With around 20,000 people visiting the museum this season, it would be fair to say that the move to our new home has been an unqualified success.
We are already planning for next season, opening with an exhibition featuring City programmes from 1903 to date. Also before the first league game of the season we will be hosting a City flag competition. Bring along your flags, large and small. The flags will be draped all over the museum and the most popular will win a modest prize.
The museum will have a presence at Thornton Local History Day on 28 June. The theme this year is sport and leisure, so we will be showing contracts and images from the life of City player and Thornton resident Donald Duckett. He played at Valley Parade between 1914-24, with majority of his 165 appearances being in the top flight of English football.
I would like to thank all the volunteers who have given their time so generously to the museum and café this season. In particular thanks are due to Leeds Metropolitan University, whose sponsorship pays the lease on the museum space.
Saturday, 26 April 2008
Saturday, 19 April 2008
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.
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.
Tuesday, 8 April 2008
Barnet
With only two homes games remaining, there’s not much time left to catch our exhibition about women’s football in Bradford. During the summer we are hoping that the exhibition will move to the home of Bradford City Women’s Football Club, Thackley AFC.
The women’s football club first team have one remaining Sunday fixture to play, when they entertain Scunthorpe on 27 April. Kick off is 2pm and admission is free. They also have two home fixtures against Curzon Ashton and Middlesbrough to arrange, keep an eye on the local press or www.bcwfc.co.uk for further details. The women’s football club recently won their section of the Valley Parade memorial tournament, when they defeated Bradford Park Avenue 3-1.
Joe Colbeck and Kyle Nix presented the trophies and even Stuart McCall managed to watch his son in action before making the trip to Rotherham. It was a successful tournament for City with the U14s thrashing Bradford Park Avenue 6-0 in their final. The U12s lost their final in extra time to Bradford’s twin town Hamm of Germany.
Players and officials from several of the clubs were at our home game with Chesterfield, where the Easter weekend was topped off with a home victory. Once again it was a magnificent effort from Carl Dalton and his team at Bradford Council’s Sport and Leisure department and the Prison Officers’ Association. In the museum we have on display the tournaments former trophies, which were retired to the museum last year following their replacement after twenty-one years of use.
Prior to the Grimsby game City fan Manny Dominguez will be giving a presentation on the campaign to bring back standing areas to English football grounds. The talk starts at 1.30pm and as usual admission is free.
The women’s football club first team have one remaining Sunday fixture to play, when they entertain Scunthorpe on 27 April. Kick off is 2pm and admission is free. They also have two home fixtures against Curzon Ashton and Middlesbrough to arrange, keep an eye on the local press or www.bcwfc.co.uk for further details. The women’s football club recently won their section of the Valley Parade memorial tournament, when they defeated Bradford Park Avenue 3-1.
Joe Colbeck and Kyle Nix presented the trophies and even Stuart McCall managed to watch his son in action before making the trip to Rotherham. It was a successful tournament for City with the U14s thrashing Bradford Park Avenue 6-0 in their final. The U12s lost their final in extra time to Bradford’s twin town Hamm of Germany.
Players and officials from several of the clubs were at our home game with Chesterfield, where the Easter weekend was topped off with a home victory. Once again it was a magnificent effort from Carl Dalton and his team at Bradford Council’s Sport and Leisure department and the Prison Officers’ Association. In the museum we have on display the tournaments former trophies, which were retired to the museum last year following their replacement after twenty-one years of use.
Prior to the Grimsby game City fan Manny Dominguez will be giving a presentation on the campaign to bring back standing areas to English football grounds. The talk starts at 1.30pm and as usual admission is free.
Saturday, 5 April 2008
Morecambe
Undoubtedly, the real success at Valley Parade this season has been off the field. With the crippling debts finally cleared and the stunning success of the season ticket offer there is, despite the erratic performances on the field, a good feel about the club.
The relocation of the museum above the club shop has been an unqualified triumph. In conjunction with the volunteer run café, the museum is rapidly becoming the place to be in the hours running up to kick off. It’s noticeable that fans have been arriving earlier and earlier as the season has progressed.
With our regular presentations, exhibitions and good value café, there’s plenty to see and do. If you are one of the few City fans who hasn’t visited us yet, come along before the end of the season. We are far from a dusty archive, more a vibrant Bantams community, doing our little bit to help improve Valley Parade.
Next season we are planning a programme exhibition, featuring every design produced over the last 105 years. We already have the majority of the designs produced, but not being experts in the field of programmes, we would gratefully welcome any help offered. Please drop into the museum before any home game and ask for myself. Or email davidpendleton1@googlemail.com
Prior to the Grimsby Town game Manny Dominguez will be giving a presentation on the campaign to bring back standing areas to English football grounds. The talk will commence at 1.30pm and as usual admission is free.
The relocation of the museum above the club shop has been an unqualified triumph. In conjunction with the volunteer run café, the museum is rapidly becoming the place to be in the hours running up to kick off. It’s noticeable that fans have been arriving earlier and earlier as the season has progressed.
With our regular presentations, exhibitions and good value café, there’s plenty to see and do. If you are one of the few City fans who hasn’t visited us yet, come along before the end of the season. We are far from a dusty archive, more a vibrant Bantams community, doing our little bit to help improve Valley Parade.
Next season we are planning a programme exhibition, featuring every design produced over the last 105 years. We already have the majority of the designs produced, but not being experts in the field of programmes, we would gratefully welcome any help offered. Please drop into the museum before any home game and ask for myself. Or email davidpendleton1@googlemail.com
Prior to the Grimsby Town game Manny Dominguez will be giving a presentation on the campaign to bring back standing areas to English football grounds. The talk will commence at 1.30pm and as usual admission is free.
Saturday, 15 March 2008
Mansfield Town
City’s FA Cup winning manager Peter O’Rourke shook the young goalkeeper by the hand. “In all the time you play football, you will not let as many goals in again”. In a wartime fixture City had just lost 9-1 at York.
Shipping nine goals was hardly the stuff of dreams for debutant keeper Ken Teasdale, but the warm words of O’Rourke went some way to tempering his disappointment. However, one month later Ken was between the sticks when City lost 10-0 at home to Bradford Park Avenue!
Ken Teasdale, one of the great characters of Bradford sport, recently passed away. Ken was Bradford City’s wartime goalkeeper, but will be best remembered by generations of local league players as a football referee and cricket umpire.
Ken played 71 games for City during World War Two. His debut in the nine-goal thrashing at York on 14 November 1942 warrants some explanation. York were one of the strongest wartime teams due to the close proximity of Catterick army barracks. Teams could field guest players and those who had service bases nearby often fielded several internationals.
City struggled to field a consistent team throughout the war as the majority of the players were scattered all over the world in the armed forces. However, results did improve and Ken retained his place until the end of the conflict when he returned to his job as a postman.
In 1996 Ken was one of Bradford City’s guests of honour when footage of wartime football was screened at Pictureville Cinema. He spoke fondly of his days at Valley Parade and caused much laughter with his story about letting nine goals in on his debut.
Ken was England’s longest serving and oldest football referee before he finally retired at the age of seventy-five. On the cricket field Ken was associated with the Bradford Central League as a wicket keeper, umpire and secretary between 1943-2007.
The thoughts of everyone at Valley Parade are with Ken’s family during this difficult time. Bradford has lost one of its truly remarkable sporting sons.
Shipping nine goals was hardly the stuff of dreams for debutant keeper Ken Teasdale, but the warm words of O’Rourke went some way to tempering his disappointment. However, one month later Ken was between the sticks when City lost 10-0 at home to Bradford Park Avenue!
Ken Teasdale, one of the great characters of Bradford sport, recently passed away. Ken was Bradford City’s wartime goalkeeper, but will be best remembered by generations of local league players as a football referee and cricket umpire.
Ken played 71 games for City during World War Two. His debut in the nine-goal thrashing at York on 14 November 1942 warrants some explanation. York were one of the strongest wartime teams due to the close proximity of Catterick army barracks. Teams could field guest players and those who had service bases nearby often fielded several internationals.
City struggled to field a consistent team throughout the war as the majority of the players were scattered all over the world in the armed forces. However, results did improve and Ken retained his place until the end of the conflict when he returned to his job as a postman.
In 1996 Ken was one of Bradford City’s guests of honour when footage of wartime football was screened at Pictureville Cinema. He spoke fondly of his days at Valley Parade and caused much laughter with his story about letting nine goals in on his debut.
Ken was England’s longest serving and oldest football referee before he finally retired at the age of seventy-five. On the cricket field Ken was associated with the Bradford Central League as a wicket keeper, umpire and secretary between 1943-2007.
The thoughts of everyone at Valley Parade are with Ken’s family during this difficult time. Bradford has lost one of its truly remarkable sporting sons.
Saturday, 1 March 2008
Dagenham & Redbridge
This afternoon we launched an exhibition on women’s football in Bradford. Fittingly, the players, friends and families of Bradford City Women’s Football Club are our guests at this afternoon’s match.
At halftime there will be a five-a-side match featuring the women’s football club. One of the aims of the museum’s exhibition is to strengthen the relationship with the women’s football club. I’m delighted to report that after several positive meetings, the ties between City and the women’s football club are now the best they have been for a decade.
Bradford City Women's Football Club was formed in 1988 and were founder members of the Yorkshire and Humberside League the following year. Promotion and good cup runs set a high standard in the first season.
The late nineties saw the women’s U16 team play at Wembley as a curtain raiser to City’s play-off triumph. With over 30,000 Bradfordians beneath the Twin Towers, it was a huge publicity boost for the women’s club.
The following year the first team were promoted to the Women’s Premier League. It put them up against many semi-professional teams. For two seasons City held their own against the likes of the Doncaster Belles, Arsenal and Everton.
Another link with the Valley Parade team came with Lorraine Kennedy’s appointment as manager of the women’s team. It was a remarkable double, as her father Bobby Kennedy was City’s manager between 1975-78. Bobby is still fondly remembered as the manager who took City to the FA Cup quarter final in 1976.
The women’s football club has teams playing at U12, 14 and16 levels. The first team plays at Thackley’s Ainsbury Avenue ground on Sunday afternoons. Admission is free of charge, so why not go along and offer your support?
At halftime there will be a five-a-side match featuring the women’s football club. One of the aims of the museum’s exhibition is to strengthen the relationship with the women’s football club. I’m delighted to report that after several positive meetings, the ties between City and the women’s football club are now the best they have been for a decade.
Bradford City Women's Football Club was formed in 1988 and were founder members of the Yorkshire and Humberside League the following year. Promotion and good cup runs set a high standard in the first season.
The late nineties saw the women’s U16 team play at Wembley as a curtain raiser to City’s play-off triumph. With over 30,000 Bradfordians beneath the Twin Towers, it was a huge publicity boost for the women’s club.
The following year the first team were promoted to the Women’s Premier League. It put them up against many semi-professional teams. For two seasons City held their own against the likes of the Doncaster Belles, Arsenal and Everton.
Another link with the Valley Parade team came with Lorraine Kennedy’s appointment as manager of the women’s team. It was a remarkable double, as her father Bobby Kennedy was City’s manager between 1975-78. Bobby is still fondly remembered as the manager who took City to the FA Cup quarter final in 1976.
The women’s football club has teams playing at U12, 14 and16 levels. The first team plays at Thackley’s Ainsbury Avenue ground on Sunday afternoons. Admission is free of charge, so why not go along and offer your support?
Saturday, 9 February 2008
Bury
Bradford City’s finest hour came in 1911 when we became the first winners of the current trophy. On display in the museum is the FA Cup Final ball and Jimmy Speirs winners’ medal.
The club’s ‘crown jewels’ recently travelled with the U-13 team for their tournament in Arizona. Mark Lawn and David Baldwin accompanied City’s youngsters. Apparently, David kept the 1911 ball on his lap all the way across the Atlantic!
The trip was a success on and off the field. City won the competition and the Americans were delighted to be able to see the ball and medal. Even the former England coach Steve McLaren, who was coaching at the tournament, joined the clamour to hold Speirs’ medal.
The forthcoming women’s football exhibition is on track for its 1 March opening. Last week Bradford City WFC chairperson Sally Chaplin and myself had a very positive meeting with David Baldwin. One of the aims of the exhibition is to bring the men’s and women’s clubs closer together, so it is pleasing to see that happening before the exhibition has even opened.
A roof-mounted projector will shortly be installed in the museum. In conjunction with a radio microphone and built in speakers, it will transform our pre-match presentations. The equipment comes courtesy of Leeds Metropolitan University. They are currently refurbishing a block of classrooms and the projector has become surplus to requirements. We would like to thank City fan John Lynch for sourcing the projector.
We have had the Telegraph & Argus that reported the fire disaster in 1985 reframed. The paper had been put in a second hand frame back in 2003 and to be honest it was a bit of a rough job. The new frame contains the entire paper. In effect it is a mini-time capsule and when it needs to be reframed in years to come someone will have a pleasant surprise.
The club’s ‘crown jewels’ recently travelled with the U-13 team for their tournament in Arizona. Mark Lawn and David Baldwin accompanied City’s youngsters. Apparently, David kept the 1911 ball on his lap all the way across the Atlantic!
The trip was a success on and off the field. City won the competition and the Americans were delighted to be able to see the ball and medal. Even the former England coach Steve McLaren, who was coaching at the tournament, joined the clamour to hold Speirs’ medal.
The forthcoming women’s football exhibition is on track for its 1 March opening. Last week Bradford City WFC chairperson Sally Chaplin and myself had a very positive meeting with David Baldwin. One of the aims of the exhibition is to bring the men’s and women’s clubs closer together, so it is pleasing to see that happening before the exhibition has even opened.
A roof-mounted projector will shortly be installed in the museum. In conjunction with a radio microphone and built in speakers, it will transform our pre-match presentations. The equipment comes courtesy of Leeds Metropolitan University. They are currently refurbishing a block of classrooms and the projector has become surplus to requirements. We would like to thank City fan John Lynch for sourcing the projector.
We have had the Telegraph & Argus that reported the fire disaster in 1985 reframed. The paper had been put in a second hand frame back in 2003 and to be honest it was a bit of a rough job. The new frame contains the entire paper. In effect it is a mini-time capsule and when it needs to be reframed in years to come someone will have a pleasant surprise.
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