Match Preview - Bradford City (Home)

We had 4 games in 2 weeks but now after a 10 day break we continue our search for a goal tonight against 4th bottom Bradford City.

Bradford at the moment are trying to save a sinking ship. Paul Jewell, now at Wigan, and Chris Kamara, now a big mouth prat on Sky, took Bradford from 14th in Division Two right up to the dizzy hights of the Premiership. It was a dream. Little Bradford had spent 65 years outside the top flight but there they were up against Arsenal and Man Utd.

Ofcourse it was all too good to be true. Control freak of a chairman Geoffery Richmond panicked when Paul Jewell kept Bradford in the premiership by three points so sacked him. Maybe the worst thing he ever did.

Bradford appointed Jim Jefferies who started sinking that ship. Losing half of the games he was in charge for between December 2000 and November 2001 Bradford found themselves in deep sheet. Suppose beating us 2-1 in the FA Cup 3rd round in 2001 was some achievement atleast.

These were just the problems brewing on the outside as on the inside that ship was well and truly useless, as former Chesterfield manager Nicky Law was appointed manager. The likes of Benito Carbone, Eion Jess and former Alex striker Ashley Ward remained on high salaries with Carbone milking the club of over £30,000 a week.

After a dreadful return to division one, finishing 15th, Bradford paid the price for trying to buy their way up the premiership, along with the effect of the collapse of ITV Digital. In summer 2001 Bradford were the first club for a while to enter serious financial trouble. The club was put into administration and 11 players left the club, including Stan Collymore, Ashley Westwood(Another former Crewie), Andy O'Brien and Dean Windass.

Last season was bad on the pitch as Bradford finished in 19th after a half promising start but the sinking ship was soon slowed down. They got rid of Carbone and Ward and came out of administration in February, not long after Geoffery Richmond resigned and handed the club over to Gordon Gibb. Players wages were paid for the first time in 4 months and Bradford could rebuild their club again.

Bradford on the pitch continue to struggle with a team that on paper looks a ok division one side. Currently sitting in 19th though things aren't looking good in Yorkshire. They haven't won in the last 5 games, and only picked up a point or just 1 win in their last 10 games and 4 points. Knocked out of the carling cup by Darlington aswell it seems Nicky Laws' job is on the line.

So to play them now is a good thing, but then i said that about Watford the other week, when they came to GR off the back of 9 straight defeats on the road and we lost.

Paul Heckingbottom and Jason Gavin are out after they picked up injuries on Saturday vs Ipswich. David Wetherall and Mark Bower are both doubtful as Nicky Law ponders about looking to bring in a loan player.

I reckon this will be bradford's team: Beresford ,Edds ?, ,Forrest ,Jacobs ,Summerbee ,Evans ,Kearney ,Muirhead ,Gray ,Cornwall

For the mighty reds. Will we get that goal after 4 games without one? Well Barrowman looks set to make his debut 4 days after joining on a month's loan from Birmingham. The 18 year old striker is ready and raring to go. He will replace Dean Ashton after Baker slammed Dean Ashton on radio after the Watford game. Adie Moses is out after suffering a hamstring set back and Anthony Tonkin will also miss out after catching a sore throat. Chris McCready out aswell

Let catch my breath.

And on we go. David Brammer has returned to training after a groin strainbut will not be ricked nor will Allan Smart. The Scottish striker scored against Quorn last Tuesday but after a 5 week injury he will only be eased back into the side. Smart will see action tomorrow night when Crewe play a friendly at Burton Albion, if Smart comes through that then he will be included on Saturday at home to Derby.

Justin Cochrane will return to midfield after complaining of a back injury at half time vs Watford. Meanwhile David Vaughan, Steve Jones and Dean Ashton all returned from their international duty injury free.

So the team will hopefully line up as so: Ince, Wright, Foster, Walker, Vaughan; Lunt, Cochrane, Sorvel, Rix; Jones, Barrowman.

COME ON!!!
DEANO'S NOT GONNA GET YA!

14 October 2003
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Ipswich v Burnley
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Reading v Gillingham
Sunderland v Cardiff
Watford v Walsall
West Brom v Sheff Utd
Wigan v Stoke

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