L2 W1-0 (A) Northhampton Tuesday October 6, 2012. K.O. 7:45PM. #bcafc

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Signings, Loans and Injuries



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Match Media & Stats

Head to Head
http://www.11v11.com/teams/bradford-city/tab/opposingTeams
http://www.statto.com/football/teams/bradford-city/

Pictures
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/sportbcfc/sport_bantams_pics2011/

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

BBC highlights (uk only)


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

Northampton Town: L Nicholls; East, Widdowson, Langmead, Charles; Tozer, A Nicholls, Roofe, Huws; Platt (Moult 68), Akinfenwa. Unused

substitutes: Higgs, Demontagnac, Mukendi, Wilson, Hornby, Dias.

Bradford City: McLaughlin; McArdle, Meredith, Davies Oliver; Thompson, Ravenhill, Doyle, Forsyth (Atkinson 78); Hanson, Wells. Unused

substitutes: Duke, Darby, R Jones, McHugh, Connell, Hines.

Referee: G Scott (Oxfordshire).

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When the dust settled - match report


Bradford City goal ace Wells gives Cobblers another good kicking

6:30am Wednesday 24th October 2012

By Simon Parker

Northampton 0, City 1

It may not compare with downtown Bermuda but Northampton is fast becoming a favourite haunt for Nahki Wells.

He gave the Cobblers a shoeing in April with the first hat-trick of his fledgling professional life.

And he returned to Sixfields last night to stick the boot in once more with his tenth goal of the season.

The only blot was an unnecessary fifth booking after his celebration, which means he misses Saturday's trip to Burton. It's an area of his game

that the striker needs to improve.

That will be a frustration for Phil Parkinson but it's a minor quibble after another immensely satisfying City performance. Like Saturday, this

was the display of a side that really mean business.

Gary Jones had travelled down with the squad and was put through his paces on the pitch beforehand by trainer Matt Barrass. But the midfielder's

role was purely a watching one on this occasion as Parkinson stuck with an unchanged team and bench from the weekend win over Cheltenham.

So Craig Forsyth got the second start of his loan and the Watford winger had the first chance of the night after 12 minutes.

Northampton were unhappy that referee Graham Scott did not blow for a foul as Wells challenged keeper Lee Nicholls for a bouncing ball. As it

dropped free, Wells worked it back to Forsyth whose shot at the unguarded goal was deflected wide by home skipper Kelvin Langmead.

Both sides clocked up the early corners and City thought they had scored from their third one. James Hanson's header was blocked in a scrum of

players and the striker had another bite at the rebound but it was cleared off the line by Alex Nicholls.

Wells tested the uncertain home keeper from 25 yards as City looked to turn their bright spell into a breakthrough goal.

Parkinson's men knew what to expect at the other end with the physical presence of Adebayo Akinfenwa and Clive Platt. They also had to pay close

attention to the enormous throw-ins that Ben Tozer launched into the box.

But Northampton's first genuine effort came from midfielder Nicholls, though Jon McLaughlin appeared to have his skidding drive covered as it

flew wide.

Aidy Boothroyd appealed for a penalty – and possibly a red card – as last man Rory McArdle ran into Akinfenwa chasing a ball back to McLaughlin

but the official was unimpressed.

Forsyth was showing positive signs and teed up Wells for a well-struck drive that dipped just over the bar. City were asking the questions,

though James Meredith's attempt to replicate his Saturday strike squirted off the outside of his boot.

Andrew Davies took a couple of clouts from Platt and Parkinson made his feelings known to the fourth official when no yellow card was

forthcoming. The two centre halves were earning their corn.

Another City raid saw them with a numerical advantage on the attack but Forsyth's touch was too heavy and the opportunity was wasted. Then

Meredith whipped in a great cross but Anthony Charles beat Hanson on the end of it.

Akinfenwa found Nicholls in plenty of space for the home side but Meredith blocked his first cross and Davies slid across to cut out his second

in the City goalmouth.

But City had an escape six minutes before the break when Tozer's teasing angled ball beat everyone as both strikers strained to touch it past

McLaughlin.

Tozer unloaded another enormous throw-in which McLaughlin missed but the whistle blew for a push in the back by Akinfenwa.

As half-time approached, Meredith set off on a surge down the left which ended with a generous foul awarded. But Nathan Doyle, a busy figure

again, could not make the most of a decent position with the free-kick.

Luke Oliver picked up a cheap booking for knocking the ball away right at the end of the half and McLaughlin had to come through a crowd of

players to punch clear another Tozer missile.

But it was a slight concern to see Oliver reappear during the half-time break to do some shuttle runs with the physio, obviously trying to work

off a problem. It was not a game when City could afford to lose one of their defensive pillars.

Davies, who had a faultless first half, for once found himself the wrong side of Akinfenwa at the start of the second but was spared by a poor

pass from Northampton's battering ram.

But City's disciplined efforts were rewarded in the 53rd minute with the opening goal.

Hanson and Danny East both jumped for McLaughlin's goal kick and the ball flicked through for Wells to react the quickest. There were shades of

last season as the Bermudian held of his marker and poked the ball past the on-rushing Lee Nicholls into the bottom corner of the Northampton

net.

Wells ran on into the away fans to celebrate – and was booked by Scott when he came back on to the field. It was a costly yellow card because it

means a one-game ban.

City still had plenty to do to hang on to what they'd got. It was no time to ease off the throttle as Northampton tried to step up their own

game.

Ricky Ravenhill was getting through plenty of the dirty work patrolling the front of his own penalty area and made a tremendous challenge to

thwart one Cobblers raid.

But City should have been two to the good when Forsyth's 25-yard blast proved too hot to handle for keeper Nicholls. The rebound came out

invitingly for Hanson to end a seven-game goal drought – but he spooned it over into the travelling fans.

Still City knocked on the door and Hanson nodded down for Wells, whose close-range blast was smothered by a diving Langmead.

Parkinson kept urging his troops on as Boothroyd made his first change and threw on former Peter Taylor loanee Louis Moult for the ineffective

Platt.

Alex Nicholls showed strength to create a Northampton opening but the shot was harmless once again.

McLaughlin was finally called into proper action after 77 minutes of waiting. Davies half-cleared another Tozer throw and Moult's header was

tipped over the bar by the City keeper.

Will Atkinson replaced the hard-working Forsyth a minute later – and the substitute could have had his first goal of the season after some

quick-thinking by Wells. His closing-down spooked Langmead into coughing up the ball close to the byline but Atkinson's touch let him down as he

tried to finish the pass.

Garry Thompson received City's third yellow card but instantly atoned with an important sliding tackle on Kemar Roofe just outside the penalty

area.

City were not content to sit back and Wells forced two further saves from Lee Nicholls. There was no way they were going to let this one slip

away.

Attendance: 3,541

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Wigan ticket update

See the link for full information
http://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/news/article/wigan-ticket-update-307536.aspx

The football club will be selling its final allocation of 190 tickets for next Tuesday's (30 October 2012) Capital One Cup Fourth Round tie at

Wigan Athletic from the Bantams Ticket Office tomorrow (Thursday 25 October 2012).

The tickets will go on sale from the Bantams Ticket Office - now located by the North West Corner - from 9:00am on Thursday.

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Parkinson pride at Bradford City character

8:30am Wednesday 24th October 2012

By Simon Parker

Phil Parkinson declared himself proud as punch after City claimed their second win in four days.

Nahki Wells netted the only goal to sink Northampton at Sixfields last night and cement their place in League Two's leading pack.

The victory, City's second away from home in the league, sets them up for three more games on the road coming up.

Parkinson said: "We have to start seeing a consistency on our travels and I was so pleased with the lads. We needed an Oxford away type of

performance and we got that.

"It was a massive test because Northampton are a decent team at home. It was a night when we had to defend the long throws and be strong.

"All the back four and the midfield players were really good dealing with their style of play – and when it was time to show quality, we did."

Wells poached his tenth goal of the season to win it and City should have scored more, with James Hanson guilty of missing a great chance.

Parkinson said: "We probably should have killed them off in the second half. But sometimes a 1-0 win tells you a lot about your team.

"You have to show character and concentrate right to the last minute and we did that. Our focus was there to the last whistle.

"It's hard to single players out but I was really pleased with Garry Thompson's performance. He was very strong, worked really hard and typified

the performance.

"There's nothing better for the mood of the players than any away win, especially at a challenging place like Northampton.

"They really put you through it but we handled everything they threw at us and I'm very proud."

The only downside was a fifth booking for Wells for going into the away crowd to celebrate and he is now banned for Saturday's trip to Burton.

Parkinson admitted the striker must learn from collecting cheap yellow cards.

He said: "I don't want to take the gloss off his night but some of the bookings, like when he kicked the ball away at Notts County, come back to

cost you.

"But what I liked about his display was that he upped his level again after he scored. A winning mentality is important because it's all about

the team."

Recovering midfielder Gary Jones also made the trip, although he was not involved in the game.

Parkinson said: "It's important to get him back with the team. He's a real influence to have round the dressing room.

"We decided not to put him on the bench but give him some extra training and each day he's getting stronger and stronger.

"Gaz is a top-class player but I've got to say Ricky (Ravenhill) and Nathan Doyle were really solid. When you see a good player coming back, it

inspires you to keep your place."

Meanwhile, City's youngsters are in action at Valley Parade tonight when they host Grimsby in the FA Youth Cup.

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Controversial book about Bradford's Ointment football hooligans to boost burns research unit funds

5:03pm Monday 22nd October 2012

By Steve Wright

 A controversial book about Bradford football hooliganism is set to benefit the city's burns research unit, set up after the Valley Parade fire

disaster.

Bradford City fan Kevin McDonnell has written Getting A Nasty Shock – The Bradford Ointment Story, which charts the violent history of the

Bradford City Ointment gang, from its heyday in the late 1970s and early 1980s to the present day.

The book, being launched in the city, features former hooligans and is described by the publishers as "not for the faint-hearted as you are taken

through a journey of extreme violence and shocking acts of brutality."

For every book sold, £1 will be donated to the plastic surgery and burns research unit, based at the University of Bradford.

Today the offer of charitable donations from sales of the book was cautiously welcomed.

Professor David Sharpe, the unit's director, who treated many Valley Parade fire victims, said he was conscious that people would not want to

receive money from groups currently associated with criminal behaviour.

"But there is no reason why people who are reformed characters, who wish to donate money to a good charitable cause, for a legitimate reason,

should not have their money accepted. I don't have a problem with that," said Prof Sharpe.

"I know nothing about the organisation, I thought the name referred to some sort of medical treatment! The background may offend some people. It

is like some sordid thing that football hooligans got up to."

The Plastic Surgery and Burns Research Unit was set up following the Valley Parade disaster, on May 11, 1985, in which 56 people died. Many more

suffered serious burns.

Bradford City joint chairman Mark Lawn said: "No-one can condone what happened years ago, but football has cleaned up its act. Some people may

feel uncomfortable about this, but it is an independent book that has nothing to do with Bradford City Football Club.

"I support Prof Sharpe. If donations go to a good cause, that's a good thing."

Author Kevin McDonnell said: "Most of the people in the book were at Valley Parade on the day of the fire. Some of them are in their late 50s now

and haven't been involved in violence for decades. They asked me to make the donation to the unit. It's a charity that touches everybody's

hearts."

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