May 11th 1985  Valley Parade.  Death does not get to have the last word

It’s 40 years since the Bradford City Fire Disaster.  On May 11th, 1985 crowds packed into Valley Parade football stadium preparing to celebrate Bradford City winning the third division title and promotion to Division 2 (equivalent to today’s Championship).   However, joy quickly turned to tears, triumph to tragedy as a fire ripped through the main… Continue reading May 11th 1985  Valley Parade.  Death does not get to have the last word

Why you shouldn’t treat football as trivial

If you know me, then it won’t have escaped your attention that something significant happened in Bradford at the weekend and I was there for it.  The significant thing was a football game.  It is worth pausing there.   Some of you may be choking on your coffee at the suggestion that there is anything significant… Continue reading Why you shouldn’t treat football as trivial

Where are the goals going to come from?

Bradford City’s season can be summed up in one name “Andy Cook.”  Over this season, he scored an impressive haul of 31 Goals, 28 in the league. This means he was scoring a goal every 121 minutes. His nearest rival, Sam Hoskins at Northampton Town was scoring every 163 minutes.  Cook was the stand out… Continue reading Where are the goals going to come from?

May 11th … We remember

It’s now 38 years since the Bradford Fire Disaster.  It was the end of the season, Bradford City had been promoted from the old Division 3 (today’s League 1) as champions (no play-offs to fall back on in those days) and received the trophy that day in front of a packed Valley Parade.  Triumph turned… Continue reading May 11th … We remember

You’ll never walk alone

Today, my mind goes back to those fateful events 37 years ago when 56 people tragically lost their lives in the Bradford City fire disaster, one of them a classmate of mine.  The effect of the fire  was devastating and far reaching. As well as the 54 Bradford City fans and two from Lincoln who… Continue reading You’ll never walk alone

When Tragedy Comes

It was about quarter to five on Saturday 11th May and we had just switched on Grandstand to get the final scores. I wasn’t yet attending football games but I had followed my football team, Bradford City’s fortunes with pride that season as they had stormed to the old Division 3 title.  It was the… Continue reading When Tragedy Comes