Grimsby

It all began on a Tuesday evening overlooking the Humber in the fishing port of Grimsby. Fully, 105 years ago on 1 September 1903, the first ever Bradford City team ran out in their claret and amber shirts at the beginning of a journey that goes on to this day.
Despite the opening match being on a Tuesday evening, interest was high, with the Great Northern Railway running a three shilling excursion to Grimsby Docks and Cleethorpes. It left Bradford at 12.10pm, arriving at Grimsby Docks at 3.10pm, over two hours before kick off. Two hundred and fifty fans, including several former Manningham rugby players, travelled on the train.
At 5.30pm City kicked off their first ever game. Around 10,000 fans witnessed the game and they sportingly cheered the visitors when the ‘Manningham’ jerseys came onto the pitch. The infant City side had adopted the colours of their predecessors Manningham Rugby Club. Indeed, throughout the first season City played in Manningham’s claret and amber hooped shirts.
Grimsby had been relegated from the First Division the previous season, so they were hot favourites to beat the Football League’s newest team. However, City did most of the attacking, but chances were repeatedly wasted. Old habits died hard, during a spell of City pressure a cry of ‘nah Manningham’ was heard. It was a keen game, but Grimsby deservedly won 2-0.
Among that first ever line up was George Robinson. He was to remain at Valley Parade for nineteen years, making 377 appearances, including the 1911 FA Cup Final victory. Even after his retirement, he worked in a garage near the ground and was a supporter of the club until his death in 1945.
Prior to the MK Dons game, City Gent duo Mark Neale and Mike Harrison will be giving a presentation on the ‘nearly’ season of 1987/88. Mark has recently discovered several press photographs from that season, which will illustrate the talk. We are hopful that players from the season will be in attendance. The talk begins at 1.30pm.