30am Friday 27th December 2013
By Simon Parker
Phil Parkinson refused to use City's lack of numbers as an excuse for their latest loss to Rotherham and admitted: "We were poor."
The Millers won 1-0 at Valley Parade yesterday to make it six on the bounce against their Yorkshire rivals.
It was the fifth successive meeting when City have failed to score and the defeat dropped them to 11th in League One.
Parkinson pitched in teenager Oliver McBurnie up front because he was missing James Hanson and Andy Gray, who was sidelined with the dead leg he suffered before netting against Peterborough.
Haris Vuckic, the Newcastle striker who nearly joined City in August, scored the only goal.
Parkinson was fuming with his side's "unrecognisable" performance in the second half in front of the largest home crowd of the season.
He said: "Maybe we looked like a team who conceded before half-time again. It was a 'here we go again' scenario.
"In the past we've always found something in our reserve but we just didn't have enough quality out there.
"I thought we played well in the first half. The goal set us back but we came back strong towards the end.
"But the second half was really poor. We were unrecognisable from what we're all about as a team.
"I don't think it was lack of effort. Our decision-making on the ball and basic passing was really poor.
"That's taking into consideration we were up against a really good side and went into the game really weakened.
"We had a lot of strong characters out of our team. But I still felt we could have done a lot better in the second half.
"We were poor, we can't hide away from that. We made too many basic errors and didn't play with enough calmness in possession."
Seventeen-year-old McBurnie lasted 73 minutes and Parkinson felt he coped well with the occasion.
The City boss said: "It was always a big ask of Olly but I felt he was excellent for the first 45 minutes.
"Obviously he tired towards the end but he's going to be a good player. I thought he did everything possible in his powers to give the team a lift.
"It was a big call to put him in but I thought it was the right one in the context of the players we had out.
"We had three target men injured – Hanson, Gray and (Caleb) Folan. Gray was really struggling, which was a shame because he'd played really well at Peterborough."
Rotherham chief Steve Evans felt his side should have won more emphatically – but he also backed the Bantams to emerge from their current slump. They have now won only once in the league since October 5.
Evans said: "We were dominant. There was an electric atmosphere but I think the crowd will feel they were beaten by the better side.
"The game was about character and we had that. The lads are disappointed we didn't win three or four nil.
"But I have great respect for Bradford and they will bounce back.
"Bradford have some great players. I love (Gary) Jones, he plays like a 22-year-old.
"I love (Nahki) Wells, (Kyel) Reid and the keeper is useful. This is a good Bradford side and I think they will come back."
===========================
From the T&A:
Folan has a dig at Parky
Caleb Folan has left Bradford City with a parting shot at Phil Parkinson.
The striker's departure had been predicted after making only six substitute appearances during his short-term stay.
Folan has not been involved since the 0-0 draw at Crewe on November 2 and has been sidelined with a hamstring injury.
He announced tonight: "It saddens me to say that my time here has now expired and I will be moving on.
"The most important thing for me right now is playing football and I'm sure you will understand that I need to pursue that.
"It saddens me that I have had no contact from the manager over the last month regarding my departure or anything else of that matter, not even a hand shake as a man, so that bothers me. But I will say I appreciate the club allowing me to come on board and assist in bringing my fitness back to a good place. It's a great club and I've been honoured to represent Bradford City."
===========================
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