BFTG - Bradford

[Nameless]

Presumably if Bradford reach the semi but lose they have actually done better than we would if we reached the final and lost.....

[Para Handy]

Great day out. Football was mostly hoofball but nonetheless was great to experience a game with some tension to it for a change.

Loved Valley Parade. Was sat (stood) a couple of blocks over from the home fans. Been to lots of grounds to watch Reading but that was definitely up there in the "blimey" reaction when walking out and seeing that massive stand(s). Proper old style and intimidating. Enjoyed it immensely.

Give me Valley Parade over the synthetic experience of Wembley or Stamford Bridge anyday.

[kwik-silva]

I think the fact it was as much of a big game for them as it was for us made it more so. To a big PL side it wouldn't have felt as big against a smaller club like Bradford or Reading (who haven't reached a domestic cup semi final for 90 odd years.) It was also pretty watchable for a neutral keen football fan, until perhaps 5 minutes after the game kicked off.

Seriously though, I wouldn't be surprised if more than a few people changed the tv channel. The football itself wasn't exactly a great advert for the football league. Didn't really give a great view of our team/club playing like that on live tv infront of a national audience either.

Almost everybody on reddit that watched seemed to enjoy it

[grey_squirrel]

A lowly (and media highlighted) 50% passing completion rate for both teams on that pitch was commendable. A more accomplished footballing team would have faired far worse (under the circumstances) than we - or they - did.

Sitting lineslide, as I was, the pitch was a testament to 18 Century ridge and furrow agriculture, not in the slightest commensurate with a modern game of football. Even the 1970's sand pits of the Baseball and County Grounds were flat(ish).

Hoofball was the only route/option.

[Moonfish]

Don't worry, we couldn't understand you either.

What was that dreadful "singer" going on about before the match? Certainly no Ted Sheeran*

Agreed on that, whenever Bradford sang I couldnt really make out what they were saying. And the less said about that "singer", the better

I really liked the singer and the subsequent chant, lyrics and video below:

"Take me home, Midland Road,
To the place I belong,
To the Valley, to see the City,
Take me home, Midland Road".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wI1xuOLYyxI

It's not quite Stoke's version of 'Delilah', or Swansea's 'Take Me To The Vetch Field', but it certainly got the place rocking. I also thought that the 'sea of scarves' looked quite good when the teams came out, which is strange as whenever we try anything like that it just comes across a bit half-arsed and plastic (except the hoops against QPR in 05/06). Maybe they just embraced it all a bit better than we ever have to date?

[Nameless]

The 'singer' would have been ok for a couple of choruses, he just went on way longer than his vocal chords could manage. And it was a song sung at quite a few clubs, true one club songs are rare these days.

We did the swinging scarves pretty well a few seasons back, despite disdain on here. The complete stadium hoops was very good.

[Mr.Swainey]

Geezer who ran on the pitch was funny (he was having a good go at winding us up near that corner close to their kop end even before the game) and he was defo off his rocker on more than just a few beers.

Him being escorted out through the concourse with a few coins being chucked at him was a definite highlight.

[mbb]

Great day out, brilliant atmosphere, proper blood and thunder cup tie!

A mate, watching on TV, said it reminded him of a '70's cup tie on the Big Match.

LOL at the groundsman with the worn out fork. How did he decide which divots to replace or was he just checking his spuds!!

[seahawk10]

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What's up Libs? Good game wasn't it? I think Google [Bot] and Yahoo [Bot] are a couple of pcunts.

[From Despair To Where?]

LOL at the groundsman with the worn out fork. How did he decide which divots to replace or was he just checking his spuds!!

Was he the one who looked like a pirate?

[CountryRoyal]

I think the fact it was as much of a big game for them as it was for us made it more so. To a big PL side it wouldn't have felt as big against a smaller club like Bradford or Reading (who haven't reached a domestic cup semi final for 90 odd years.)

Does the simod cup not count as a domestic cup then? And Bradford got to the finals of the league cup last season or the season iirc.

Agree with the rest though, and find it very condescending to refer to it as "Bradford's big day out" without acknowledgement of it being ours too - we did take one of our biggest ever away followings in recent times, pretty much shouts "big day out" if you ask me.

I think it was a fantastic occasion and to the posters that queried how the game could be bad/cracking result... Ftr the two aren't mutually exclusive. In terms of football and indeed spectacle it was poor, anyone that says differently is either lying or only watches women's Sunday league football. That doesn't change the fact that it was a good result all things considered.

Agree with the poster that liked the singer, I really enjoyed that rendition of take me home!

I thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the day, VP is a brilliant stadium, tempted to call it little but it is bigger than ours.

As for Bradford itself, it's not unique from most northern towns and cities, just a bit of a shitehole tbh.

[Royal Ginger]

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What's up Libs? Good game wasn't it? I think Google [Bot] and Yahoo [Bot] are a couple of pcunts.

[tee peg]

q

Great day out. Good session in the Bradford Arms, and a great following as well.

But what an absolute shithole that place was! Without doubt the shabbiest 'away pub' I have ever been to. Apparently the ladies toilet was locked up with a padlock. No decent ale to compensate for the appalling appearance (of pub and staff) either.[/quote]


We were drinking Tyskie bought from the Polish shop across the road

[Royal Tezza]

Probably a bit late but a few thoughts

- Enjoyed the journey to the game, great cup tie atmosphere in Bradford having arrived from Leeds (cheeky night stay in some Travel Lodge near Wakefield the night before, hilarious to wake up to the sound of people bellowing URRZZ out of parked cars outdoors

- Bradford Arms looked mental so didn't go, drank tinnies on the walk though and didn't get any police attention

- Great atmoshere inside Valley Parade, the ground looked class, the pitch not so much - took some pictures at half time pitchside, it's an absolute state

- The game was a war, our boys grew into it very well having been kicked off the pitch the first few. Was delighted no-one got sent off. Ref gave them some soft free kicks considering the constant pushes in the back etc that we had to suffer. Pearce's bloody nose came as no suprise, him stripping to his pants did.

- The game in general dispelled the impression I've had that a lot of our players are thick chavs that don't care - don't think I could accuse any of them of that based on Saturday, except HRK who is just invisible, its incredible really. He was a pacey/powerful winger three seasons ago. They all rose to the occassion and the opposition and got stuck in

- Not much to say about the football beyond that, defence did well as did Feds, The thing about playing long ball (irrespective of the oppo) is that we are just no good at it. Jason Roberts was a machine who could bulldoze defenders out of the way when a hoof came in his direction. Bradford were very adept at it, clearly well drilled. In the replay (and in general) when we don't have to play it due to the conditions we shouldnt. We should get the ball forward via the wide players as we've always done well.

- A related note, I've always slated Pogbrenyak but he played well on Sat, was unlucky not to score (twice) and didn't get wound up by the obvious physicality of the Bradford defence (which they were lucky to get away with in my view).

- Pitch invasion was tragic, also I've no issue with flares but bringing them out at Valley Parade was a bit daft IMO - I'll give those that brought them the benefit of the doubt and assume they hadn't made the connection.

[paulkirkwood]

There are a few pics taken from the Reading area if you scroll down my latest blog post:

http://www.facupgroundhopper.blogspot.c ... rriby.html

Paul.

[pea]

jon stead didnt score

10/10

[genome]

Kind words from the Bradford faithful

https://claretandbanter.uk/threads/reading-fans.43960/

[Libertine]

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What's up Libs? Good game wasn't it? I think Google [Bot] and Yahoo [Bot] are a couple of pcunts.

A couple of big pcunts...

Must have made this comment just as I was signing off last evening. The football was difficult to watch but the game was a gem. Have it recorded on the dvr and I will rewatch it again because of the atmosphere. Too bad the pitch conspired to make the quality of the football not do justice to every other aspect of the game.

[melonhead]

Met a couple in KFC after the game, seemed like nice lads. Most of them just seemed like us really .

They're from Berkshire..

..not Alpha Centuri.

[Bantam Northy]

It wasn't a classic by anyone's imagination but a good old blood and thunder cup tie. Great atmosphere once again and you lot were much louder than Sunderland. The banner and wreath was a very nice touch and was greatly appreciated by all at BCFC. Would imagine the replay will be a sell out even though it's a Monday night.