Bradford City A.F.C.

Bradford City were formed in 1903 as a result of a series of meetings called by James Whyte, a sub-editor of the Bradford Observer, with Football Association representatives and officials at Manningham F.C., a rugby league side. The Football League saw the invitation as a chance to promote association football in the rugby league-dominated county of the West Riding of Yorkshire. It duly elected the new club into the Second Division, in place of Doncaster Rovers. Four days later, at the 23rd annual meeting of Manningham FC, the committee decided to change codes from rugby league to association football. Bradford City Association Football Club were formed without having played a game, taking over Manningham's colours of claret and amber, and their Valley Parade ground. Robert Campbell was appointed the club's first manager and with the help of the new committee, he assembled a playing squad at the cost of £917 10s 0d. City's first game was a 2–0 defeat at Grimsby Town on 1 September 1903, six days before their first home game attracted 11,000 fans. The club finished 10th in their first season. Peter O'Rourke took over as manager in November 1905, and he led City to the Second Division title in 1907–08 and with it promotion to the First Division. Having narrowly avoided relegation in their first season in the top flight, City recorded their highest finish of 5th in 1910–11. The same season they won the FA Cup, when a goal from captain Jimmy Speirs won the final replay against…

League

Second Division / First Division (level 2) Champions: 1907–08 Runners-up: 1998–99

Third Division North / Third Division / Second Division (level 3) Champions: 1928–29, 1984–85 Play-off winners: 1996 Fourth Division / League Two (level 4) Runners-up: 1981–82 Promoted: 1968–69, 1976–77, 2024–25 Play-off winners: 2013 Cup

FA Cup Winners: 1910–11 Football League Cup Runners-up: 2012–13 Third Division North Challenge Cup Winners: 1938–39 West Riding County FA Challenge Cup Winners: 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909

Records

Record league victory: 11–1 v Rotherham United, Third Division (North), 25 August 1928 Record FA Cup victory: 11–3 v Walker Celtic, first round replay, 1 December 1937 Record League Cup victory: 7–2 v Darlington, Second Round Second Leg, 25 September 2000 Record league defeat: 0–8 v Manchester City, Second Division, 7 May 1927 / 1–9 v Colchester United, Fourth Division, 30 December 1961 Record FA Cup defeat: 1–6 v Newcastle United, third round, 7 March 1963 / 0–5 v Burnley, fifth round replay, 3 February 1960 / 0–5 v Tottenham Hotspur, third round, 7 January 1970 Record home attendance: 39,146 v Burnley, FA Cup fourth round, 11 March 1911 Record gate receipts: £300,000 v Arsenal, Football League Cup quarter-final, 11 December 2012 Longest unbeaten run : 21 1968 to 1969 Longest run of wins: 10 1983 to 1984 Most appearances : 574 Ces Podd Most league appearances: 502 – Ces Podd Most goals scored : 143 – Bobby Campbell Most league goals: 121 – Bobby…