History of Bradford City A.F.C.
Bradford City Association Football Club—also known informally as
City were relegated again five seasons later, but when O'Rourke was reappointed as manager before the 1928–29 season, they broke several club records to earn promotion back to Division Two. After eight seasons in Division Two, City returned to Division Three, and they remained in the third and fourth tiers of the English football league system until 1985–86. During that time, they endured several periods of financial hardship, and in 1985, their ground suffered a disastrous fire in which 56 people died, on a day the club and their fans were supposed to be celebrating promotion.
In
Early successes (1903–1919)
League football was established in the
Bradford City became the first league football team from the county, before they even had a team or played a game.[6] They and Chelsea, who were elected to the league two years later, share the distinction of being the only clubs to join the league without having played a competitive fixture.[5] A summer archery contest, which had been organised to raise money for the rugby league club, was used to finance the new club,[6] and Manningham's colours of claret and amber were adopted as Bradford City's kit, but with Manningham's hoops changed to stripes.[4]
Ahead of their first campaign in Division One, Bradford City embarked upon their first continental tour; despite victories over German side
Bradford's defence of the FA Cup was ended in the fourth round by
Inter-war years (1919–1938)
With several retirements during the war, it was a new-look side that took to the field for the 1919–20 season, when league football resumed.[27] The 15th-place finish in the league was City's lowest since their first season in Division One, and a fourth-round FA Cup exit away at Bristol City was blamed on a pre-game trip to Fry's chocolate works.[27] It was a position replicated the following season. After ten campaigns in Division One, City were relegated back to Division Two, when they lost all of their final five games of the 1921–22 season.[28] It would be 77 years until Bradford City again competed in the top division of English football.[29]
Having lost O'Rourke as manager in 1921, after he had struggled to cope with the death of his son two years earlier,[30] Bradford's results suffered back in Division Two. Both Bradford City and Bradford (Park Avenue) had been relegated in 1922, and with the rise of fellow West Yorkshire side Huddersfield Town, attendances in Bradford dropped. City's average attendance fell from a record high of 22,585 in 1920–21 to between 12,000 and 14,000 in Division Two.[31] Five consecutive bottom half finishes culminated in relegation to Division Three (North) in 1926–27,[28] when they finished bottom of the table following a then record 8–0 defeat to Manchester City on the final day of the season.[31] New manager Colin Veitch missed out on guiding the club to an immediate promotion when they finished sixth,[32] but at the end of the season the players had not been paid and the bank was unable to advance any more money because of the club's overdraft. Had it not been for donations by fans, Bradford City would not have started the following campaign.[33] A new board was appointed, and they reinstated Peter O'Rourke as manager.[32] Success was immediate, when the 1928–29 season started with a record 11–1 victory over Rotherham United,[15] as the side scored a club record 128 goals to earn promotion by just one point.[15][32] City's successful team had also brought the fans back and the average attendance of 18,551 is the highest average recorded by the club, since 1925, when The Football League started to keep official records.[26]
O'Rourke left for a second time in May 1930,[30] after he resigned because he was not allowed to sign a player he wanted.[31] City spent eight seasons back in Division Two but the nearest they came to stepping up to the top flight was in 1933–34 when at one point they topped the division. Their sixth-place finish was the highest position since the club had been in Division One and would not be bettered until the 1980s.[31][34] Relegation back to Division Three (North) came in 1936–37.[35] City were runners-up in the Division Three North Challenge Cup a year later before they won the same competition in the last year before league football was again suspended because of war.[36][37]
Lower divisions (1946–1981)
New manager
Despite a club record 9–1 defeat to
Striker Bobby Ham, whose 18 goals had helped City into Division Three, was again top goalscorer the following season,[47] but the club's stint in Division Three was short-lived. Once Ham, and fellow Bradford-born striker Bruce Bannister, who scored 60 goals during seven seasons with the club, both left, City were relegated back into the bottom division in 1971–72.[48][49][50] The spell in Division Three had also been notable for the debut of Ces Podd, who went on to play a record 502 league games during 14 seasons with the club.[51] City spent five seasons back in Division Four. In 1975–76 they had their best FA Cup run in more than 50 years after defeating Norwich City,[52] before they were knocked out in the quarter-finals by eventual winners Southampton 1–0.[53][54] A year later more than 40 goals from the trio of Dominican striker Joe Cooke, Terry Dolan and Don Hutchins helped City to another promotion when they finished in fourth position.[55] The club's board failed to strengthen the squad the following season,[56] resulting in an instant return to Division Four. Under new manager George Mulhall, City spent three seasons in mid-table, although a late spell of form nearly earned promotion in 1979–1980.[56]
Bantam progressivism (1981–1990)
In May 1981, City appointed former
The club were again in financial difficulties, and in June 1983, Martin called in the
The good form continued the following season, and from October to mid-December 1984, City embarked on a 13-match unbeaten run, during which time Campbell became the club's all-time leading goalscorer, beating Frank O'Rourke's 70-year-old record.[63] City went top of the division and held onto their lead, opening an 11-point cushion by February. Promotion was secured in April and the club's first championship title since 1929 after a 2–0 win over Bolton Wanderers.[63] The success was overshadowed when fire ripped through Valley Parade's main stand 40 minutes into the final game of the season on 11 May 1985 against Lincoln City. A total of 56 people died and the club did not play another game at Valley Parade for nearly 20 months.[64]
City instead played home games at
Richmond era and administration (1990 onwards)
"Helping the club into the top flight is a dream I have had for a long time. Dreams don't always come true, but I have been fortunate that so many of mine in football have been fulfilled, but this is the biggest one of all."
Stuart McCall, following promotion to the Premier League[69]
For three seasons, City finished in mid-table in Division Three and the new Division Two, when the leagues were renamed following the formation of the Premier League. In January 1994, Geoffrey Richmond took over as chairman.[70] He cleared the debts, loaned the club £2.3 million,[70] and promised the fans he would take the club to the Premier League within five years.[71] In his first season as chairman, the club finished in seventh place with Frank Stapleton as manager. Stapleton was sacked and was replaced by Lennie Lawrence. Lawrence could only finish 14th in his first season, before he left for Luton Town in November 1995 to be replaced by his assistant Chris Kamara.[72]
Kamara secured a
City's success meant that
Less than two months after City stayed up, Jewell left to join
Jefferies was sacked in December 2001 following a training ground rift with captain McCall.[95][96] Nicky Law was appointed his successor,[97] and the club finished the season in 15th place. During the summer, with debts of nearly £13 million—as a result of the collapse of ITV Digital and the fall-out from Richmond's self-proclaimed "six weeks of madness"—the club were forced into administration.[98][99] The players were all released,[100] but Carbone waived much of the money owed to him,[101][102] to help the club survive under new owners Julian Rhodes and Gordon Gibb.[70] City fulfilled their fixtures during the 2002–03 season but finished 19th.
Former England captain Bryan Robson took over as new manager during the following season,[103] but, under his management, City won only seven games from 28 and were relegated in 23rd place.[104] Robson left and was replaced by his assistant Colin Todd.[105] The club went into administration for a second time,[106] but Todd led them to 11th in each of the following two seasons. Following fan pressure and a poor run of results, Rhodes sacked Todd on 12 February 2007, with City just three points above the relegation zone.[107] Wetherall was appointed player-manager on a temporary basis and then for the rest of the season, but City were relegated following a 3–0 defeat to Chesterfield.[108] During the summer of 2007, former midfielder Stuart McCall returned as manager with City in the bottom tier for the first time in 25 years.[108][109] He set himself a target of earning promotion back to League One in his first season,[110] but twice missed out on promotion before he left the club in February 2010 with City lying 16th in League Two.[111]
In January 2013, City became the first club from the fourth tier of English football since
The team finished in last place in the 2018–19 campaign and were relegated back to League Two.[94]
In December 2021 the club was approached by American investors known as WAGMI United (who use cryptocurrency and NFTs) about a possible buyout.[117] The offer was rejected.[118]
On 24 February 2022, former Wales manager Mark Hughes was appointed manager of the club on a contract until the summer of 2024.[119]
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