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Bantam wait over

Bradford City v Darlington

Coca-Cola League Two

Saturday October 20th 2007, 3pm

An uncomfortable start to life in League Two, especially at home in the last few weeks for Stuart McCall's Bradford. Despite large crowds, thanks to a discount season ticket scheme, and an experienced, some would say ageing-looking squad, the Bantams have struggled. The nadir was the 3-0 defeat to Accrington Stanley. The Premiership seems a long time ago but they need to get out of this tail-spin fast. Not this afternoon, hopefully.

Man to watch Guylain Ndumbu-Nsungu The slightly awkward looking but effective striker for Darlo a couple of seasons back, has soon become a hit with Bantams fans

Full match preview on the D@rlo Uncovered website.

Bradford City FC
Intersonic Stadium, Valley Parade, Bradford BD8 7DY
(01274) 773355 (Main Office) or 770022 (Ticket Office)

History: Founded 1903, out of the decline of Manningham rugby club, they were elevated to Div 2 status and won the title within five years. By 1911, the caused a FA Cup upset by beating Newcastle and also reached fifth in the top division. The 1984 Div 3 championship win was overshadowed by the terrible fire at the final home game against Lincoln, which saw the loss of 56 lives in May 1985. The Bantams in 1999-2000 reached the Premiership and stayed up under manager Paul Jewell, who was mystifyingly dismissed by the ambitious chairman Geoffrey Richmond. His "moment of madness" in spending to survive eventually crippled the club financially and they were lucky to remain in business. Subsequent relegations have followed and now they find themselves in the bottom division.
Record Attendance: 39,146 v Burnley, FA Cup, 1911
Capacity: 25,136
Last season: 22nd (relegated from League One)
Honours: Div 2 champions 1907-1908, Div 3 champions 1984-1985, Div 3 North champions, 1928/1929
Record victory: 11-1 v Rotherham Utd, Div 3N, 1928
Defeat: 1-9 v Colchester Utd, Div 4, 1961
Nickname: The Bantams.
Colours: Amber and Maroon
Manager: Stuart McCall
Chairman: Julian Rhodes
Players in: Barry Conlon (Mansfield), Kyle Nix, Guylain Ndumbu-Nsungu (Cardiff), Peter Thorne (Norwich), Scott Phelan (Everton), Darren Williams (Hartlepool), Paul Heckingbottom (Barnsley), Nathan Joynes and Thomas Harban (all Barnsley, loans)
Players out: Richard Edghill (Macclesfield), Ben Muirhead (Rochdale), Pat McGuire and Nick Smith (both Farsley Celtic), Dean Windass (Hull)
Famous fans/connections: Stuart McCall, Bobby Campbell, John Hendrie, Peter Beagrie, Dean Windass, Stan Collymore (players), Chris Kamara and Paul Jewell (managers); Robbie Blake, Barry Conlon, Paul Heckingbottom, Guylain Ndumbu-Nsungu, Matt Clarke (played for Darlo). Actors Peter Firth, Eddie Peel, George Layon, Hather Peace, Christopher Smith (Emmerdale), John Helm (football commentator), Joe Johnson (snooker player - all fans).

Click for Streetmap of ground


Away seats (unreserved and plentiful) are in the T L Dallas Stand behind the goal. Prices have risen to £20, OAP £14, students £15, under 16 £12.

 


A relatively easy trip from Darlington. From the North East take A1 southbound to join A1/M1 link then join M62 westbound. From M62 exit at Junction 26. Take M606 towards Bradford. At end of motorway take the last exit onto Rooley Lane (signs Leeds/Bradford Airport). McDonalds is now on your left and it's over the traffic lights at Asda and turn left at roundabout into Wakefield Road. Stay in middle lane, over two roundabouts, (signs to Shipley and Skipton) on to Shipley Airedale Rd (A6037) which then becomes Canal Road. Just after Tesco (on left) turn left into Station Road (A6177) and left again into Queens Road. Up hill to third set of traffic lights and turn left into Manningham Lane. After the Gulf garage (on left), take first left into Valley Parade for Stadium. Parking isn't easy, so suggest in the city centre. For the city centre pubs, follow City Centre signs, then A650 Keighley/Skipton & ignore earlier signs for the ground. The pubs are close to Morrison's supermarket & there's a multi-storey there - only 5-10 mins from the ground.


Cosy Cars 01274 545555
Union Taxis 01274 737474
LOW Private Hire 01274 600000

Darlington FC Supporters' Club
Coach 11am, £13. Contact: 01325 243911. See Darlington Supporters' Club


Trains: The Intersonic Stadium at Valley Parade is less than a mile from Bradford's Forster Square Station and about a mile and a half from the Bradford Interchange Station, further into the city centre in Bridge Street. It's a straightforward walk from the Forster railway station - almost opposite into Midland Road across from the station entrance and the ground is on the left, or you can take the A650 Manningham Lane and turn right down the hill. The Interchange station is further into the heart of the city, and incorporates the bus station - buses to the ground from stand B12.

Darlington (Updated train times Sept) 09.10 via Leeds (10.08) 10.22 arr Bradford Interchange 10.42Duration: 1hrs 32mins).
Return: Bradford Interchange 17.48 via Leeds (18.10) 18.27 arr Darlington 19.33 Duration: 1hrs 45mins.. Fares: Advance Return £20, Cheapday Return £22.70.

London Kings Cross: 09.05-Leeds (11.34) 11.51-arr 12.11. Rtn: 18.05-Leeds (18.28) 18.40-21.15. Fares from £32.85 advance

Birmingham New Street 08.03-Leeds (11.02) 11.12-11.42. Rtn: 17.35- Leeds (17.58) 18.10-arr B'ham New St 21.13. Fares: Advance from £20 return, saver return £43


Real ale

Bradford has lots of pubs too and there are some good recommendations for pubs on the Bradford CAMRA site and also the BBC's Bradford going out page

The Corn Dolly, 110 Bolton Road
A former Bradford "pub of the year," and handy for the ground. Black Sheep and Everards beers. DAFTS recommended. Click for streetmap
.

The Fighting Cock, 21-23 Preston Street Seving 12 real ales and ciders, if 15 minutes walk from the city centre.Click for streetmap

The New Beehive 171 Westgate
Edwardian gas-lit pub and hotel on the B6144 (Howarth Road) and 10 minutes walk from the ground. Click for map

Near Ground:

The Old Red Lion, Great North Road

For those that aren't at all fussy, the same street as The New Beehvie has The Star, which was a riot of local "characters" on a previous visit, and the even less salubrious The Boy & Barrel.

 

No shortage of places for a decent curry in Bradford, so pointless listing them all, but there are a few tips on the tourism site. There is a fish shop - Bowland Street Fisheries 1a Bowland Street - a few minutes walk from the stadium.

If making a day of it, you can visit the National Museum of Photography, Film and TV or there's the Bradford Tourism and Yorkshire Tourism for more tourist trails and ideas.
Bradford Tourist Information Centre, City Hall Centenary Square Bradford BD1 1HY 01274 753678

Rail timetables Virgin Trains GNER National Express Online map
Hotels/B&Bs ThisIsBradford Council web Pennine Yorkshire

Surfing there...

There's enough choice if you look hard enough. For the usual it's probably the City Gent Rivals site, which also has a guide for visiting fans. There's also the official website but my favourite is the excellent Boys From Brazil, webzine which has all the news and features you need and has a neat and quirky design - you can have a choice of colours, home and away in fact. And there's a Bantams' equivalent of DAFTS, if the site Bradford Army On Tour doesn't seem to be updated that much.

Next away matches: Hereford Utd (Saturday November 3rd, 3pm)

No responsibility is taken for accuracy, if in doubt check before travelling.


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© DAFTS 2007