L2 D0-0 (A) Morecambe Tuesday January 1, 2013. K.O. 3:00PM. #bcafc

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Signings, Loans and Injuries


Injuries
Andrew Davies, knee, Out 4 months (from Nov 1st)
Luke Oliver, Achillies, out for the 2012/13 season
Garry Thompson, knee, out 7-10 days

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Match Media & Stats

Head to Head
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Match stats
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Morecambe: Roche; Parrish, Fenton, McCready, Wright; Drummond (Threlfall 57), MacDonald; Allessandro, Redshaw (Reid 84), Ellison; Burrow (Brodie 67). Unused substitutes: Arestidou, Haining, Parkinson, McGee.

Bradford City: Duke; Darby, McArdle, Doyle, Meredith (Good 46); R Jones, Ravenhill, Atkinson; G Jones (Reid 73); Hines (Wells 46), Hanson. Unused substitutes: McLaughlin, Connell, Naylor, Turgott.

Referee: R Lewis (Shropshire).

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Final whistle - match report


Bradford City coast it but point is scant reward

8:10am Wednesday 2nd January 2013

By Simon Parker

Morecambe 0 Bradford City 0

The journey home from the west coast of Lancashire has often been a frustrating one for City fans.

They turn up at Bradford-by-the-sea in their hordes but the results have rarely matched the hype and expectation.

There have been notable exceptions in the last couple of years but yesterday afternoon's trip to the Globe Arena resorted to type.

An extremely comfortable goalless draw? More like a blown opportunity for an away win to propel them towards the automatic promotion slots.

In a game that took a long time to come to the boil, nobody will feel more frustrated than James Hanson, who missed the biggest and juiciest chance of the lot late on.

It was the sort of header from close range that the big man would fancy scoring with his eyes shut.

The fact that he didn't put it away tempered Phil Parkinson's reaction to a generally solid response to the Rochdale setback.

Parkinson was keen to make sure a bad day at the office did not turn into a bad week. Had Hanson sunk that header, it would have been a very good one – especially with some of the scores elsewhere.

After being exposed in midfield by Rochdale's extra numbers, Parkinson had changed tack against a Morecambe side playing a similar way.

Ricky Ravenhill and Ritchie Jones were restored to fill the middle alongside Will Atkinson, while Gary Jones was pushed further forward to play behind the front two. Nathan Doyle also stayed in but dropped back to centre half in place of Tom Naylor.

The intent to tighten it up was clear after the shock of leaking four before half-time on Saturday.

City saw off three early Morecambe corners and then threatened on the break from the third. Ritchie Jones pulled away on the right before cutting back to namesake Gary but the skipper's shot was blocked on the edge of the box.

It was a bitty opening on another wet and heavy surface and the large City following amused themselves by baiting Kevin Ellison and singing about Wembley.

There was little incident to entertain, with neither side enjoying a clear sight of goal in the first 25 minutes. The game was getting clogged up in midfield and nobody was getting any time to dwell in possession.

Ravenhill and Zavon Hines combined to try to set up Atkinson but his tepid effort went nowhere.

Morecambe finally mustered a first shot of their own in the 36th minute – and that was worse as Stewart Drummond's volley from a half-cleared free-kick flew high over the away stand.

City responded with their second corner and at last a genuine chance as keeper Barry Roche blocked Hanson's downward header from ten yards out with his left knee.

The boggy surface made decent football difficult, with the ball bobbling up unexpectedly in the rutted parts of the pitch.

City were not unduly worried with Doyle slipping effortlessly into his back-four duties. But the Hanson header apart, the visitors had not tested Morecambe's defence much either.

It could not have been a bigger contrast to the first-half goal-fest at the weekend but far less painful viewing for Parkinson.

The City chief made two changes for the second half, with Nahki Wells and Curtis Good, both back from their illnesses, coming on for Hines and James Meredith.

The sight of Wells stoked up the City fans and introduced an immediate edge on the pitch.

Atkinson whipped a cross along the six-yard box, then Ellison hurriedly gave away a corner under pressure. Rory McArdle met it with a well-placed header but Roche pulled off an excellent save to turn behind.

It was much better from City and Wells fired in an inviting cross that was begging for somebody to touch home. No wonder Parkinson aimed a punch at the floor in frustration.

Robbie Threlfall came on to face his former club after an injury to Drummond. It was almost a year since his last appearance in a City shirt in the FA Cup defeat at Watford.

Still the visitors were trying to ask the questions against the backdrop of a constant din from their army behind the Morecambe goal.

City had to be on the their toes as Ellison's attempted shot fell kindly for Jack Redshaw, who drove wide on the turn. And Jordan Burrow was not far off reaching a dangerous cross by Lewis Alessandra.

There was a scramble in the Morecambe penalty area and Stephen Darby had a shot blocked on the line but the right back was flagged offside.

As Kyel Reid stripped for action on the sidelines, Wells used the wind to force another save from Roche from 25 yards out.

Reid then replaced Gary Jones as City reverted to a more conventional 4-4-2 for a final 15-minute push.

Redshaw's flick header was deflected wide but City looked to break from the Morecambe corner until Wells was levelled by Threlfall, who got a yellow card and a loud jeer from the away end.

Reid's free-kick eluded everybody rushing in at the far post but the winger was soon back on the ball, only to be upended by Andy Parrish.

The free-kick, level with the Morecambe box, should have produced a breakthrough as Reid found Hanson unmarked right in front of goal.

But the striker's header was poor and lacked power, allowing a relieved Roche to save comfortably. It was a gilt-edged chance that should have been buried.

Sub Richard Brodie nodded over for Morecambe as the contest continued to liven up but it was a rare excursion over halfway.

Play was camped in home territory, with Reid the victim of two more fouls by Parrish to maintain the pressure. Another decent free-kick picked out Good's head but the youngster got too much on it from eight yards out.

Andrew Wright got a booking as Morecambe battled to hang on and Doyle joined him for a stoppage-time foul on Brodie.

But the relief among the home supporters that greeted the final whistle told the story. City will be kicking themselves.


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WYCOMBE v BRADFORD C NOW TUESDAY 12 FEBRUARY

Wanderers' npower League 2 fixture with Bradford City at Adams Park has been
rearranged for Tuesday 12th February 2013 (K.O. 7.45pm).

The original game – which was set to take place on Saturday 22nd December –
was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.

Platinum Members will receive entry to the rearranged fixture and the match
will automatically be uploaded to their cards.

Gold/Silver/Bronze Members who chose to include the Bradford City fixture in
their package should contact the ticket office on 01494 441118.

Paper tickets remain valid for the rearranged game, while those fans who
can't make the new date can exchange their ticket for an alternative home
league match in the 2012/13 season by calling 01494 441118.

Bradford City supporters should contact their club's ticket office.

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Barnet ticket details

09:55 2nd January 2013

City supporters can secure in advance tickets for this Saturday's (5 January 2013) npower League 2 fixture away at Barnet.
Match tickets for the Bantams' game at Underhill Stadium can be bought through Barnet themselves by either ringing their Ticket Office on 0208 4496325 or by going onto the online ticketing section of their official website.
To go through to Barnet's official online ticket section please click HERE
https://www.venuetoolbox.com/barnetfc/ASP/bookTickets.asp

City fans will have a choice of standing or seating sections at Underhill.
Subject to availability, entry into the ground will also be available on match-day.

Prices for the match will be:
North East Terrace (Standing)
Adults: £16.00
Concessions (over 60s, students, juniors 14-19 years old): £13.00
Juniors under 14: £9.00
Concession and junior prices will not be available on match-day.

Family Stand (Seating)
Adults: £17.00
Concessions (over 60s, students, juniors 14-19 years old): £13.00
Juniors under 14: £9.00
Family ticket (two adults, two under 19s): £30.00

This particular offer is not available on match-day.


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Webb to ref Villa first leg

07:10 3rd January 2013

Highly-experienced match official Howard Webb has been chosen to referee City's Capital One Cup Semi-Final First Leg clash with Premiership side Aston Villa next Tuesday.

Webb, who was given an MBE in 2011 for his services to football, is widely regarded as one of the top officials in the game at present and has been seen by many as England's leading referee for many seasons.

In 2010, the 41 year-old former police sergeant became the first referee to officiate in the UEFA Champions League final and FIFA World Cup final in the same year.

Before his appearance in the final, Webb had been refereeing Champions League matches since 2006.

Rotherham-born Webb, who has taken charge of games in the Premier League since 2003, has also acted as a match referee in the F.A Cup final, League Cup final and F.A Community Shield during his career in football.

The FIFA-listed referee has looked over matches at UEFA EURO 2008 and UEFA EURO 2012, plus countless other international fixtures, as well in the past.

Webb will be assisted on the night of City's home leg with Villa by Michael Mullarkey and Sian Massey, with Neil Swarbrick acting as fourth official.



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Bradford City to cash in from Green pro deal

7:40am Thursday 3rd January 2013

By Simon Parker

City will scoop another windfall after teenage prodigy George Green signed his first professional deal with Everton.

The Telegraph & Argus understands the Bantams will receive between £70,000 and £80,000 as part of the structured move which saw Green leave Valley Parade in October 2011.

It is the latest cash injection for the club, who could bank up to £1million from the two legs of the Capital One Cup semi-final against Aston Villa.

Similar to the deal involving Andre Wisdom at Liverpool, City are in line to get further payments when he plays for the first team and there are also clauses for a sell-on fee and any potential international appearances.

Green, who has only just turned 17, has already represented England at that age group and the Dewsbury-born midfielder is earning rave reviews at Goodison Park.

He has been training regularly with the senior squad and it is believed that he recently played in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Huddersfield.

Green has signed pro terms until the end of the 2014-15 season. He said: "As soon as I signed for Everton from Bradford, I was hoping I would get to a stage where I earned a pro contract. I've done that so it feels really good, to be honest.

"It's been much harder at Everton than I thought; a much tougher challenge. I'm playing with better players now and it's been really enjoyable."

Around 20 clubs were thought to be interested in Green, who caught the eye with a hat-trick during a trial match for Tottenham under-18s against Aston Villa.

Spurs were also very keen to sign him but he opted for Everton after meeting boss David Moyes and sampling the atmosphere of the Merseyside derby. The deal was expected to net City around £2million in total.