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Valley Parade
Valley Parade

Bradford v Grimsby Preview

By: Alex Green
Date: 12/02/2010

HOWEVER impressive the performance on Saturday against a rather physical and morally corrupt Notts County, the winless run starts to extend ever more and is weighing heavily upon us all.

Home > 2009-2010 Season > Previews > Bradford (a)


Who are they?

Their History

Formed in 1903 Bradford’s very first game was a 2-0 defeat to some team called Grimsby Town on the 1st of September of the same year. They won the FA Cup 8 years later and after that I believed they did nothing I bet they even ceased to exist between then and the season they got promoted to The Premier League. Of course apart from one season in 1997 fighting it out with Town before Town lost the relegation battle but won the war. The Premier league was all nice for them as they became the darlings of English football. Their ground was full on occasion and they got to play their better half at Elland Road for a few derby games and that was that even Benito Carbone left.

Last Season.

See the year before. Bradford started as customary favourites and fans were fully expecting to see bangs for their bucks after another season of cut price season tickets was rewarded with another large attendance week in week out. All was going well with McCall and co until February where a winless streak of 9 saw them plummet from nailed on promotion candidates to play off maybes. McCall’s desperation became all to apparent when he cried wolf saying he would leave if Bradford failed to get promoted. Anyway there still here and so was McCall till last week when he left.

This Season.

“Stand and fail to deliver” as Dick Turpin never said. They are slipping hugely Bradford are a bad run away from joining us in the unholy mess of a relegation battle. Attendances have rather impressively stayed relatively similar to that of the early season optimism but that doesn't help the fact that Bradford are really in trouble. 3 wins since November against the dregs ourselves, Torquay and Darlington are nothing to write home about. Now McCall has left its do or die for Bradford from experience we all know a season after a bad season just tends to be worse.

Their Home

Bradford fans call it the Wembley of the north rather modestly and they would probably be right if Wembley was a hotch potch of stands of varying ages, constantly changed its name and was virtually empty for every match it hosted but alas its not. Valley Parade as it will always be known to stubborn old me resides ten minute walk north of the city centre but 20 minutes from the train station most will arrive at, Interchange not Forster Square (best get a taxi) Fans if you have been of late are now housed in the Midland Road Stand along the side of the pitch. Views are unrestricted and facilitates are better than in the T L Dallas Stand tickets range from.

Adults £20
OAP's £14
Juveniles £12
Students £15 (This is the price in the home end but they may well not sell them at the away end)

Why not buy The City Gent while your there a good read for £1:50 and is the longest running fanzine in the country.

Most Famous Player to Wear the Shirt.

Dean Windass? The Scottish duo of McCall and John Hendrie, but most importantly Kris Kamara. I know unbelievable!

Key Player…

Gareth Evans. The former Man United youth striker started his career under the brilliant guidance of Dario Gradi at Crewe and did a 1-2 with United and Crewe during his youth days. He is currently a big hit at Valley Parade been joint scorer with James Hanson both on 7 respectfully. More amusing though is that fact that Evans has a fan seeking missile of a right foot ready to take down any of those who get in its way as a fan found out early on this season to his cost. At 21 Evans only previous club was Macclesfield where his 19 goals caught McCall’s attention. This season his goals dried up mid campaign and his 2 at Torquay were his first since the 14th of November but he can certainly fire them in when he’s focused.

Recent Form

TownBradford
LNotts Co(h)0-1
DAldershot(a)1-1
LRotherham(a)1-2
DCheltenham(h)0-0
DBury(h)1-1
Currently 23rd in League Two.
LBury(h)0-1
WTorquay(a)2-1
LLincoln(a)1-2
LBury(a)1-2
DCheltenham(h)1-1
Currently 16th in League Two.

Top Scorers

TownBradford
Sweeney6
Conlon5
Hanson8
Evans7

Team News

TownBradford

  • Striker Adam Proudlock has returned from injury.

  • Speedy winger Paris Cowan-Hall (hamstring) is ruled out following a reserve game.

  • Midfielders Lee Peacock (ankle) and Michael Leary (illness) are also doubts.

  • Just Adrian Forbes (leg) and Robbie Stockdale (hernia) on the treatment table.
  • Bradford may have a new manager in place after Stuart McCall resigned on Monday.

  • Team news to follow
  • Squads

    TownBradford
    1GKNick Colgan
    2DFRobbie Stockdale
    3DFJoe Widdowson
    4MFDean Sinclair (on loan from Charlton)
    5MFOliver Lancashire
    6MFPeter Sweeney
    7MFAdrian Forbes
    8FWNathan Jar man
    9FWAdam Proudlock
    10FWBarry Conlon
    13MFNick Hegarty
    14MFPeter Bore
    15DFMatthew Bird
    16DFPaul Linwood
    18FWChris Jones
    19MFMichael Leary
    20MFJammal Shahin
    21FWMichael Coulson (on loan from Barnsley)
    24DFDamien McCrory (on loan from Plymouth Argyle)
    25DFRob Atkinson
    26FWJean-Louis Akpa Akpro
    28FWJosh Fuller
    29FWBradley Wood
    32MFMark Hudson
    33FWAshley Chambers (on loan from Leicester City)
    34FWParis Cowan-Hall (on loan from Portsmouth)
    35GKLeigh Overton
    36FWTommy Wright
    2 DF Simon Ramsden
    3 DF Luke O'Brien
    4 MF Michael Flynn
    5 DF Zesh Rehman (vice-captain)
    6 DF Matthew Clarke
    7 MF Omar Daley
    8 MF Lee Bullock
    9 FW Gareth Evans
    10 FW Peter Thorne (captain)
    11 MF Chris Brandon
    12 DF Steve Williams
    13 GK Jon McLaughlin
    14 FW Michael Boulding
    16 DF Jonathan Bateson
    17 FW James Hanson
    18 FW Rory Boulding
    19 MF Jamie O'Brien
    20 FW Leon Osborne
    21 MF Luke Sharry
    22 MF Rory Carson
    23 FW Luke Dean
    24 DF Louis Horne
    25 MF Stephen O'Leary
    26 MF Scott Neilson
    30 GK Matthew Convey
    40 GK Matt Glennon

    Head to Head

    Town have taken just 2 points in 11 games from Bradford.

    P58 W18 D13 L27 F 68 A 86

    Head-to-Head (81st The Opposition Ladder)

    Last Meeting

    Grimsby 0 Bradford 3 (Sat 25th Nov 2009)

    A 3-0 hammering best forgotten at Blundell Park, which was one of Neil Woods's first games.

    Report

    Prediction

    The Fishy Prediction

    Town must be wondering when the torrid run will come to an end. Well when we get more two shots on goal will be when.

    Bradford 1-1 Grimsby

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