Tag Archives: Wigan Athletic

Ugly scenes reflect badly on Bradford City supporters

15 Apr

woap 1

By Mahesh Johal

Roberto Martinez made a poignant point about Wigan’s supporters after his team’s eventful FA Cup Semi Final win over Millwall. Criticised for the number of unsold tickets for the Wembley occasion, Martinez argued that Wigan should be remembered for the quality of their fans rather than their quantity.

When compared to Millwall followers, Martinez’s view holds weight. Bradford City’s own trip to the national stadium saw the club praised for their wonderful support. In the last minutes of our game at Wembley, we waved our club colours and flags with pride. In the last minutes of theirs, Millwall fought with each other and the police.

Bradford City have a fan base which is both heavy in quality and quantity. Saturday’s trip to Chesterfield proved this. The atmosphere generated from the near three thousand at the Proact Stadium was the best I have been to this season in the league. There was a strong sense of belief in the North Stand that a victory over the Spireites could set up the most unimaginable automation promotion. There was a definite bite in the air on Saturday. Maybe it was the anticipation of the outcome which gave the day its edge.

But as the game progressed, this edge and bite started to descende into an uncomfortable sensation which I rarely feel at Bradford matches. The release of smoke flares did not help the situation amongst some City fans. It’s easy to understand why many were disappointed by their release. I don’t think whoever set them off intentionally meant to upset people. I think it was a person caught up in the moment and frankly did not understand the pain it could cause.

Flares have become more regular in English football stadia. However our circumstances are different to any other club in the country. For that reason, one would hope that we don’t see them return in games that City play in.

The confidence that City fans had at the start of the day soon turned to arrogance. Standing in the walkways, a set of fans towards the bottom of the North Stand seemed to get along with the stewards monitoring them. These stewards realised that City fans were in Chesterfield for a good time and, from my position, things appeared fine. However, as the game progressed, the shift in atmosphere was epitomises by the chant “We’ll do what we want”. I have never been a fan of the chant and Saturday’s tone and rendition made me dislike it even more.

It seemed that Ricky Ravenhill goal opened an underlying tension which threated to spill over, as fans entered the field of play. From what I could see and have since read from social media sites, the ejection of a young fan from the stadium was an instigator. I saw a young teenager being walked off the pitch by a steward, whilst several City fans ran to pull the youngster back. I’m not sure if this was the sole reason for the unsavoury scenes at the full time whistle, but it seemed to be a contributing factor.

Some have also said a steward’s over-zealous celebration of Chesterfield’s late equaliser further incensed fans. Maybe it was the emotion and the pressure of the game, or other factors I don’t know about, which got the better of individuals.

Either way, there is nothing that can justify the disgraceful scenes after the final whistle, where fans and stewards battled each other and punches were thrown. Violence, hooliganism, or whatever you want to call it, is for some reason interconnected with football. Whilst wrong, it does not surprise me seeing it at football matches. But it was the pure hostility of ‘fans’ kicking or thumping advertising boards and worse, individuals spitting and chucking objects at the stewards which really shocked me.

Towards the end of the game, some tried to surround a Chesterfield player who was getting a ball near the advertising boards. I have never seen this kind of vileness before in a City end. It left a very bitter taste in my mouth after the game. We are a proud club, and the actions of a small minority is damaging the fine reputation which has been built. It should be emphasised that this is a minority, but even so, their actions cannot be tolerated.

We as fans expect our players to represent our club in the best way that they can. However, our club also expect us, the fans, to represent it in the best way we can! The actions of a small few did hold their side of the bargain on Saturday.

Tags: , , ,

The eyes of the world are upon us, but it is what we see with our own that matters

28 Jan

DSCF6348

By Jason McKeown

If I have one regret about Bradford City’s time in the Premier League, purely from the perspective of being a supporter, it was the lack of interest I took in the national media coverage at the time. I barely read any newspapers, paid little attention to what they said on 5Live and – although I watched Match of the Day most weeks – rarely recorded an episode for prosperity. Over the subsequent years of City rarely being mentioned outside of our local media outlets, and beyond a 20-second clip of the weekend’s goals on an ITV/BBC highlights programme, it felt like the media glare of the Premier League days had been a missed opportunity.

So the current media storm around the club is a wonderful feeling, stirring memories of how it felt being a large part of the nation’s consciousness at the turn of the millennium. Yet in other ways it feels less engaging than I imagined it would be. I don’t find myself trawling through every column inch that every newspaper is affording us, when over the last few years any tiny scrap of national media attention was considered something to savour. I feel a bit blasé about us appearing on Sky Sports News so often.

Don’t get me wrong, it is lovely still. I am proud as punch when I read the likes of Henry Winter, Oliver Kay and David Conn – personal heroes of mine – writing such positive things about our cup exploits. Martin Tyler is the king of commentators for me, and re-watching both legs of the Aston Villa semi final are enhanced by the way the Sky man superbly captures the emotion of the occasion. It’s also fantastic to see such wonderfully kind people like Gary Jones, Matt Duke, Carl McHugh and James Hanson being interviewed in-depth by newspapers and TV – they deserve it. But a lot of the other media coverage is just noise. Quantity making it harder to pick out the quality. This isn’t a moan at all, just a personal surprise that the novelty factor hasn’t lasted quite as long as I might have expected.

Part of this reason of reserved feelings is the sharing of something so personally important and precious to you with people who don’t hold that same love and care of attention. For all the very high quality articles that have been produced, it’s not hard to find others littered with factual errors and even spelling mistakes. Zavon Hines got the opening goal in the first leg against Villa, apparently. As supporters, we have such an in-depth level of knowledge about our specialist subject of Bradford City, that reading, hearing or viewing somebody else wilfully display their comparative ignorance can be irritating. As Alan Partridge once said, “Stop getting Bond wrong”.

Then there are the idiots, ones who try to take advantage of the situation to further their own standing. As we pulled up to Villa Park last Tuesday, Talksport presenter Adrian Durham was telling a national radio audience that a Bradford City win this evening would be a bad thing for English football. His reasoning? If we were to earn a spot in the Europa League, it would reflect badly on the nation when we inevitably bowed out of the competition straight away. Don’t bother trying to pick holes in Durham’s argument – such as why one of the greatest modern day football fairy tales football should be considered less important than who next season might represent England in a competition most people couldn’t give a toss about. Durham didn’t mean what he said; he was just trying to get a reaction.

In a flash I was taken back to our Premier League days, and a name that became synonymous with our battle against the odds during 1999/00: Rodney Marsh. A run-of-the-mill pundit on Sky (but great player, so I’m told), on the eve of that season Marsh predicted we would have no chance of staying up and went on to attack our efforts on a weekly basis. “If Bradford stay up I will shave my head” was his bold claim. “Are you watching Rodney Marsh?” was our defiant chant whenever we won.

But it wasn’t long after Marsh was forced into the ‘humiliation’ of having his head shaved at Valley Parade that you realised that, ultimately, he was never concerned with whether he was going to be proven right or wrong, or stupid. He was simply furthering his own punditry career by spouting controversial views, to gain attention. And it worked for him (for a time). He rode on the back of our success, and we had no choice but to put him on the map.

Durham’s efforts are similarly intended: look at me. He doesn’t think that City winning the League Cup would be bad for English football, deep down – what right-thinking football fan would? – he just wanted the attention and to stand out from the bulging media crowd. Ignore him.

Equally disappointing is the sudden volume of attacks Bradford City have experienced from other football supporters. Sure, 99% have been magnificent towards us – even followers of our near neighbours Huddersfield and Leeds – but a minority have used this moment to attack the club over the two spells of administration experienced ten and eight years ago respectively. One typical comment was the sarcastic, “Good for plucky little minnows Bradford and their 25,000 all-seater £40m stadium and recent administration to escape millions in tax. A true football fairy tale.”

Given the colossal amount of football clubs who have gone through administration since us – many of whom renegaded on debt obligations in a quite shameful manner, with barely a bump in their on-the-field fortunes – for us to attacked in this way feels genuinely hurtful. I mean administration was far from our finest hour and no one is expecting sympathy for what we went through, but a quick look at how the club has sunk down the divisions since the double-administration – still saddled with some of the issues – would surely demonstrate that we have hardly profited from it. Or do we deserve a life sentence of never being happy again?

I guess this placing of everything Bradford City under the microscope in the manner that has occurred is always going to throw up a few bum notes. And the arrows that Durham, plus a few bitter rival fans, have attempted to throw at us should be weighed up against the incredible amount of goodwill and nice things that have been said about us. A minor voice in a sea of positive noise. But it all reinforces a natural urge to throw a protective cloak over this football club and the community of supporters. This is our life that you are talking about.

Because as fantastic as it is to be generating headlines around the world; to have a huge amount of work colleagues who want to talk City; to know that other football fans have opinions on Nahki Wells’ potential to play in the Championship; to be trending on Twitter; and to have many, many Bradford City fans suddenly rediscover a love for the club that had been lost – these aren’t, and shouldn’t, be dictating the mood. Merely providing the background.

I have enjoyed reading dozens and dozens of newspaper match reports of the Arsenal and Aston Villa home and away games, but I didn’t need to read them. I have re-watched all three televised on my Sky TV box, but when I close my eyes and picture those great evenings it is from the viewpoint of my place in the stadium rather than the multiple angles TV provides. I was fortunate to be there first hand to witness all the incredible evenings. Collecting from them a vast portfolio of happy memories – memories that will stay with me for many, many years to come. Witnessing history being made first hand, that is priceless. Everything else is a souvenir to remind you of this incredible journey.

Unsure of your travel plans to Wembley? Want to show your appreciation to the club for their cup run or to wish them luck? Get involved with our community pages.

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Bradford City vs Aston Villa build up: How we got here

8 Jan

It has been some journey to reach this point. Width of a Post writers recall their memories of how Bradford City have made it through five rounds of the League Cup to achieve a spot in the semi finals.

Round 1 – Notts County 0 City 1

@Meadow Lane on Saturday 11 August, 2012

By Jason McKeown

As is the law for the first game of the campaign, it was a lovely warm summer’s day and a mini-tour around the nearby Nottingham boozers put myself and friend Steve in the mood for another Bradford City season. Away to a very good League One side in the cup, in truth we didn’t expect much.

Yet backed by a near 900-strong City following (which included Jamie Lawrence, who was sat some 10 rows in front of us), the players did us proud with an accomplished away performance that deserved a place in round two. The standout memories for me included it being the first time we saw Will Atkinson impress in a City shirt. Will, who had been signed during the summer after an underwhelming loan spell the year before, played central midfield alongside the superb Gary Jones. He displayed commendable work-rate and produced a repertoire of flicks and clever passing that we’ve now come to expect from him. I also remember Yoann Arquinn missing an open goal for County in the last minute of normal time. It was up there with Ronny Rosenthal.

The goal itself was also special, coming five minutes into the first period of extra time. Nahki Wells linked up well with Kyel Reid, before the ball was played back for James Hanson to smash home from the edge of the penalty area. It was a quality finish by James, and it was a quality team display from Phil Parkinson’s new-look side. The season had begun in the best possible fashion, raising the bar to a level that has largely been maintained since.

Read the WOAP match report of Notts County 0 City 1

Round 2 – Watford 1 City 2

@Vicarage Road on Tuesday 28 August, 2012

By Tom Warden

There aren’t many places further from Bradfordians to go on a weekday evening than Hertfordshire, and the early rounds of a cup are never very enticing fare for Bantams fans as, lets face it, we normally aren’t very good in them.

However, this was personally a chance to get back into following my team. I was advised that the FA Cup tie there last year was a good day out and it gave me a chance to visit a ground that I hadn’t seen before, so why not? The second string sides put out by both Parkinson and Gianfranco Zola gave this a feel of a match which was more distraction than priority, but that did not mean the travelling fans who did make the journey saw a drab game, far from it.

Watford dominated proceedings, targeting debutant left-back Carl McHugh with diagonal balls which regularly caught him out, leading to him getting a severe rollicking from Rory McArdle. It’s amazing how Mchugh has stepped up to become an important player this season as, on this performance, I didn’t think he would get back into the side again! City created a few chances but as time wore on, it looked like the bookies would be right again.

Sure enough, Watford took the lead when Ikechi Anya latched onto a loose ball and sent a rocket past Jon McLaughlin into the top corner with 20 minutes to go. Oh well, we kind of expected to lose here, never mind. But then James Hanson and Kyel Reid came on, The physicality and trickery caused instant problems, and all of a sudden Reid was on hand to smash home after a bit of penalty box pinball, we started looking at watches, last train home or extra time? Luckily we didn’t have to make that choice; in the dying seconds Nathan Doyle hooked a free kick back into the area and the ball fell invitingly for Garry Thompson to drive home.

Watford deflated, we celebrated a bit of a scalp, a very productive evening, little did we know that there were much bigger scalps to come.

Read the WOAP match report of Watford 1 City 2

Round 3 – City 3 Burton 2 (AET)

@Valley Parade on Tuesday 25 September, 2012

City exit Valley Parade after defeating Burton Albion

City exit Valley Parade after defeating Burton Albion

By Gareth Walker

It was a last minute decision for me to attend this game, but boy am I glad I did!

The groans from all City fans would have been audible down in Burton when we drew them rather than one of the “Big Boys” for our third round clash. It wasn’t the draw we had hoped for after our massive performance down at Watford. To be fair it probably wasn’t the draw that Burton wanted either.

What both sets of supporters got however was one of the games of the season, particular from a City side who completely dominated despite going two goals down. Billy Kee and Aaron Webster had The Brewers two up totally against the run of play after just half an hour. City had been on top on a wet and windy night where the slippy pitch was proving troublesome for both goalkeepers.

We hadn’t had the luck of the bounce when Stuart Tomlinson had spilled numerous early shots, but Matt Duke had been beaten twice from three clear Burton chances. Webster’s headed goal coming from the third of these when he had been left unmarked for the second time at a corner in the space of about five minutes.

City had fielded a team with Alan Connell and Garry Thompson upfront amidst a number of players who needed game time. However, we were failing to turn our dominance of possession into goals. Cue the introduction of the Big Guns: Nahki Wells, Kyel Reid and James Hanson, to completely turn the game on its head. Having been introduced after an hour’s play, they turned our domination into clear cut chances, but it took until 83rd minute for us to pull one back when Wells scored a stunning volley from an angle.

Up until that point it looked as though it was just going to be one of those games as Burton threw their bodies on the line to block shot after shot. However, after the first goal City piled forward and got a deserved equaliser again through Wells after a bit of a scrappy corner move.

In extra time, there was only going to be one winner as Burton heads dropped and The Bantams had their tails up. Stephen Darby scored an absolute screamer to save us from penalties and we were the League Two side that went on to have another chance of getting a lucrative draw in Round Four.

Read the WOAP match report of City 3 Burton 2 (AET)

Round 4 – Wigan 0 City 0 (City won 4-2 on pens)

@DW Stadium on Tuesday 30 October, 2012

By Mark Danylczuk

A League Two side beating a Premier League team? You’d think it would be enough to make the first story on Sky Sports News, but a certain 12 goal thriller between Reading and Arsenal on the same evening made sure this was not the case.

However, we knew it was memorable. City last knocked out a Premier League club from the League Cup in September 1995, when we beat Nottingham Forest over two legs in the second round. But this time a new generation of City fans had witnessed their own piece of magic.

It wasn’t the glamour tie that we had all hoped for; but on the other hand, it was a Premier League team away from home and we knew that with a passionate following (possibly outnumbering the home fans), that we could roar the boys on to victory.

The journey for me started on a cold and rainy Tuesday morning at Victoria Station in London catching the train up to Manchester. Following a brief stop at the excellent National Football Museum (and a chance meeting with ex-City player Allan Gilliver), it was off to the DW Stadium. The rain didn’t let up in Wigan, but the sense of anticipation and the mass away following kept our spirits up.

The game itself was a very one-sided spectacle; virtually a game of attack and defend. City defended resolutely, Duke kept us in the game with some fantastic saves and Wigan missed a fair few chances. After 120 minutes of fingernail-biting tension, it was down to penalties with the City faithful confident of securing a famous upset and so it came; the misses of Shaun Moloney and then Jordi Gomez sending the City camp into raptures and securing a slot in the quarter finals.

On returning home and after catching up on the bizarre and incredible 7-5 at the Madejski, it was time to recap on City’s heroics on TV and the memories were enough to keep me entertained on the return coach journey to London the following morning.  That evening it was off to the pub to see the draw for the semi’s, and finally justice had arrived with the glamour tie of Arsenal and the potential of a full City ground and some coveted TV money.

Taking two days annual leave to watch a City match? Some people would think it crazy, but I, along with the 5,000 City fans, had the last laugh with the memorable stories to treasure from this evening.

Read the WOAP match report of Wigan 0 City 0 (City win 4-2 on pens)

Round 5 – City 1 Arsenal 1 (City win 3-2 on pens)

@Valley Parade on Tuesday 11 December, 2012

By Alex Scott

I wrote after the fact that it was the greatest feeling I’d ever had watching football, a statement I stand by. Perhaps the strangest part of the feeling was how it all fit the plan in my head. Everything happened the way it was supposed to, dramatically out of character for the team, and my own brand of perpetual ill-prepared chaos.

I ducked out of work at half three (shout out to FlexiTime) and scrambled up to King’s Cross for my train north. No delays, no dramas, I was in the ground for half seven.

My outward logic that ‘we probably won’t win, but if we did, and I missed it, I just couldn’t bear it’ was actually an act of self-delusion, in that I was far more confident than I let on. I could only see the game playing out in one of two ways, either the way we witnessed, or a 4-1 reverse. and I was actually confident! But I was scared. I couldn’t bring myself to tell anyone. Even on the train up, rolling out past the Emirates, being eyed suspiciously by a gaggle of red-and-white clad fans down the carriage (collective noun for drunk football fans?), I told them to watch for #21, but that ‘you’ll win comfortably’. I would never have characterised myself as superstitious before then, but my unwillingness to jinx anything overpowered any considered rationality I wish to emit.

Most nights before an early train, I spend my time staring at my watch mentally calculating the potential sleep remaining. That night it never even crossed my mind until I went to bed and set my alarm, noticing it was in 3 hours and 21 minutes time.

I don’t really remember much from the game, I remember it through the eyes of the Sky cameras, through Bill Leslie’s excitable commentary, and Peter Beagrie’s ever-increasing anxiety.

Unsurprisingly, the next day was a coffee-fuelled, uncommunicative haze. But walking into that Central London office at ten past nine, past my Arsenal-supporting peers, with one hand wrapped around my City scarf and the other around a large Americano is a moment I won’t soon forget.

2012-12-11 22.27.29

Read the WOAP match report of City 1 Arsenal 1 (City win 3-2 on pens)

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Bradford City vs Aston Villa build up: The Road from Wigan Pier

7 Jan

100_4370

By David Pendleton

I sat in the Orwell pub at Wigan looking out over the Leeds & Liverpool canal. In my mind’s eye I followed the silvery waters as they meander over the Pennines, forming an umbilical link between the great industrial towns and cities of the north. Liverpool aside, the canal seems to having a liking for towns whose football clubs encounters with the Premier League have been either brief, financially catastrophic or fraught with relegation fears: Wigan, Blackburn, Burnley, Bradford and Leeds.

To be truthful I was mentally composing a piece that would contrast the recent histories of Bradford City and Wigan Athletic set against a backdrop of a comprehensive defeat. The compensation of which would be the huge visiting support and the possibility that it signaled a change in attitudes at Valley Parade. I hardly dared dream of anything other than a defeat of acceptable margins, but I hoped that the return of the club’s self-belief, physically represented by the away end packed with five thousand noisy supporters, heralded a brighter future.

Fast-forward six weeks and in December 2012 Bradford City fans were relearning long forgotten skills: securing a match ticket as Valley Parade rapidly sold out. Not since the heady days of Wetherall, Beagrie and McCall (mark two) have supporters had sleepless nights worrying about getting into a match. Even more surprising is that the clamour for tickets is for the League Cup, a competition that until recently, in fact very recently, ranked below the JPT in City supporters’ lists of preference.

With the national media crawling all over Valley Parade it is easy to forget that at two-nil down against Burton Albion (or indeed one-nil down at Watford) the fans present didn’t appear too concerned. The Kop chanted the now ubiquitous ‘it’s only a cup’ ditty as City teetered on the brink. Even when it came to the penalty shoot out, and as Ricky Ravenhill limped to take the deciding spot kick, thoughts were more concerned with retaining our remarkable shoot out record than making the next round. Then in a mad whirl of a few weeks there was Wigan, Arsenal and Bradford City in the League Cup semi-final. Utter madness. It still takes some believing.

Is it possible to gain some perspective on the club’s achievement? As the years pass that will be made somewhat easier, for example if the semi-final appearance leads to a sustained push up the Football League then the cup run will be seen as a turning point; a full stop to the decade of decline that began with relegation from the Premier League in 2001.

However, it is worth reiterating that this is the club’s first cup semi-final since 1911 – fully 102 years. More remarkable is the contrast between Bradford City 1911 and Bradford City 2013. In 1911 City, along with our opponents Aston Villa, were one of the top five clubs in the country; in 2013 almost the entire length of the Football League separates the two sides. Although City are quite clearly no ordinary League Two side (in terms of support level, infrastructure and expectation) the fact remains that we ply our trade in the fourth tier of English football. To get to a semi-final is nothing short of stunning, especially when one considers the opponents we have disposed of en route. This has been no easy road and yet here we are standing within a few hours of Wembley and the League Cup Final.

To put this in its historical perspective, it is probably one of THE most remarkable feats in the club’s history when one takes into account our current league status. The club winning the FA Cup within eight years of its formation was probably our greatest feat, but again one has to consider the fact that in 1911 Bradford was one of the richest cities in the world and that wealth had been used to build a team that of remarkable talents. By contrast in 2013 Bradford is one of the poorest cities in Britain and the team of 2012/13 cost a mere £7,500 to assemble. We are living history and, for however long it lasts, we should embrace it and celebrate it.

Legacy was the buzzword of 2012. Quite what the legacy will be, both financial and playing wise, is difficult to comprehend at the moment. But, for the supporters (especially for those under the age of 25) the cup run is a defining moment. For the two lads of school age stood in front of me at Wigan it was undoubtedly their first really big night supporting Bradford City. Another generation has been hooked. They saw at first hand the potential of the club. If Wigan was the boot, Arsenal was the laces. What an immense boost the cup run has had on the morale of Bradford City. I thought that merely to go to Wigan, and then play Arsenal, was enough. We would stand packed together to reaffirm that, despite the decade from hell, Bradford City was still standing. The proud, colourful and vibrant club many still remember from our heady days in the Premier League.

Well, we not only packed the terraces at Wigan and Valley Parade, we didn’t only create an electric atmosphere, we won the matches against all the odds. Whatever happens against Villa, we have at last, at long long last, written a new chapter in the club’s history. It might be the nine in a row world record penalty shoot out victories; it might be getting to the cup semi-finals; it might be a spring board to promotion; it might even be Bradford City as the most unlikely cup finalists of all time.

We dare to dream – and that my friend is priceless. Welcome to your future.

Tags: , , , , , ,

Proud, so proud, as Bradford City defeat Premiership Wigan

31 Oct

Wigan Athletic 0

Bradford City 0

Bradford City win 4-2 on penalties

Tuesday 30 October, 2012

By Jason McKeown

Wow. What can you say such a fantastic evening that deserves its prominent placing in Bradford City’s history? When Matt Duke blocked Jordi Gomez’s spot kick to confirm a shootout success for the League Two side, there were unbridled scenes of joy both on the pitch and in amongst the packed away end at the opposite side of the ground. A moment of unadulterated pleasure that emphatically reminds you of why you bother with all this football supporting malarkey in the first place.

Jubilation, triumph, euphoria. Wow.

When in the ninth minute of this game Wigan found the back of the net, for a split second you resigned yourself to an evening where doom-laded predictions of a weakened City side enduring a heavy beating would come to pass. But the linesman quickly put up his flag to cut short home celebrations, and remarkably the ball did not cross the line again until, 111 minutes later, Nathan Doyle was slotting home the Bantams’ first penalty in the shootout. And, after six consecutive successes when it has come to penalties, we all knew which way the script was heading when it had reached this point.

Sure, Wigan dominated much of this last 16 tie, but they hardly impressed considering they were facing a City side three divisions below. The Premier League outfit had been expected to take the tie seriously and talked a good game in the build up, but manager Roberto Martinez’s decision to make nine changes ultimately backfired as his reserve players offered minimal reasons for retaining their place in the team.

Indeed in the first half you could argue that City had the better of the game for a 25-minute spell leading up to the interval. Will Atkinson and Nathan Doyle had started the match well in the centre of the park and, with Zavon Hines looking back to being the exciting winger of early season, the visitors began to come forward with increased frequency.

Attacking the end where 5,000+ City fans were causing an almighty racket, we were treated to another up close view of the effectiveness of the James Hanson and Nahki Wells strike partnership, which caused the home defence all manner of problems. Hanson once again ran himself into the ground over the course of the evening, winning high balls and flick ons that he often had no right to do. But tonight, it was strike partner Wells who stole the show with a hugely impressive – if not untypical – display that left his marker looking distinctly uncomfortable.

In the rise and rise of the Bermudian, this was another landmark occasion of sorts where Wells demonstrated that he will soon be playing at a much higher level than League Two – with or without the Bantams. His movement, his first touch, his pace, his awareness; Nahki caused no end of problems, as he proved that he can perform on the bigger stage.

And as the players went in at half time to loud roars of approval, you began to question why we were so worried in the first place. “I’d be happy with a 3-0 defeat” I stated before kick off, as chatter was dominated by the subject of Luke Oliver being out for the rest of the season. With a makeshift back four and patched up midfield, it seemed impossible to predict anything but a thrashing.

Yet that makeshift back four were outstanding. Carl McHugh has stepped up from the bench at Burton on Saturday to put in two hugely commendable displays that suggest Phil Parkinson may not have to venture too far into the loan market to cover for Oliver. Only McHugh’s age (19) counts against him in terms of whether you could trust him to perform week in week out at this stage of his career, but the early signs are the Irishman has a bright future at City. He and Rory McArdle were outstanding in keeping Wigan at bay, and needed to be at their best during the second half in particular as home pressure grew.

In front of them, Doyle was relishing the battle of protecting his defence and stood out as a true warrior. Gary Jones came off the bench in the second half to bolster this solidity, though does still look a little rusty and was wasteful in the pass. Atkinson was pushed out wide where he was less impressive (but an improvement on a once again disappointing Garry Thompson), but City attacks became more limited after Wells was withdrawn for what looked to be an injury and replacement Alan Connell struggled to get into the game.

It was backs to the walls, but City almost snatched it late on. Hines broke free from his own half with no one available for the pass. He twisted and turned his marker, charged into the box and saw his low shot blocked by Al Habsi. That was a rare away attack, as Wigan – inspired by substitute Shaun Maloney who impressed greatly – continued to press. It was commendable that Martinez’s side stayed true to their passing principles right to the end, but their attempts to engineer crosses from out wide were hampered by solid displays from Stephen Darby and James Meredith.

Cue extra time, which saw Wigan’s dominance grow further – over the evening they would have 22 shots on goal to City’s 7 – but the Bantams continued to hold firm. Last ditch blocks, superbly timed tackles, impressive positional discipline. They were some genuine scares, not least when – five minutes from time – Gomez broke clear on goal and somehow squeezed his shot wide of Duke’s post when it seemed easier to score. But for all that effort, work rate and endeavour, City had earned their shot at penalties.

The first two for each side were successfully converted – Doyle and Jones for City – before Darby scored for City and Maloney sent Wigan’s third high into the empty stand behind Duke’s goal. Connell then netted, meaning Wigan had to score to stay in the game. Then came Duke’s save from what must be said was a poor Gomez penalty. City’s veteran goalkeeper was in excellent form tonight and deserved the moment of glory of having his teammates pile on top of him.

The scenes of celebration will live in the memory for a long, long time. For an evening where you expect so little, a heroic defeat in extra time or on penalties would probably not have felt too painful. But we got even more than that, and incredibly we are in the last eight of the League Cup with Leeds United, Arsenal, Middlesbrough, Aston Villa definitely in the hat too, and the added possibility of facing one from Chelsea/Man United, Norwich/Tottenham or Liverpool/Swansea.

You’d like to think that – after the last three rounds did not quite serve up the dream tie that the luck of the draw could have delivered – we’re going to get something lucrative and exciting when the quarter final draw is made late Wednesday evening. But whatever happens next, to get this far in the competition and the way in which we have gone about it provides us with so much heart and confidence to take into the battles ahead. I mean, our injury-hit, patched up side has just knocked a Premier League side out of the League Cup. It feels good writing that.

There’s a growing feeling that Parkinson has built something really special this season and that something spectacular can be achieved between now and May – and beating Wigan in their own backyard is an almightily impressive warm up act.

Wow indeed.

City: Duke, Darby, McArdle, McHugh, Meredith, Thompson (Gary Jones 56), Atkinson, Doyle, Hines (Baker 101), Hanson, Wells (Connell 65)

Not used: McLaughlin, Brown, Bass, Swain

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

City’s Premier challenge – last one out, turn off the lights

30 Oct

City exit Valley Parade after defeating Burton Albion in the previous round of the League Cup

Wigan Athletic vs Bradford City League Cup preview

Tuesday 30 October, 2012

By Phil Abbott

Such is life; there are more questions than answers. That is, at least for now. City are completing their buildup to another epic Capital One Cup night, this time at Premiership hosts Wigan Athletic. As I ponder the pre-match soundings, there are a number of questions that will have unknown answers until late on Tuesday night, and it’s the ‘not knowing’ that adds to the tension of what promises to be a tough night for the depleted Bantams ranks.

There are however a number of certainties too. For one, the Claret and Amber army of 5,000 supporters will be making a heck of a noise at kick off time, pummelling the Latics’ nervous few into vocal submission. Such were the concerns that the City fans would outnumber their Premier League opponents, that the Wigan club had seemingly done everything they could midweek to NOT provide additional tickets to the City faithful. Indeed, the extent they went to once city sold their allocation by only selling home tickets to ‘historical fans’ is surely of more bother and annoyance to potential newcomers wanting to watch Premiership Wigan at an affordable price, than opening another stand for the remaining Bradford supporters?

Another certainty is that, due to work and location, I am resigned to listening to the game from the comfort of my driver’s seat, parked in Nottinghamshire’s only Radio Leeds hotspot – by chance at home in my garage. I’ve done this for the two other City games I’ve not been able to make this season, including that remarkable comeback at home to Burton in the last round. (City are two unbeaten on that lucky charm!)

On those two issues, there is certainty in their answer, but what about the further myriad of unanswered posers? Where do we start?

Which City players will be available?

With City’s largely solid centre back pairing of Luke Oliver and Andrew Davies almost certainly sidelined, many City fans will be dreading the carnage that could ensue if Wigan put out a decent line-up. With Kyel Reid still sidelined and Craig Forsyth cup-tied, City’s difficult task will be made even more acute by the absence of Ricky Ravenhill who begins a 3 match suspension for his role in Burton’s answer to WWF ringside.

At best, the defence will be makeshift, possibly combining Rory McArdle, James Meredith and Stephen Darby with a midfielder papering over the cracks – Nathan Doyle perhaps? It may be though that Phil Parkinson gives young recruit Carl McHugh a high profile shot instead.

The midfield conundrum is a little more competitive, with both Gary and Ritchie Jones having an outside chance of a start although lacking any sort of match fitness. I’d be surprised if Will Atkinson doesn’t appear in the starting lineup, as he has been a cup favourite for Phil Parkinson this season in centre midfield. Wells may return up front, with the unlucky Alan Connell, missing out again. On that basis, the starting lineup could read something like this:

Duke – Darby – McArdle – McHugh – Meredith – Hines – Doyle – Atkinson – Thompson – Wells – Hanson

Your guess is as good as mine!

How seriously will Wigan be taking this game?

The Latics slid on a couple of cup banana skins last season, away at Crystal Palace and Swindon. It’s likely that there will be a number of squad players introduced on Tuesday, but their calibre will surely be enough to avoid another slip up at home to the Bantams. Scottish international James McArthur will definitely miss the game as he serves a one match ban for picking up a 5th yellow card in their win over West Ham on Saturday. Had this been a 3rd round game without a potentially money spinning quarter-final at stake, Wigan may have rested more players. However, it sounds like a strong match day squad will be put together to ensure a smooth passage for the Lancastrians.

What will constitute a creditable performance for City?

In truth, it’s a tough question to answer until the team sheets have been submitted. With a strong Wigan side pitched against a depleted City squad, the feeling amongst fans following the weekend troubles is that we just need to avoid a walloping. To be fair, whilst we all want a City victory, I think most and will be glad of an entertaining game with no injury or suspension emanating from the team’s best efforts.  If City are within a couple of goals come full time, credit will be ours, and the quest for league glory can once again continue… after an FA Cup visit to Northampton!

Will the referee be the main talking point of the game?

For those of us who witnessed Billericay’s No.1 sports personality,  Mr Andy ‘Mary Rose’ D’Urso complete his overly augmented sinking to the depths of refereeing oblivion on Saturday, I’d certainly hope that a performance of greater calibre could be produced by the officials on Tuesday. The complete lack of consistency frustrated both teams who were never able to second guess his next move. For someone so ‘experienced’, he was well and truly fooled on too many occasions.

My hope is that Roger East and his officials at Wigan are there to be an auxiliary to a fine game of football, and not one needing a spotlight following their show-stopping ‘performances’. Too often, big games similar to City’s visit to the DW end with no rub of the green to the lower team. As it goes, having indulged in a Sky Sports ‘Super Sunday’ viewing this weekend, it appears even the top referees are lacking the accuracy that we fans crave of officials.  Roger East, appointed to this game, has three Premier League matches under his belt and is somewhat a new kid on the block at the top. Who knows what might happen?

How will it all end?

In all, I really can’t see an upset, however much I’d love to prophecy one. A 3-1 loss is about the best I can see in reality, but never say never!  Good luck City and the massed band of followers belting the City tunes from behind the goal. I will be in the garage, head to the speakers, coat hanger in the air, whilst my dodgy analogue radio signal receives and broadcasts largely white noise, with a subtle hint of Claret and Amber!

Tags: , , , , , ,

The Midweek Player Focus – close season special #10: Peter Beagrie (99/00)

27 Jul

Concluding our Midweek Player Focus Close Season summer series, looking back at past player of the season winners, Mark Scully reflects on the 1999/00 champion and club legend Peter Beagrie.

Ask any Bradford City fan to name their favourite all time City eleven and more often than not on the left wing would be Peter Beagrie. Personally he’s my all time favourite Bradford player and I guess I’m not on my own in having that view; few players in my time of watching Bradford have had the ability to get the fans on their feet as often as Beags did.  You can look at more flashy and high profile players that have played for the club such as the Chris Waddles and the Benito Carbones of this world, but Beags would be firmly in the mix for being the best.

During his excellent spell at Valley Parade, Division One and Premier League right backs knew they would be in a game when facing Beags and no doubt finished the game with a bad back after the skilful winger had turned them inside and out on numerous occasions throughout the match. In the twilight of his career Beags was to do more humiliating to defenders only this time it would be in the lower leagues and at the rather less glamorous  arena (amongst others) of Glanford Park.

When the decision was made to let Beagrie leave the club, following relegation back to the Football League as the financial crisis was hitting the club, it probably turned out to be too soon. Beags still had the ability to play, as he showed at Scunthorpe United playing over 150 times for them after leaving City. Sounds remarkably similar to that of Stuart McCall; Macca carried on with Neil Warnock’s Sheffield United after leaving City – once again showing the board and management up for letting a player clearly still good enough to play for the club go.

When Chris Kamara tempted Geoffrey Richmond to part with £50,000 and sign Beagrie from Manchester City, no City fan could have imagined that the twinkle toed winger would play such an instrumental role in what was going to happen in the coming seasons at Valley Parade.

Prior to playing his trade at Maine Road with Manchester City, the Middlesbrough born Beagrie also turned out for his hometown club along with stints at Sheffield United, Stoke City and Everton with a small loan spell at Sunderland thrown in for good measure.  During his four year spell at Valley Parade he had two loan periods away from the Bantams. He joined Premier League perennial strugglers of the late 90s Everton as they battled once more with the drop from the top flight and towards the end of his time at City, he ended up out on loan at Wigan Athletic.

During the promotion season Beags netted an impressive 15 goals from midfield in all competitions, the most important and historic of those was on the final day at Molineux, which will always be etched in my memory. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to go Wolverhampton, and had to make do with a radio but that afternoon will always be locked away in the memory bank and will never be erased no matter how good or indifferent the current crop of players perform over the coming years.

Whenever Premier League years is shown on SKY and covers the two seasons that Bradford had in the top flight, it always brings a smile to my face, and even more so when it shows Beags rasping left foot drive into the top corner at the Kop end against Leeds followed by his summersault celebration, that was by now a frequent event on the hallowed turf at Valley Parade.

In fact it was Beagrie who in the relegation campaign of 2000/2001 was to score a goal that to this day still is one of my favourite scored by a City player, once again in front of the Kop and under the lights on a cold December afternoon. It was against Coventry City in one of the few victories that we managed to get that season 2-1 was the score, but I’ll always remember Beags picking the ball up on the edge of the area (dug out side) jinking his way inside the penalty area, beating 3-4 players on his way, before calming slotting the ball past highly rated keeper at the time Chris Kirkland.

Cue the somersault, and pandemonium erupting on the terraces. Beagrie’s goal capped a sweet comeback after Aussie John Aloisi had given the Sky Blues the lead, before two goals in three minutes late on, first from Stan ‘the man’ Collymore before that Beagrie goal sent me (and others) in raptures. Great memories.

There’s no doubt that Peter Beagrie was a truly special player, the squad that achieved promotion to the Premier League in 1999 will always be remembered with fond memories, but certain players from that squad are revered more than others by the City fans, and I would certainly say that Beags is one of those players.

Maybe one day he could come back to the club in some sort of coaching capacity, at the moment he’s got a steady little number working for SKY covering the Football League. But should times change and he wanted to get involved with a club again, I’m sure that City would welcome hearing from him.  You struggle to hear a bad word said about Beags from his time at Valley Parade, not only does he come across as a decent man, but he was an outstanding player who was key in the promotion winning side, as well as the side that stayed in the Premier League…guess it does help the fans fall in love with a player, or players, if they are actually producing the goods on the pitch and that’s certainly something Mr Beagrie did time and time again.

Take a bow Peter – or should that be a somersault or two?!

The Midweek Player Focus – Close Season Special series

2000/01 – Benito Carbone

2001/02 – Andy Myers

2002/03 – Andy Gray

2003/04 – Paul Heckingbottom

2004/05 – Mark Bower

2005/06 – David Wetherall

2006/07 – Nathan Doyle

2007/08 – Joe Colbeck

2008/09 – Luke O’Brien

Tags: , , , ,

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 1,423 other followers