Tag Archives: Andrew Davies

Andrew Davies extends Bradford City stay after finding stability

8 Jun

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By Jason McKeown

For a long time it seemed as though the relationship between Andrew Davies and Bradford City was one of short-term convenience that could never last.

Signed on loan from Stoke City in September 2011, the 27-year-old was reportedly earning £15,000 a week yet had made just two appearances in three seasons for the Premier League outfit. With his lucrative Potteries’ contract due to expire at the end of the 2011/12 campaign, Davies rocked up at Valley Parade seemingly to place himself in the shop window for bigger and better things.

He quickly showed himself to be far, far too good for the humble surroundings of League Two. Not surprising given that reputed wage package that we could never hope to match. So we had a player we could not afford normally, looking to impress potential suitors by impressing with us. Very convenient.

Yet almost two years on, Davies remains a key part of City’s plans and – a year after agreeing a one-year permanent deal – has this week committed for a further two years. He will be 30-years-old by the time his freshly signed contract expires. These are the peak years of his professional career, and he is choosing to spend them in West Yorkshire.

The reasons for doing so are numerous. The struggling League Two outfit that Davies first joined has progressed into one that many are talking up as being capable of being promoted to the Championship next season. That appears to be Davies’ natural level and, although he has talked of receiving offers to move this summer, it is doubtful that he would have attracted interest beyond a League One outfit. Any transfer move now would probably have been sideways.

And, more importantly, Davies’ unsettled career may have emphasised the virtues of the stability offered at Bradford City. This is Davies’ 11th different club, after numerous short-term loan moves fizzled out and he struggled to make the first team of his two previous parent clubs – Middlesbrough and Stoke. When available, Davies has been Phil Parkinson’s first choice. The risk of moving on would be a discontinuation of that. He has spent far too much of his career sitting on various substitute benches.

So a short-term relationship of convenience has grown into one where both parties are willing to make a more serious commitment. And, perhaps for the first time, City can look at Davies as not someone far too good to be here, always destined to depart sooner than later, but as part of the furniture.

As such, there will now be even greater demands and responsibility entrusted upon him. Since signing on loan during the early days of Parkinson’s reign, Davies has appeared in only 63 of the 106 games City have subsequently played. Four red cards (three in his first season) have been a contributory factor to this lack of game time, as was a bad injury picked up at Burton Albion last October which ruled him out for three-and-a-half-months. This robbed Davies of any hope of being considered for player of the season, despite the fact he barely put a foot wrong when he did play.

Such lack of availability may have been unavoidable at times (two of the four red cards were highly questionable, in my view), but City need Davies’ appearance record to improve over the duration of his new contract. Evidently the best centre back City have had since David Wetherall, Davies is the next Bradford City captain in waiting. He will also be entrusted with helping to develop the promising young centre half Carl McHugh (who Parkinson is a big fan of).

In relationship terms, City and Davies have moved on from a few tentative dates and updating their Facebook statuses so they say ‘in a relationship’, to moving in together. A relationship of convenience could now develop into a full blown, happy marriage that lasts for many years.

Here’s hoping.

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Sit back and enjoy the summer

6 Jun

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By Matt Briggs

With the biggest deal of the summer already in the bag at Valley Parade, we can look forward to a relaxing couple of months.

Phil Parkinson’s new three-year contract was up and away the most crucial piece of business this summer and now we can sit back and watch his close-season recruitment, which is likely to be focused on quality rather than quantity.

It was a policy which paid dividends in 2012/13 and one which Julian Rhodes and Mark Lawn have already indicated they will roll out again next term. And it’s hard to disagree with that, despite the club’s bulging bank balance after the League Cup run.

The widely held opinion is that the squad is strong enough to hold its own in the league above and, with two or three shrewd signings, I genuinely think we could be challenging for the play offs again.

The club will be desperate to snap up Andrew Davies, who was the ‘real’ man-of-the-match at Wembley, and Nathan Doyle on new contracts, and after Parkinson, those two deals could be the most important of the summer.

It’s safe to say there will be no revolution, despite moving up a division, and why should there be after marching to promotion from the bottom tier after a mammoth 64-game season?

All of last season’s promoted teams managed survival in League One. Swindon finished 6th, Crawley 10th, Crewe 13th and Shrewsbury 16th. Without another unprecedented cup run – and I’m sure City would have been promoted automatically without our run to the Wembley cup final – the Bantams could easily be troubling the top 10 again.

Keeping hold of striking duo James Hanson and Nakhi Wells is obviously crucial, but I am already curious as to how the pair will do in England’s third tier. The duo finished the season strongly and, if they can get close to their 41-goal haul again, City will be there or thereabouts.

But despite the apparent strength of City’s first-choice forward line, Parky does need to strengthen it and he’s likely to make another striker his number one priority.

Alan Connell might well be suited to League One football. Swindon didn’t fancy him, but there again Paolo Di Canio was the man at the helm, but it would be no surprise to see Andy Gray’s contract severed this summer. Gray’s arrival has been the only blot on Parkinson’s transfer business and the 18-month deal he penned in January might well be consigned to the rubbish bin in the next month or so.

If that proves to be the case then the club will definitely be in the market for another frontman. Add to that a goalscoring midfielder and a stronger goalkeeper and Parky’s recruitment drive might well be over.

Matt Briggs writes for www.TEAMtalk.com, you can follow Matt on Twitter @MattPBriggs

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2012/13 season review: The best trip, I’ve ever been on

28 May

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By Jason McKeown

It was the year of walking onto the field to the supporter-created song ‘claret and amber’. Of hooped home shirts. Of Flexi-cards. A year where Valley Parade was filled to capacity for the first time in over a decade. Where we were looking up the league rather than down. Of over-achieving in the cups. Of selling out numerous away games. Of Gary Jones.

Right from the start, you suspected this could be a special one. League One Notts County away in the League Cup kicked off the season. We travelled to Nottingham on a baking hot day merely in the hope of a good performance, accomplishing not only that but a credible 1-0 win. The BBC called it a “giant killing”. This was just the warm up.

The league began with a bang too. After an opening day loss, back-to-back home wins over Fleetwood and Wimbledon set the tone for a sustainable promotion push. The Dons were swept aside in stunning first-half fashion – 5-1 at the interval – and it was hard to avoid feeling wildly optimistic. “Champions by Christmas” one of group of friends quipped. “No”, responded someone else. “Champions by August Bank Holiday”.

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Rotherham was a reality check. The first of many City away sell outs, we rocked up to the wonderful New York Stadium in expectation, but went 1-0 down within 75 seconds and would go on to lose 4-0. Accrington a week after not much better, despite a 1-1 draw. Perhaps it won’t be so easy: Champions by Easter?

But we soon got into our stride. Barnet were woeful, Morecambe swept aside in thrilling fashion – Jones’ first City goal met with a pump-fist celebration in front of the Kop. He and Nathan Doyle were forming a great partnership, James Hanson and Nahki Wells could not stop scoring. The summer warmth lingered long enough for a t-shirt day at Oxford in late September, with a 2-0 win taking us joint second.

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A fourth win on the trot was achieved in the cup against Burton. What a night that was. Even at 2-0 down at half time, confidence was high that we could win it. Kyel Reid came off the bench and destroyed the Brewers, and fellow sub Wells netted two late goals. The celebrations for his last minute equaliser up there with any moment we’ve experienced this season. Stephen Darby’s extra time winner was academic.

Bumps on the road to promotion followed. Port Vale ending City’s 100% home record – undeservedly so – 10-men Rochdale could not be beaten on their own patch, and then at Dagenham the Bantams managed to go 4-1 down with a late two-goal fightback in vein. A trip up the A1 to Hartlepool in the JPT was memorable only for another City penalty shootout victory and a nightmare drive home due to roadworks.

We needed a big win, and defeating a fellow promotion rival – Cheltenham – provided that. 3-1 having fallen behind. Mark Yates correctly moaning about being denied a penalty when his side was 1-0 up. Wells was the hero. Not a great performance, but a great win. Wells netted again three days later at Northampton. Now we’re cooking.

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The League Cup run was getting really exciting. We went to Premier League Wigan in Round Four – initially a disappointing prospect, but following news of a 5,000 City away end sell-out, excitement for a good night. Losing at Burton three days earlier – with the added nightmare of injuries robbing us of Luke Oliver for the rest of the season and Andrew Davies until February – meant we went to the DW Stadium with little hope. A stunning performance ensued, capped off by a penalty shootout win. Duuukkkkkeeeee!

That set up a quarter final home tie with Arsenal. How to concentrate for the six weeks in-between? Progress in the FA Cup occurred with a memorable 3-3 replay – and yes, another shootout success – over Northampton. City’s lowest home crowd of the season, but one of the best games.  In the league, form was mixed, but a trip to Bristol Rovers stands out as one of the season’s highlights. It was wet – very wet – and the away terrace offered no protection. But we skidded in the rain in celebration of City coming from behind three times to earn a point. Fantastic character.

But it was all about waiting for Arsenal. Tick the games off. Port Vale in the JPT, good fun. Brentford on a Friday night in the FA Cup, notable for how drunk one of our group was (“It is pay day drinks!”) and City temporarily getting kicked out the competition for fielding loanee Curtis Good. Three days before the Gunners came to town, an important 1-0 home win over Torquay was sealed by a superb Alan Connell strike. He was fast cementing his status as super sub. Will Atkinson, James Meredith and Rory McArdle were also in excellent form.

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So now we can enjoy the Arsenal game. It was bitterly cold, and Manningham Lane an hour before kick off was packed out in a way I’ve not seen for years. Long queues to get inside the Kop; and just as we made our way to our seats, the Arsenal team was announced. Blimey, they are taking it seriously.

Garry Thompson’s opening goal is one that we will treasure for years to come. We’re beating Arsenal! Just 70 minutes to go! Incredibly, we almost held out. A late Gunners equaliser would surely cost us, but we held on through extra time with the noise levels from a packed out Valley Parade never relenting. Penalties. Say no more.

The next night, a group of us got together to watch the semi final draw. Please be Villa, at home first, was my wish. That is what we got. Another scramble for tickets, but both legs sorted out with only a couple of sleepness nights. Now back to the League…oh dear. After scrambling to victory over Accrington on Boxing Day (Connell again!), form fell off a cliff. Rochdale embarrassed us; at Morecambe we rued that miss by Hanson; Barnet thumped us 2-0 three days before Villa. At least the likes of Stephen Darby and Zavon Hines were impressing.

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Oh what a night we had, in the home leg against Villa. I’ll always remember a friend in the pub beforehand predicting “3-1…and I begrudge Villa that 1!” and thinking he was mad. But he could not have been more right. Rory McArdle’s header that made it 2-0 saw Valley Parade rock like it hasn’t since Gordon Watson netted a brace in front of the same Kop end in September 1998. I lost the plot celebrating. The wonderfully promising Carl McHugh’s goal for 3-1 was special too. If you could dismiss the Wigan and Arsenal wins as being on penalties, there was no talking down of this one. League Two Bradford City had beaten Premier League Aston Villa over 90 minutes.

Other games happened in-between the two legs, but attention was only on Villa Park. A 4-1 thumping to Crewe in the JPT was painless in the circumstances, save for how ridiculously cold it was. No one minded that Saturday’s trip to Vale was called off, let’s just hope this heavy snow doesn’t make it impossible to travel to Birmingham.

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I took a car-load to this game. As a group some of us barely knew each other, but by the time we met up on the street outside Villa Park at full time, we were on hugging terms. The first half was horrible as Villa came flying out the blocks; but then Gary Jones swung a corner onto Hanson’s head, 10 minutes into the second half, and we were gleefully celebrating an improbable equaliser. I will always remember my good friend and fellow Width of a Post writer Gareth Walker needing a sit down next to me, as he was so overcome with emotion. A late Villa winner added anxiety, but we did it. What a night. Perhaps the best moment of my time supporting Bradford City.

We were in the League Cup Final at Wembley. Even writing this article months after, I can’t help but smile at the absurdity of that statement. I never thought it would happen in my lifetime.

Reality bit back at Fleetwood a week later, with a 2-2 draw on the North-West coast not what we needed to close the gap to the play offs. A 1-0 defeat at home to leaders Gillingham – our only home game in-between Villa and Wembley – was played out with an air of obvious distraction on and off the field. At least we beat Wycombe away in midweek, but a 2-1 loss to bottom of the table Wimbledon eight days before Wembley was not ideal.

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What more can you say about Wembley One? The build up was phenomenal.  The world’s media camped out at Bradford, covering every angle possible. Revel in all the TV and newspaper coverage, enjoy the players being treated like rock stars. “Now live to the Cedar Hotel in Bradford, where the players are about to board the coach to Wembley” Sky Sports News told us. The challenges of producing this website were increased by numerous media requests. I loved it.

As I loved Wembley. It was a special feeling alighting from the train nearby and walking down the streets with hundreds of City fans. The pubs were packed out, the nerves were growing. A walk up and down Wembley Way was more wonderful than I could ever imagine. The first look inside Wembley was an awesome moment. 33,000 Bradford City fans making an almighty racket. I shed a tear before a kick off. An incredible day out.

Shame about the football.

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The hangover from Wembley was not insignificant. With so much ground to make up on the play offs, every game felt win or bust. A good 2-0 victory at York aside, it was a tale of dropped points and anger. “Does Phil Parkinson deserve his new contract?” some asked. A couple of miserable buggers even plummeted to the depths of writing off the cup run as “lucky”.

The nadir moment, for me, was a 0-0 draw at Plymouth on a Tuesday night in March. I travelled down with two friends, booked into a Travelodge, and the tame performance convinced me that faint play off hopes were over. That we couldn’t get on a run of wins. That it was time to start planning for next season. A 4-1 loss at Exeter the following Saturday only added to that conviction.

But how wrong I was. The surge began with a low key 1-0 win over Wycombe. A 2-2 draw with Southend felt like two dropped points, but then three wins in a row over Torquay, Northampton and Bristol Rovers improbably put us in the top seven. Even automatic hopes weren’t over! Thompson was in great form, Davies a rock in the centre of defence and Reid had rediscovered his swagger. The decision to pick Ricky Ravenhill over a fading Doyle had also helped. RR’s sitting in front of the back four bringing the best out of Gary Jones.

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The stall came with a 2-2 draw at Chesterfield in what was a superb atmosphere, followed by a 2-0 loss to Rotherham in front of a packed out Valley Parade. Still, seventh spot was sealed with a 1-0 win over Burton. A trip to Cheltenham on the last day meaningless, but we had a good time nonetheless.

Bring on the play offs! Burton had the best home record in the Football League, so taking a lead to the Perelli Stadium for the second leg seemed vital. Alas, we endured a dreadful first 45 at Valley Parade to go in at half time 3-1 down – and they might have had more. We’ve frozen, blown it, folded. Burton could have finished us, but a save from Jon McLaughlin, at 2-0 Burton, was vital. Thompson’s stunner gave us hope for the second leg. Burton had let us off the hook.

At Burton, the players more than made amends. Determined, bullish, confident. Wells made it 1-0 to level the tie, and we never looked back. Hanson’s stunner early in the second half sparked delirium. Wells made it 3-1 and we were in dreamland. Blow your whistle ref…six minutes injury time, eh?…blow your whistle ref!

The final whistle brought relief and ecstatic celebrations on and off the pitch. What a wonderful sight to see the players going crazy in front of us. What an uplifting moment to see Parkinson punching the air.

Back to Wembley!

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More serious this time, the consequences of losing would be. We’re not massive underdogs on this occasion, the expectation level was much higher. Less time spent taking photos down Wembley Way, leave that to the Northampton fans. We’ve got work to do.

What a time to produce your best performance of the season! We never gave the Cobblers a sniff. Three goals in 13 minutes. All pile on top of each other. Disbelief at how easy it was. No relaxing until the closing stages. See out the job. The atmosphere was so special.

When Gary Jones and Ricky Ravenhill lifted the trophy, the outpouring of joy topped anything we’d seen all season. And there had been plenty of other outpourings of joy. Promotion a fitting reward for an incredible campaign. 64 games. I personally saw 52 of them. I don’t want to think about how much that cost me, but it was worth every single penny.

The 2012/13 season – one of the greatest in the club’s history. And undoubtedly the most fun I’ve ever had.

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Moving on up

27 May

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By Jim Nicholson

We’re now at the end of what has been an incredible season for Bradford City. We’ve had the pleasure of witnessing some stunning highs and the club has been revitalised from top to bottom, with a management and playing staff that we can finally be proud of.

But where are we actually at? And what are we likely to see happen during the summer?

The management team

To finally have confirmation that the entire management team has signed for another three years is hugely encouraging and shows a fantastic level of commitment from all parties. It was pleasing from my point of view that Phil Parkinson insisted that his key members of staff signed their contracts at exactly the same time as he did his own, because if he is the person to lead us forward, then his support network of coaches will be an essential part of achieving those goals.

For the first time in recent memory there is stability at the top of the club, meaning that the expectations of players both on and off the pitch are set. Whether it is a big-name transfer, a triallist or a youth player, there is a level of performance that is required to wear the Bradford City shirt and a stable management team will ensure that this is maintained.

The transfer policy

The rumour mill is currently in over-drive, churning out a seemingly endless list of names who may be joining/ leaving the club. My opinion is that we have the framework of the first team already in place, which I feel has enough quality to not only survive in League One but to make a significant impression:

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Darby – McArdle – ?? – Meredith

Thompson – Jones – ?? – Reid

 Hanson – ??

I’ve deliberately left out Davies, Doyle and Wells because I feel we will more than likely lose each of them to clubs in the Championship; though obviously I hope to be surprised.

Where I think our business will occur is in building on the fringes of the squad. Parkinson is rightly keen on quality over quantity and will be keen to keep the nucleus of this side together, so I don’t think we can expect a huge upheaval. It’s more likely that we’ll see those who are released being replaced by players with Championship/League One experience, with the aim of generating better competition for places amongst the recognised first-team.

This season has shown that there is a notable difference in quality between those who are regularly in the first XI and those who aren’t, and by trimming the squad by 4/5 we should be able to accommodate new talent to help us establish ourselves in League 1.

Our expectations

This is the tricky part. With the success we’ve enjoyed this season, it could be very easy for us to get carried away. I’ve already heard whispers of back-to-back promotions, which is, quite frankly, ridiculous at this point in time. As I stated earlier, our first team is relatively strong and we have proved in one-off games that we are more than a match for anybody on our day. The issue is that this is much more difficult to achieve over the course of a 46-game season, and this should be remembered when we’re setting our expectations for the year.

The final thing is trust. We must trust the board and the management, and we should back them with our support. They took significant risks this season and thankfully they paid off. We must trust them to invest in the right players, with the right qualities and to continue building this football club in the right way. We will always be greater than the sum of our parts and, as we have shown this season, when we are together, we are unstoppable.

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One fine day, one fine season

21 May

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Written by Jason McKeown

(Images by Mike Holdsworth)
 

This time around, the walk down Wembley Way failed to carry the same sense of aura. From being blown away, last February, by the size of the stadium and feeling giddy with excitement about stepping inside, the prestige was lost and the wow factor gone.

Been there, done it and literally bought the t-shirt. It would surely be impossible to ever feel blasé about a trip to Wembley, but this time around it felt all the more serious. Just another day at the office, albeit a very important one at that.

That such sentiment was reflected in spectacular style by the players was the story behind Bradford City’s play off final success. Whatever the motivation was – righting the Swansea wrongs, or simply ensuring a 64-game season wasn’t ultimately deemed futile – the single-minded focus and determination to win the game was incredible.

Just as not many teams could have lived with Swansea last February, Northampton stood no chance of stopping us on Saturday. For sure, they were awful and froze on the big occasion in the same manner we did in the League Cup Final. But let’s not downplay the achievements of our players. It looked easy because we made it so easy.

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Every City player was on their game. The defence, led in typically impressive manner by Andrew Davies, stood up to the Northampton physicality with relish. Aidy Boothroyd has attempted to counter City’s tactic, used in the April league match, of Davies attacking every ball launched into the Bantams’ box by deploying a player specifically to block him. It caused a few jittery moments, but Davies still by and large won everything. Alongside him, it was great to see Rory McArdle back at his best.

The only question over team selection had been whether Nathan Doyle would retain his place over Ricky Ravenhill. Doyle more than justified the nod, with a composed display in the engine room alongside Gary Jones. Kyel Reid had his best game for weeks and Garry Thompson maintained his outstanding form from the second half to the season. James Hanson and Nahki Wells were unplayable, with Northampton defender Clarke Carlisle admitting that Hanson “owned” him.

If the three-goal burst wasn’t stunning enough, the manner in which the players continued to drive on impressed greatly too. Each goal was celebrated wildly of course; but led by Jones, you could see everyone quickly telling each other that the focus had to be retained and there should be no let up. The high standards at 0-0, which led to us scoring three goals, were just as prevalent at 3-0. Even in the closing stages.

For us supporters, it meant the afternoon went by remarkably stress-free. The tension at kick off was huge – again, a contrast to our visit to play Swansea City, where we were on such a high just to be there and it all went downhill from kick off. When Hanson scored, bedlam. Same with McArdle’s Aston Villa-esqe header. After Wells had netted and we’d gone crazy once more, the tension no longer weighed heavily on our shoulders. No one was relaxing – football has produced stranger things than a Northampton comeback – but we were at least able to enjoy it.

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When Gary Jones and Ricky Ravenhill jointly lifted the trophy, I was surprised by how emotional the moment proved to be. A release of joy, of relief in some respects. Ultimate confirmation that we had done it. That we had achieved a promotion – which for so much of our six-year stay in League Two has appeared to be an impossible task.

All we have wanted to do, since relegation from League One was confirmed at Saltergate in April 2007, was get out of the basement division. That single ambition has sparked so much pain and anguish, in response to generally making such a poor fist of it. It led to a club legend departing Valley Parade in a manner unbefitting of such a great man. Four managers, a huge turnover of players. Barry Conlon, Scott Dobbie, Lewis Hunt, Paul McLaren.

This makes up for the dark times of the past six seasons. For losing to Morecambe; routinely getting humbled by Accrington; Notts County 5 Bradford City 0; Barnet 4 Bradford City 1; Southend 4 Bradford City 0; Bradford City 1 Crewe 5. We now swap trips to Fleetwood, Dagenham and Torquay with visits to Wolves, Sheffield United, Preston, Coventry and Tranmere.

Next year looks very exciting, but it will have to go a long, long way to top the drama of this season. Last summer, Width of a Post ran a survey with readers to vote for their favourite Bradford City matches of all time. Whether you have supported the club for four years or 40, it’s surely the case that your top five or top 10 now needs rewriting. The occasions like Wigan, Arsenal, Aston Villa (twice!), Burton and Northampton will take a prominent place in the history of this club. 110-years-old, and there has never been a campaign quite like this.

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That the season got its finale of promotion via Wembley, in game 64, is as fitting as it is joyous and exhilarating. This feeling will last long into the summer. A summer that we will spend looking to the future with relish, whilst re-living the colourful memories of 2012/13 again and again. Look back, look forward, smile. This is a fantastic time to be a Bradford City supporter.

And for that we have to thank this group of players, and Phil Parkinson and his management team. No one should dismiss how difficult it is to manage or play for this club. Our expectations often outstrip the abilities of those we can afford to employ. Performing in such a pressure environment is not easy and has got the better of many good people.

These players are a mirror of ourselves and what we demand. They give everything they have, they take pride in wearing the claret and amber colours. They want to succeed just as badly as we want to see them succeed. That might sound like a simple statement. But when you’ve had years and years of the opposite being true, it makes it all the more meaningful to see the basic principles in place and working so stunningly.

Thank you Phil Parkinson. Thank you to every player in that squad. We thought days like Saturday were doomed never to occur again, yet you have provided us with a season full of them. Whatever happens in the summer and over the next few years, the names of this squad will never be forgotten.

Just as that feeling, when the trophy was lifted, will stay with us forever.

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Team Claret and Amber finish the job

20 May

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Written by Mahesh Johal

(Images by Mike Holdsworth)

“The team ethic stands out; this is an XI greater than the sum of its parts.” Notts County 0, Bradford City 1 – the first game of the 2012/13 season.

I had the responsibility of producing the player ratings after the League Cup Final and I stand by my decision to give every player a 10 out of 10. My maximum rating was given not because of their performance on that day, but instead for their contributions along the journey.

As so poignantly summed up by Alex Scott, our previous visit to Wembley was an event. Just getting to the national stadium to face Swansea was a success, and regardless of the result we were the real winners. To return to Wembley just three months later is another unbelievable feat. Like that cup journey, ever single player has contributed to our success in the play offs.

Yes, some will get more praise and attention than others, but fundamentally, those stand out names would be nowhere without their team-mates. Saturday’s result epitomised the definition of a team performance. Furthermore, I think it was a club performance, in which every person in claret and amber contributed to the victory. Once again tasked with rating these players, again they all receive the maximum mark. Saturday’s result was truly special and the performance of each player to achieve the team goal was remarkable.

SAM_1059The two upfront were simply too good for their opponents and they deserve all the praise they get. Clarke Carlisle tweeted after the game that James Hanson ‘owned him’ and he really did. Hanson won every header and dominated the tall Northampton back four. We constantly hear that Hanson is the under-rated player in this team, but he is certainly not. Opponents fear him and Saturday proved why.

I was there to see Hanson score at the Horsfall Stadium during his trial with club, and so to see a local lad ignite the wild celebrations at Wembley is an image both he and I will never forget. Together with his partner in crime, Nahki Wells, they were simply unstoppable.

Wells’ goal and all round display was there for all to see, but if there is one defining moment of his game, for me, it was him losing the ball in the first half. Silly you may think, but seeing Wells then bust a gut to retrieve it highlighted how hard this team was willing to work for each other.

SAM_1033Both goal scorers will grab the headlines, but they were aided by the team’s wide men. The two wingers had a hand in all three goals, with Kyel Reid producing one of his best performances of this season. After missing out on an appearance in the League Cup Final, Reid appeared to really enjoy his moment. I remember specifically, at one point, hearing the roar of those fans on the half way line. I was initially unsure what generated this sudden noise, only to see Reid geeing up the crowd. It’s these little moments that really stand out in my mind.

Like Reid, Gary Thompson had the better of his marker all game. I’ve always rated his footballing ability, but on Saturday it was his awareness in the penalty area that was most impressive. Both goals he played a part in were situations that could have caused a player to panic, but Thompson was coolness personified to pick out both strikers.

Nathan Doyle also got in on the act as a provider, setting up the second goal. It was deft ball to find Rory McArdle and it highlighted the all-round class which he has. Northampton are a physical team and we needed someone to match them. I felt Doyle was that man. At times he was robust, chomping at opponents feet. On other occasions, he was spreading the ball effortlessly around midfield.

SAM_1100Doyle justified his selection and I thought his work in tandem with Gary Jones overawed the Cobblers. Jones was again simply awesome in all aspects of the game. To see him salute and bow down the crowd really emphasised the strong relationship that has formed between the skipper and the fans. Previous generations of City fans talk about the idol, Stuart McCall. For this generation, we now have Gary Jones.

Talking of leaders, the centre halves were again first class. Firstly, McArdle’s goal is potentially as iconic as his header again Villa. If anything it was nearly an exact replica. I have talked in depth before about my feelings when he scored that goal and it was a surreal experience to have the exact same emotions this time round. Going 2-0 up changed the mood from possibility to a reality.

McArdle again was on hand to battle Clive Platt and, later, Adebayo Akinfenwa with Andrew Davies. The pair were fantastic foils for each other, with Davies his usual classy self. His positioning, reading of the game and ability to win balls that he shouldn’t were all on show on Saturday. Davies’ strengths are well documented and when the team needed him the most he was at his best.

The defensive quartet had so much balance and this largely due to the full backs. Stephen Darby’s cult status among the fans is growing and his performance on Saturday showed why. I felt Northampton’s tricky winger, Ishmel Demontagnac, was a potential match winner; but Darby completely nullified him. First and foremost he is a defender, but Darby offers so much energy in attack. This is such an advantage and, at times, Northampton didn’t know how to handle our forward surges from both right and left flank.

Like Darby, James Meredith, was brilliant. I should probably describe his role in the build up for the first goal, but it’s not the first thing I think of from Meredith’s appearance on Saturday. Midway through the second half, he won the ball in a crunching tackle. Able to quickly get back to his feet, he bombed forward in his menacing style and, in tandem with Reid, was able to win us a corner.

It’s amazing how important Darby and Meredith are in both attack and defence. Full backs don’t grab the attention that, say, a striker does; but these two offer so much to the team and both set the tone.

SAM_1086Wembley is a wonderful venue and the fans have fabulous views from which ever seat they sit in. However, there was one person with the best view of all – goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin. That’s not meant to be disrespectful to Jon, but his team-mates in front of him made it so difficult for Northampton to get near City’s keeper. McLaughlin played a whole game relatively untested. When they did, most notably with the long throw in, he was up to the task, confidently taking through the barrages.

If there is an image of Jon on Saturday that I will remember, it is the one of him and Matt Duke side by side, trophy in hands, celebrating promotion together. Being a goalkeeper must be a lonely and sometimes selfish position. Our two keepers have battled against each other all season, but there is obviously a kinship between the pair.

It is here where my main point of this article lies. All these players have driven each other on to bigger and better things. Yes we have our stars, but our achievement on Saturday was down to the squad. Ricky Ravenhill deserved his run out. Whilst he may not have started the showpiece event, he has contributed massively in getting there. The same can be said of Alan Connell, Zavon Hines, Will Atkinson, Carl McHugh and Michael Nelson.

SAM_1125This team ethos runs through to the management as well. Phil Parkinson is our leader and rightly deserves all the praise he received. But can you find an assistant as liked by us fans than Steve Parkin, or a fitness coach like Nick Allamby? The fact that Parkinson wants the contracts of his backroom staff sorted out at the same time as his own sums up the unity both on and off the pitch.

Saturday was unreal and I am so proud of this team. Alex summed it perfectly when he wrote, “The thing about this team which makes all of this so perfect is that the entire squad, each one of them, are so likeable. They give everything they have in every moment, they never know when they are beaten, and the morale, the atmosphere is fantastic.”

Well done, Team Claret and Amber.

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Present perfect

18 May

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Bradford City 3

Hanson 15, McArdle 19, Wells 28

Northampton Town 0

(Bradford City promoted to League One)

Saturday 18 May, 2013

Written by Alex Scott

(Images by Jason McKeown)

They have done it. After six years of toiling away in the bottom tier, Bradford City have done it.

Saving their best performance for the most important moment, Phil Parkinson’s men were dominant upon the same Wembley turf which they were humbled not three months ago. I haven’t really bought into the redemption narrative (that never felt like the point of this journey), but for those that did, any demons haunting their dreams have been well and truly exorcised.

This season has played out like a novel. The story seemed predestined. The tracks were laid. It was meant to be this way. It wasn’t that “you couldn’t write it”, because you could. This is exactly how you’d write it. The weird thing is that it actually happened. To talk of fate diminishes the sensational reality these players have delivered, but how can you not think about it? Everything that happened today felt like a callback to a seed laid months before.

In their 64th and final game, City reached a level of performance they only ever hinted at amongst the first 63. I can’t remember a Bradford City team look that assured, that dominant. To a man, they were flawless.

Picking up where they left off against Burton, City rendered Northampton helpless. Bradford looked like a team that could have beaten Aidy Boothroyd’s men in any number of ways; Northampton’s cupboard was bare from the beginning.

It is difficult to separate the two moments which have defined this year, despite the fact they were almost polar opposites. Whereas the Swansea encounter felt like more of an ‘event’, today was a football game. This was a day for real football fans, the real reason we do all this, and it was a real football game. And what a game it was.

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From minute one City were on top, and by the time anyone had time to breathe, the game was over as a contest. The 90 minutes of football from half time at the Pirelli, to half time at Wembley may have been the best in 15 years. A combined 5-1 against two of the stingiest defences, and best teams, in the division. Especially in the manner it was done, with it always looking like there was more to come.

The opening quarter of an hour saw City begin to bang on the door; the second saw it irrecoverably blown off its hinges.

James Hanson opened the scoring with a wonderful looping header back across Lee Nicholls after the reputably dominant Northampton back line again failed to reorganise, leaving Garry Thompson uncovered at the back post before he picked out the big number nine with a delicate lob across the six yard box. The Cobblers demise felt inescapable already.

The big man was unstoppable today. From beginning to end he won everything in the air, and did so against the most aerially dominantly League Two side in years. Today James Hanson fulfilled his destiny, achieving the goal he could never reach, leading us out of League Two. We can no longer underestimate his value. He led. He dominated. He put in the best performance of his career.

City’s lead was quickly doubled as Nathan Doyle wonderfully picked out Rory McArdle who reprised, almost exactly, his goal against Aston Villa with a bullet header at the near post after losing his man. Boothroyd’s men were reeling, and City dropped the hammer not long later, with a typically predatory Nahki Wells finish. The game was over before the half hour mark. These players hit their ceiling, their apex. They could have won the game by as many as they wanted to. It will never get better than that.

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The defence were magnificent in the face of constant aerial pressure. The past two games have seen Andrew Davies highlight exactly why he is so important to this team, in both games laying the foundation for the attackers to flourish. McArdle alongside him was as good as he has ever been, and in Stephen Darby (baby) and James Meredith, City may have the best young full back pairing outside of the Championship.

Gary Jones was majestic, again. He and Nathan Doyle controlled the middle of the field from beginning to end. Jones is the heart of the team, and in only a season has ensured his bust in the Bradford City Hall of Fame. Parkinson spoke about his attempts to install a new culture at the club last summer, and no one has been more important in that than Gary Jones. He is irreplaceable. He is magic.

The thing about this team which makes all of this so perfect is that the entire squad, each one of them, are so likeable. They give everything they have in every moment, they never know when they are beaten, and the morale, the atmosphere is fantastic. To see a man like Alan Connell, who has every right to be frustrated, be this happy is just a delight, and sums everything great about this squad up, These men have rewritten the destiny of Bradford City Football Club.

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Not many have played a more important role than Wells, who in perhaps his final act in claret and amber demonstrated everything that makes him so special, a phenomenal display, sealing another man of the match award. He finishes this marathon season with eight goals in the final eight games, and it speaks volumes for the heights he may be able to grace that he has come through so wonderfully when it mattered most. A fact true for the whole team, actually.

If this side were going to make the leap from good to great, it was always going to be on the shoulders of the Bermudian, and again he didn’t disappoint. Clarke Carlisle and Nathan Cameron were left tangled in his wake.

The outmanned central defensive pairing for the Cobblers epitomised their team’s performance. Never at any point did they threaten. Save a handful of impressive punches and catches from Northampton long throws, Jon McLaughlin was untested.

Boothroyd’s men were abject from start to finish and as a group of fans who know all too well about being outclassed on the biggest stage, there is sympathy with the Northampton fans, who really can’t have enjoyed that. Their team were set up in a way that (in hindsight) appears naive, and their players froze.

I’m not sure how much difference it would have made had their players shown up, as rampant as their opponents were.

There isn’t anything I can say about Phil Parkinson’s job this year that would do him justice. He has been vindicated in every decision he has made. He has been the catalyst that brought this club from the bottom of the Football League, to these magical heights in a matter of 18 months. Today will go down on the short list of our club’s greatest days, a short list within which he is already a frequent character.

As time passes and we look back, these players will go down in history amongst our pantheon of our greatest. To a man, they’ve all made a critical contribution at one point or another. But that isn’t really relevant today. What is relevant is that the club is now in place to keep its core, its young core, together and this wonderful story, this wonderful ending, may only be a beginning. The present is perfect; the future could be anything.

They have done it. They have really done it. And they have really done it in the best possible manner. They have earned it; they have deserved it. The gulf in class between the two sides on display at The Home Of Football was inescapable.

And in the end, the truth came through to the fore: it was a League Two team playing a League One team.

City: McLaughlin, Darby, McArdle, Davies, Meredith, Thompson, Jones, Doyle (Ravenhill 87), Reid (Atkinson 78), Hanson, Wells (Connell 85)

Not use: Duke, McHugh, Nelson, Hines

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Burton 1 City 3 (4-5 agg): How the players rated

6 May

2013-05-05 14.13.54

By Mark Scully

Jon McLaughlin – 8

Another excellent performance from the in-form keeper, who in recent weeks has made a string of fine saves. Sunday at the Pirelli was no different for Jonny Mac – City’s No.1 denied Burton’s Robbie Weir in the first half with a great full stretch save, and in the second 45, straight after Wells had put City 3-1 up, he produced a key save to deny Burton a route back into the tie.

Stephen Darby – 9

After Thursday’s difficult performance on both a team and individual level, Stephen Darby was back to his best on Sunday. As many have stated previously he is a Mr Reliable team member, but at Valley Parade last week he couldn’t deal with Burton’s danger man, Jacques Maghoma. At the Pirelli, the only real time Maghoma beat Darby was for the home side’s penalty, when City’s right back got sold with a brilliant piece of skill by the tricky winger.

Andrew Davies – 10

Thursday night highlighted how much we need and miss Andrew Davies. At Valley Parade, Calvin Zola had the beating of Nelson and McArdle; but put Davies into the equation and Zola just sits in his pocket. In the whole game I can only remember the big striker turning Davies once and he sliced it high and wide. Personally my man of the match. Davo was immense.

Rory McArdle – 8

Bring back Davies and Rory McArdle looks a different player. I’m not knocking Nelson, but as a player surely you’d want to play alongside Davies – who game in game out performs excellently and ensures his fellow defenders stay calm. The return of Davies allowed McArdle to look after either Maghoma or, later in the game, Billy Kee. And his performance was far better than Thursday – the marathon man was back to his best.

James Meredith – 8

I thought Thursday night’s first leg defeat was one of the worst performances I had seen James Meredith have in a City shirt. But again, like Darby and McArdle, the Aussie was back to his best at the Pirelli. A calm confident performance; getting himself forward whenever possible and linking up well with Reid. A play off final appearance is the least Mezza deserves after illness cruelly denied the left back a League Cup Final appearance.

Garry Thompson – 7

My man of the match from the first leg had another good game at Burton; although Garry Thompson’s needless rash tackle on Maghoma, which resulted in the penalty (not fully convinced it was in the area), had the potential to have grave consequences for the Bantams. One of the star performers in the second half of the season, Thompson will again be hoping to start at Wembley in a couple of weeks time.

Gary Jones – 9

Magicman Gary Jones had a poor game by his very high standard on Thursdays, but on Sunday he was back to what we have all come to expect. He leads from the front and is a true inspiration to his team mates. Jones’ full time celebrations typified the man – I’ve never seen a non-Bradfordian or home-grown player show so much passion for the club. A club legend already and, if that’s a little early, lifting the play off final trophy in a couple of weeks’ time would surely grant him such status.

Nathan Doyle – 9

Sunday’s game was Nathan Doyle at his best. A physical performance that we missed badly in the fist leg, where Burton dominated the midfield area. Doyley lost form after the League Cup Final, but his performance at Burton will probably put him in the starting line up for Northampton and rightly so in my opinion. On their day there isn’t a better midfield partnership in the division than Doyle and Jones.

Kyel Reid – 7

A steady game by Kyel Reid, lively at times and did his fair share of tracking back when required. Hopefully he can stay fit over the next couple of weeks and get onto the Wembley turf, to make up for his disappointment of not playing in the Cup Final.

James Hanson – 10

The big man again shone at Burton. Often James Hanson goes under the radar when it comes to praise, but his performance on Sunday alongside Wells was immense. His goal was sensational – a first time strike on his weaker foot! In the words of Andy Gray (not ours!) ‘take a bow son!’

He dominated the Burton backline in the air and held the ball up numerous times to bring others into play. Similar to the Doyle/Jones partnership, as strike forces go in League Two, Hanson and Wells have to be amongst the best. He could have made the afternoon a lot easier had he put away what seemed an easy chance late on, ballooning his shot high and wide.

Nahki Wells – 10

It’s all or nothing with Nahki Wells. On his day he is unplayable, but on other days it’s like playing with 10 men. Thankfully, when it really mattered, Wells rose to the challenge. He worked the channels really well and ran himself into the ground for the team. His first goal came about because he gambled about the header falling short to the keeper. His second was a typical striker’s goal, getting on the end of Hanson’s knock down before turning the defender in the 6-yard box and slotting home.

Wells will be hoping to get more game time this time around at Wembley compared to last February, when sadly he had to depart after Matt Duke was given his marching orders. If Wells is going to leave for a bigger club in the summer, then what better way to sign off his time at Bradford than firing us into League One?

Substitutes:

Will Atkinson – 6

Didn’t have that long on the field to make a massive impression, but Will Atkinson provided cover for Meredith when required and should have won a penalty when his cut back was clearly handled in the area.

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Bradford City bring back good times with Wembley return

5 May

2013-05-05 13.56.28

Burton Albion 1

Maghoma 55 (pen)

Bradford City 3

Wells 27+57, Hanson 50

(Bradford City win 5-4 on aggregate)

Sunday 2 May, 2013

By Jason McKeown

Supporting Bradford City has never been easy. You are mocked and pitied by others. You endure lots of terrible football. Disappointment becomes second nature, because it seems like, wherever you place the bar of expectation, the club will usually fall well below it. The glory days had become something from a different era. We’ve experienced some very difficult and dark times.

Which makes days like today so much more special. After enduring years of failure, testing your faith and testing your sanity, today City got their day of celebration. Today, years of frustration, heartbreak and so, so many home defeats has been rewarded. Today, every reason for supporting Bradford City was vindicated. Today.

The scenes at full time, after Bradford City had defied the odds, once again, to book a second trip of the season to Wembley, will live in the memory forever. They were every bit as electrifying as the best ever moments supporting the club. Some who were there for Blackpool 17 years ago stated this was on a par. Being at Villa Park in January may or may not have shaded this, but it’s all academic. For a club that has achieved no success since 2000, to have two occasions like this in one season is astonishing.

Astonishing because of how good it tastes. The memories of Wolves, Blackpool, Liverpool etc were beginning to fade. The mind plays tricks – were they really that good, or have we just built up a halcyon recollection of emotions that we could never possibly hope to relive again? The truth is we’d forgotten what this felt like. How amazing it is to feel this happy following your football club.

Supporting Bradford City has never been easy, but on days like this it is impossible to imagine ever wanting to do anything but.

All of which masks what was, in truth, a terrifying ordeal. Three days on from seemingly throwing promotion hopes away with that dismal first 45 minutes at Valley Parade, hope had been allowed to grow and theories of how we could turn it around given wings to fly. Beforehand I was hugely confident that we could do it, but as soon as the match kicked off I instantly questioned my stupidity in what I had been thinking. Have I just set myself up for another terrible let down? As Burton charged forwards in the opening minutes, the temptation to run out of the stadium and go home there and then was strong.

Even when City took the lead 27 minutes in, my nerves only increased when they should have eased. A horrendous misjudgement by Burton defender Marcus Holness – an attempted back header to keeper Stuart Tomlinson falling well short – allowed Nahki Wells to steal in and tap the ball home. Everyone went barmy. I could not jump up down myself, as I was hugged by people either side of me and from the row in front. Manic, but brilliant. From being 3-1 down at half time on Thursday, City had pulled the aggregate score back to 3-3. That’s why my anxiety grew. It was now in our hands. That was scary.

The goal had followed a half hour of nothingness. Andrew Davies, back from suspension, handled the still-strong Calvin Zola excellently, and Jacques Maghoma was kept quiet by a much improved Stephen Darby. Jon McLaughlin made one good save, but Phil Parkinson would later talk about the huge psychological advantage City gained from Burton resorting to 4-4-2 mid-way through the half, as the Brewer’s first leg tactics were nullified.

Indeed Burton were on the ropes. Wells’ goal unravelling their composure and revealing their insecurity. A few seconds later a scramble in the box resulted in the referee Graham Scott blowing for a City penalty and it seemed like we had one foot at Wembley. Alas, Wells was ruled to be offside in the build up and the linesman persuaded Scott to award a Burton goal kick instead. But it was still a blow of some sorts to Burton. They were hanging on, and we had nearly exposed the thinness of the margins.

Five minutes into the second half, and Gary Jones – back to his magnificent best after a no-show Thursday – sent Wells away down City’s right. He was challenged, but the ball ricocheted central towards the edge of the penalty area where James Hanson was charging forwards. A powerful low finish – Tomlinson could not get near it – and the back of the net ruffled. A huge roar. The celebrations were immense both on and off the pitch. In a season of incredible moments, this was right up there with the best.

A fitting goalscorer too. Hanson had played well Thursday but was widely criticised, as usual. Today he was unplayable. Sensational. For how much Zola has been praised over the last few days and Hanson compared unfavourably, today James’ critics must once again eat their words. He and Wells gave the performances of their lives, and Burton could not cope. Hope was turning into realism. Wembley on the horizon.

A scare came five minutes later when the home side finally came to life. Maghoma got away from Darby, and Garry Thompson’s desperate lunge to deny him a shot on goal resulted in a penalty. It is claimed that the challenge was outside the box. It is also claimed Thompson was the last man and should have gone. After the handball antics of the first leg, Burton were in no position to take the high ground on the latter point.

So just like on Thursday, the 2-0 down home side pulled one back from the penalty spot – Maghoma doing the business – but just like Thursday, the away side responded quickly. It took all of two minutes for Wells to restore City’s lead with a clever turn and shot that Tomlinson might have made a better fist of keeping out. The ball trickled slowly over the line and we were in dreamland.

Looking from the outside, the last half an hour must have seemed curiously routine for City. Burton were shot to pieces. Their attempts at coming back lacked confidence or conviction. A couple of half chances were dealt with by McLaughlin, but for the most part City reduced them to pot shots from distance that were so wayward they flew out of the ground. Meanwhile City continued to attack in a measured way, looking more likely to score.

Being on the inside, however, the last half an hour was utter torture. Burton only needed one goal to force extra time, and the minutes ticked by painfully slowly. My heart was beating so fast. My breathing got heavier and heavier. At times I had to turn the other way and stop watching the game. From being all over at half time on Thursday to the brink of Wembley, the prize was too important for anything but total devastation to occur if we let this slip from our grasp. City had two very, very strong penalty appeals turned away that might have made it safer. Where six minutes of injury time came from is a mystery.

But we were magnificent. Nathan Doyle’s return to the starting XI bringing calm and rational-thought to City’s play. Davies – complete with a head bandage in the second half – sensational at the back. Jones, Meredith, Darby, Reid, Thompson, Rory McArdle – pillars of strength. For how brilliant Burton were on Thursday, City were doubly impressive today. For how much we froze on Thursday, Burton were now the ones who had bottled it.

Finally, the final whistle. Cue the celebrations. Me and my wife hugged each other and I realised that she was in tears. The last time she had cried at City, we were 4-0 down to Swansea at Wembley. I started supporting City in 1997, so have seen some good times at least. She saw her first City match in 2002 and unfortunately could not join me at Villa Park. I’m so glad that she has at last experienced this kind of magical moment.

Some fans invaded the pitch, but the police’s heavy handiness discouraged others from joining. Instead the players were able to party in front of us. Dancing up and down to our chants, throwing their shirts into the crowd. The highlight for me – and it was possibly the highlight of the whole day – was Parkinson’s pumped up celebrations as he ran around the pitch. It’s no secret that I am a big, big Parkinson fan to the point I irritate others. I’m so pleased for him. He endured some strong criticism post Wembley that was undeserved. Please, dear reader, join me in rugby tackling Parkinson and not letting him back up until he signs that bloody contract.

The players went inside, but we were not going home until they came back out. In the meantime Mark Lawn leapt from the director’s box to pitchside and was hugged by fans at the front of the stand. Finally our heroes came back. It was still early afternoon, and the party was just getting started. Talk of Wembley is great, but let’s enjoy this achievement first.

“We’re proud of you” was the chant from the City fans and how well deserved it was. As fans we’ve spent years booing and jeering, singing “you’re not fit to wear the shirt” and, once, “love the club, hate the team”. “We’re proud of you” is praise indeed and the players and management deserve every bit of credit coming to them and more. Magnificent. Thank you.

But football supporting is, first and foremost, a selfish thing, and today belonged to us, the fans. It has been an incredibly difficult 13 years supporting Bradford City. The bad times have completely outweighed the little good. That we still have a club to support has been our biggest – neigh, our only – achievement. And it is for days like this that we put in all their effort, spend all that money, and sing all those songs following the club up and down the country.

Days like this, when, for once, the sun shines on our wonderful football club.

City: McLaughlin, Darby, Davies, McArdle, Meredith, Thompson, Doyle, Jones, Reid (Atkinson 73), Hanson, Wells

Not used: Duke, Nelson, McHugh, Ravenhill Hines, Connell

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Bradford City 2 Burton Albion 3 – how the players rated

3 May

2013-05-02 21.07.44

By Gareth Walker

Jon McLaughlin – 7

Had no chance with any of the three well-taken Burton goals, but McLaughlin did produce one outstanding stop with his feet from a one-on-one situation that might hopefully prove vital. He wasn’t helped last night by the poor performances of the back four, but his communication with his defence still worries me at times and almost led to a shambolic mix up with McArdle in the second half.

Stephen Darby – 5

I recently described Stephen as possibly the unsung hero of the team. He has been Mr Reliable for large parts of the season, but last night was possibly the worst game that I have seen him have for quite a while. He looked petrified every time Jacques Maghoma got the ball and was largely at fault for the first goal by standing off his man allowing Maghoma to cross. He did improve slightly after the break and tried to get forward towards the end.

Michael Nelson – 4

To say that we missed Andrew Davies last night is a massive understatement. Nelson is normally a solid League Two defender who dominates in the air and this makes up for his poor distribution. Sadly last night, he was well and truly dominated by Zola and had a game to forget.

Rory McArdle – 4

City’s Marathon Man has been a little bit shaky since his injury just before Wembley, and last night it started to look like this arduous campaign might have finally caught up with him. At least partly at fault for Burton’s second goal. Along with Nelson, he couldn’t handle Zola and, again, his distribution has never been his strong point.

Whether we point a finger at Davies for getting needlessly sent off at Cheltenham or at Phil Parkinson for running the risk with playing City’s leader at the back when he was already on a yellow card is unclear, but Davies is sure to come back into the side on Sunday. I don’t think that Zola would have enjoyed such a good game if Davies had been playing and, to be honest, neither of last night’s centre backs could really complain if they were dropped to accommodate him coming back into the team.

James Meredith – 5

Similarly to Darby, I don’t think that I’ve seen Meredith have such a poor game before. Completely went to sleep and lost his man for Burton’s third goal, and his link up play wasn’t to its usual standard. Again, Meredith improved slightly after the break and looked more of himself, when his usual partner on the left, Kyel Reid, entered the fray.

Garry Thompson – 7

One of the few City players who did himself any kind of justice. Thompson looked the most likely of any of our players to create something and he never stopped working. He capped his performance off with a stunning goal that keeps us clinging onto the tie by our finger tips. Thompson has become a key player for the team over recent weeks and he was my man of the match last night.

Gary Jones – 6

Jones was well below his usual standards in the first half and his passing was often astray. Another player who improved after the break and tried to drive the team on in his usual style. Garry Thompson’s shot looked to skim off his head for City’s second goal and, again, I am clinging on to the hope that this could prove vital.

Ricky Ravenhill – 5

I can’t remember noticing Ravenhill too much last night and I had almost forgotten that he was on the pitch until he was substituted. City’s form player of recent weeks wasn’t his usual busy self, and maybe this was one of the reasons why Burton seemed to play the better football.

Will Atkinson – 5

Another player who was almost anonymous. Atkinson could easily be described as City’s most improved player this season, but he hasn’t featured in the team much since the Cup Final. It was a big surprise when neither Kyel Reid or Zavon Hines started the game last night, because I can’t remember the last time that neither of these two started a home game. We understand that Reid wasn’t fit enough to start the game, but Phol Parkinson has previously stuck with Hines when Reid has been unavailable despite his obvious deficiencies on the left, and I was shocked at the change in approach last night.

Maybe it was because our management team expected Burton to pack the midfield. Whatever the reason, it didn’t work and City looked drastically short of an outlet or any width, which resulted in too many long balls being played up to James Hanson.

James Hanson – 7

Last night was the ideal opportunity for many supporters to get on Hanson’s back but, in my mind, he didn’t do too much wrong other than miss his only chance near the end, and he was far better than many of his team mates.

Hanson battled admirably against the solid Burton defence and won his fair share in the air which he had to do, as it seemed to be our only tactic at times. James often gets a rough deal out of referees and last night was no different as he was punished for the most minor of indiscretions, whereas Zola seemed to get a free ride at the other end of the pitch in particular with a couple of dubious looking hand balls.

Nahki Wells – 5

Something of an enigma last night. Wells put his penalty away when he was called upon, despite probably wondering, like the rest of us, why a red card hadn’t been shown to the offender. However, Wells appeared to becoming more and more frustrated with the long ball tactics as the game wore on. Spent a lot of time in the second half diving on the floor looking for free kicks and it became almost embarrassing to watch.

The complete airshot as he tried to pirouette and switch feet in the second half when it looked easier to score somewhat summed up Nahki’s performance. He missed a couple of other decent chances too, which you would normally have expected him to score.

Substitutes:

Kyel Reid – 7

Looked a threat when he came on, but Reid’s clear shortage of fitness probably prevented him from turning the game around. He was on the end of a shocking challenge in front of the main stand that somehow only resulted in a booking. His performance against Burton in the cup earlier in the season, coupled with the nervousness of the opposition when he came on last night might give us a glimmer of hope if he is fit enough to start the return leg on Sunday.

Nathan Doyle – 6

Doyle made a difference when he came on because of his physical presence and his ability to pick a pass. I wouldn’t be surprised if he starts the game on Sunday.

Alan Connell – N/A

Was given his standard poultry allowance of just a few minutes to try to change the game. Connell didn’t really have time to get involved, but frustratingly attempted an overhead kick from the edge of the box near the end when he had a simple pass available to Darby who was galloping into acres of space on the wing.

Connell’s comment on BBC Radio Leeds, after the game, that he won’t hold his breath about starting the game on Sunday may indicate that his future lies away from the club. This would be hugely disappointing in my mind as he is clearly a quality player at League Two level.

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