Southend United v Bradford City

 v

SHRIMPERS

What a frigging week!

The debate on Bilel marches on, personally I voted for a stay of execution, but how many times?

He most certainly has a problem, but what can be done I'll leave to greater brains than mine.

So a return to Roots Hall under lights and against a team third from bottom is just what the doctor ordered, probably.

It's going to be the coldest night of teh year in south-east Essex and I hope a chill doesn't enter the home faithful's hearts but the players must be going through some strange emotions at the moment with the loss of inspirational skipper Chris Barker a huge blow, step up Luke Prosser more than likely.

JP is back but I'd put him on the bench, let's give another start for Ryan Leonard and Anthony Grant, let's face it, things were going well at Oldham before the 'incident', but I would bring back Liam Dickinson and Ryan Hall upfront.

One of those games I'd take an 89th minute own goal just a win please, a win; but, as it happens, I fancy 2-0 Blues and might have a little wager on it.

Sadly will be missing the game, tickets for a concert brought months ago when I hoped this would be a Saturday, but Westfield will be in the west stand to give his views.

Possible Southend United: Daniels, Clohessy, Phillips, Prosser, Gilbert, Leonard, Grant, Ferdinand, Timlin, Hall, Dickinson.

Subs: Morris, Kalala, Sawyer, Harris, Sturrock.

COME ON YOU BLUES!!!!

Bilel; stay, go or lend him out, have a vote on it: www.southendunited-mad.co.uk

50k hits & more, join us at S24: www.southendunited-mad.co.uk

OPPOSITION

Bantams defender Robbie Threlfall could return to contention.

The 23-year-old full-back has been sidelined for over a month with a thigh problem, but may be included in Phil Parkinson's squad.

Parkinson will be without striker Ross Hannah, who missed last week's home draw with fellow strugglers Plymouth after injuring his hamstring during the warm-up. Craig Fagan is expected to continue alongside James Hanson up front.

The former head farmer has no new injury or suspension problems and is unlikely to make any unforced changes, although midfield pair Chris Mitchell and Ritchie Jones and striker Nahki Wells are pushing for recalls to the starting line-up.

Midfielders David Syers and Lee Bullock, both long-term absentees due to knee injuries, are unlikely to be involved, but hope to feature at some stage during the Christmas fixture schedule.

The excellent footy site www.itsroundanditswhite.co.uk ran this interview with a Bantams fan before the season started, interview and analysis by Graham Large.

Bradford City are another example of a club falling from great heights very quickly, a club who were formerly lining up against clubs like Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool quickly found themselves facing League Two stalwarts such as Macclesfield Town.

Last season the Bantams finished 18th in League Two, with many fearing they were about to lose the club to the perils of non-league. Luckily enough they just swerved the drop and after a depressing season in League Two. The club is still far from financially secure, struggling to maintain their home Valley Parade, a stadium which is capable of holding over 25,000 fans.

We contacted Tom and Dom, hosts of the podcast Bantams Banter, to see if they would do the honour of answering a few questions for a preview. Tom decided to take up the challenge of answering the questions, as they thought it would have been difficult and too long winded for both to answer them all!

What would be a dream season for you?

Honestly, to just NOT be a dreadful football team…some of the type of football we we’re playing last year under ‘that man’ (we both refuse to say his name) was shocking. To put it in perspective a ‘lump it up field’ approach would have been a drastic improvement on what we were playing last season.

Isn’t that sad? That a dream season for us has become that we just aren’t crap anymore…very sad. (Brilliant response though!)

What would be your worst nightmare?

I personally (can’t speak for Dom my co-host) believe I have lived my worst Bradford City nightmare and surely it can’t be repeated again, ‘he’ was that bad at management last year.

Going forward though as the past is for wimps and news reporter phone hackers, I recon relegation would make me cry…a lot…and then contemplate my future as a fan of football/life.

What do you think of your club’s summer transfer activity?

Good, positive, different (in a good way), youth, Guy Branston, exciting…all words that pretty much sum up our signings. We’re trying to take a different approach and giving some youngsters who are chomping at the bit a chance. Mix together with the tough nut Guy Branston it’s an interesting recipe.

Who will be your most important player/s this season?

Two words; David Syers…a work horse midfielder and our leading goal scorer last year, he is going to be a key player this campaign. His energy and ability to always be in the right place at the right time ala Michael Owen (in his prime) are key in this inexperienced team. He’s a funny old player though and hard to some up, try thinking Darren Fletcher but without the technique?! I know a scary thought, but it works for us! (Out injured, but could be back soon)

Any players you would happily see the back of?

LEWIS BLOODY HUNT! If ‘dead wood’ was ever going to be applied to any player EVER in the history of football Lewis Hunt would be picking up the Oscar! He is the illegal son of Peter Taylor (after an illicit affair with an Indonesian beauty therapist) and has the footballing brain of a wheelie bin..

‘Happily’ is probably an understatement though. Myself and my co-host Dom would throw the biggest street party this side of Bradford, we’d take over Manningham Lane, there would be bunting, cakes, balloons, free gifts, tea, sandwiches, beer – it would make the Queens jubilee seem like a party in Joseph Fritzels cellar. That’s if he left, although he’s still here attempting to play right back, the position that Gary Neville even managed to succeed at. In fact I recon HONESTLY if I played our first game of the season at right back, I’d do a genuinely better job than Lewis Hunt…and I’m left footed and overweight.

(Blimey, didn't think he was that bad; anyway, they have their wish, gone!)

Do you have the best manager for the job?

YES, no need to elaborate, simply YES (Also........gone!)

Opposition players that you respect?

Neil Harris for Southend, he was banging them in the Championship so respect goes out to anyone who follows their heart and goes with a home town club whilst dropping two leagues, **cough Clayton Donaldon cough**

Shrewsbury have some good players and I am a bit scared of them; Lionel Ainsworth being a player I admire, I don’t know why, just think he’s half decent!

Opposition players that you despise?

Oh God, how long have you got?!? We produce a podcast basically slagging off opposition players for about 50 minutes…only kidding its more like 60 minutes…

Seriously though, Jake Wright from Oxford United has a bit of history with Dom (co-host) plus he was a right cheb-end when he played against us. He’s an ex Bradford City youngster, he wasn’t very good when he was here and still isn’t very good.

Wycombe are annoying because Bloomfield and Betsy are quality players in this league, I won’t say I despise them though, but yeah their annoying.

Best away fans/ground in your league?

Haha considering most away teams bring about 12 fans in this league, this is a tough one to call! I’d say Gillingham will bring quite a few but they are not overly vocal. Same probably applies to Crawley. Rotherham are usually quite vocal and that’s the nearest ‘local’ derby we’ll be getting.

Trying to get 17 fans to sing and be vocal at Valley Parade doesn’t leave a lasting effect on you, so I’m struggling with this one.

Which teams do you really want to beat this season?

Doing Rotherham always makes me smile. Beating Oxford also tends to make me go home and have the best night’s sleep ever (5-1 last season). Repeating both these would be nice. But to be honest beating anybody will simply be a bonus after you know what…

Finally, where do you honestly think you will finish?

Hhmmm to answer with my head or my heart…..my head says 9th and my heart says play offs!! Although if we finish in the top half it will add about 45 minutes to my dads life, as he loves checking the tables on teletext and by the time the bottom half of league two has loaded it’s nearly morning, so it would be beneficial for him.

It’s more complicated for me though, we’ve had such a positive pre-season, we’ve lost virtually all of our friendlies BUT have looked better for it, if that makes sense. Jacko is the right man for the job and the club behind the scenes is moving in the right direction. If you put all these things together you get a club and team capable of promotion. But don’t forget, we’re Bradford City, ten+ years of despair has left ‘deep cut scars’, some of which may never heal.

That was a bit deep, I better say something comical to lighten the mood….poo.

Last Time Out

Bradford City 1 Plymouth Argyle 1; (played on Saturday, December 10th): Report: www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk

Beeb highlights: http://news.bbc.co.uk

Player to watch

Michael Flynn

Attacking midfielder who is the Bantams top scorer with 7 goals, must be watched, JP would be great for this if he was in any sort of form!

A mention in dispatches for big centre-forward James Hanson, second in the goal charts with 6 and scored his first in ten games last weekend, could be annoying with Captain Chris out, Mark must take him on if paired with Luke. 

(Full player profile: www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk)

Going down?

PREVIOUSLY

REF

The man in the middle is Graham Scott from Oxfordshire.

Crikey, 8 yellows and a red, twice, at Leicester & Coventry, can't like the east midlands!: www.soccerbase.com

His assistants are Dave Bushell and Ian Crouch; the fourth official is Geoff Russell.

FIXTURES

League Two

HISTORY



Bradford City's 1911 F.A. Cup winning side

Founded in 1903 to introduce the sport to the West Riding of Yorkshire, which until then had been almost entirely inclined towards rugby league.

Before they had even played their first game, City were elected to The Football League to replace Doncaster Rovers in Division Two, and took over the Valley Parade stadium, which has been their permanent home ground ever since.

The club achieved early success by winning the Division Two title in 1908 and the FA Cup in 1911, both under the management of Peter O'Rourke, before they were relegated from Division One in 1921-22.

City suffered a second relegation five seasons later, but when O'Rourke was reappointed as manager before the 1928-29 season, they broke several club records to earn promotion back to Division Two.

After eight seasons in Division Two, City returned to Division Three, and they remained in the third and fourth tiers of the English football league system until 1985-86. During that time, they endured several periods of financial hardship, and in 1985, their ground suffered a disastrous fire in which 56 people died, on a day the club and their fans were supposed to be celebrating success on the field.

In 1987-88, the club came close to returning to the top division when they missed out on promotion on the final day of the season. However, following relegation back to Division Three, it was not until Geoffrey Richmond became chairman in January 1994 that the club's fortunes were lifted. He helped to take the club to their first appearance at Wembley and subsequently into the Premier League, where they played for two seasons.

Following Richmond's self-proclaimed "six weeks of madness" and the collapse of television channel ITV Digital, the club suffered its first spell in administration. Another period under administration followed, and City have dropped through the leagues of professional English football back to the bottom tier of The Football League.