Bradford City | Football history, logos, maps and statistics @ albionroad.com

Official Website: bradfordcityfc.co.uk

Description:
The Bantams of Bradford City have rugby league to thank for their club's creation. Bradford was traditionally a rugby league stronghold and the Football League were interested in placing a club in the city as a way to strengthen the popularity of the kicking code. In 1903 Manningham Football Club, one of the pioneers of the rugby league game, were convinced to transition from rugby league to football, relaunch as Bradford City, and join the Football League for the 1903-04 season. Manningham, a district within the city of Bradford, were founded in 1880 and began using claret and amber colors in 1884. The most likely reason for the colors being adopted were the close proximity of the Belle Vue barracks of the Prince of Wales Own (West Yorkshire) Regiment to their Valley Parade ground. Claret and amber were the colors of the regiment. At Bradford City's launch the colors remained claret and amber.

The club's early years were quite successful, with promotion to Division One in 1908 and an FA Cup three years later. But after their 1922 relegation it was a long seventy-seven years before top-flight football was again seen in the city. Bradford City lasted two years in the Premiership (surviving in 2000 thanks to a victory over Liverpool in the season's final match) but have since tumbled down to the fourth-tier Football League Two amid heavy financial problems.

Bradford City are sadly well-known for the fire that destroyed their Valley Parade stadium in 1985, killing 56 people. A discarded cigarette butt fell into a rubbish pile and the flames quickly engulfed the antiquated wooden stand. The Valley Parade stadium had been occupied by Manningham FC since 1886 and was taken over by Bradford City at the club's inception. It has been completely rebuilt since the fire and is now formally known by its sponsorship name, the Coral Windows Stadium.

Bradford City is a basic shield style with claret and amber stripes behind BC AFC and The Bantams below. There is also an image of a bantam at the shield's top. A bantam is a type of small rooster. The rooster often has claret and amber colors and is generally seen as punching above its weight, an attribute City supporters would certainly like to in their club. Bradford City have also occasionally been known as the Paraders and the City Gents over the years.

Trophy Room:
* FA Cup (1911)

Links:
Bradford City Supporters' Trust

Bradford City 2008-09 Home Shirt

Bradford City 2008-09 Away Shirt

(Photos: surridgesport.com)

Valley Parade Location

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