‘Why do we bother?’ is a phrase we’ve all heard hundreds, possibly thousands of times, after watching Bradford City. True, it’s a very frustrating experience at times but we wouldn’t swap our club for anyone else. Here’s why:
1. Our colours are crazy
If fashionistas were to start watching football they would choose City as their adopted club, on the basis that we offer a vibrant colour palette. Claret and Amber are Bradford City’s colours and everyone knows it. Take one look at City playing on the box and you know exactly who it is. You can spot a fellow City fan in a strange town or overseas location from a mile off. We stand out. Our colours are loud, proud and at times, a bit of an assault on the senses, but they’re undeniably ours and they’re brilliant.
2. Being a Bantam is better than being an animal that eats people or licks its behind (and it means you are a hero too)
There’s something great about being a ‘Bantam’. They’re plucky little birds who’ll get back up when the chips are down and keep on scrapping. I like that and I think it’s a neat summary of Bradford City. We’re not the toughest beast in the jungle (Lions, Tigers), we aren’t a snazzy predator (Eagles, Owls) or a daft little dog (yap yap). Instead, we’re brave, handsome beasts. Film heroes possess those qualities too, so Bradford City = Indiana Jones of football.
3. We’re noisy
Week in, week out opposition fans praise us for our vocal support. There have been periods when the atmosphere at VP has struggled to take off, but right now it’s noisy and it’s passionate. We’ve finally got a good drummer although nothing on the John Bonham sound-alike in the home end at Aldershot. The atmosphere at VP is incredible, and every now and then the little hairs on your neck stand up when everyone’s belting it out.
4. Home and away – we have a great following
Pick up a Sunday newspaper and look at the League One attendances. Three thousand… four thousand… two thousand… five thousand… 18,000. Our gates top many Championship crowds.
Jealous types point out that our home gates are based on cheap season tickets. Perhaps. Can they explain the packed away ends that we produce on the road? Perhaps not.
5. The FA Cup is ours
The current trophy was made in Bradford in 1911. To show what stubborn souls Bantams are, we promptly won it that same year and became the first holders of the trophy. Next time Parky is on the telly for the FA Cup draw, he should snatch it. That cup is ours.
6. 1911 is a handy password
Need to add numbers to an online login? Need a four digit code for your phone? 1-9-1-1 is a useful and easy-to-remember number thanks to Bradford City. Don’t use bantams1911 though. That’ll get hacked. Trust me.
7. We have become masters of the cup upset
The world knows that Barcelona do Tiki Taka and that Italy do Catenaccio. They know Arsenal do pretty (and often fruitless) passing and Newcastle United serve up good comedy. The world also knows that Bradford City do giant killings.
8. Affordable football is a good thing, and we lead the way
#149
Football has lost its soul. It is no longer a game for the masses. The authorities won’t do anything about that as long as the game is awash with money and they get rich and wear nice silk ties. Sod the man on the street, we’re all right, they think.
Exclude our club from that last statement. Hats off to the club for keeping football affordable, for home supporters at least. It would be excellent to see that spirit extended to away fans too.
9. The BBC don’t seem to like us…
Ian Dennis aside, Auntie Beeb and its liberal metropolitan intelligentsia do not seem to want much to do with us. Gary Lineker sneered at us when Reading beat us in last year’s FA Cup. That’s fine, we’ll get into bed with BT Sport then. They seem to like us.
10. … but the majority of people do seem to respect us
“Who do you support?”
“Bradford City.”
“Nice one. Fair play. Decent ground. Good fans. McCall fell off a car. In the Premiership recently. Great cup runs. Windass was a nutter.”
It’s amusing that people always recap what you know about your own club, but the reaction is overwhelmingly positive. Yes, you occasionally get patronised but the vibe is mostly one of respect and includes some of the comments above. A lot of supporters don’t get that reaction to their allegiance.
11. We make up songs about sauce
Sauce is a hugely important thing in life, but our fans take it seriously enough to sing about the stuff. Bizarre, brilliant, bonkers.
12. We’re a family club but we’re global
Head to VP on match day and you’ll see the same faces. Mates and work colleagues. Families. Dads and their lads. It’s a friendly place and its soul in most definitely intact. Despite that family feel, we’re global and supported the world over.
13. Our fans take cutlery to games with us
14. The #bcafc community
I don’t know many #bcafc fans personally on twitter but it is a great little microcosm of Bradford City life. Social media is generally full of morons and Piers Morgan but on #bcafc things are generally quite different, a few exceptions aside. You get the insightful. The funny. The contrary. There are lots of, on the face of it, very pleasant and likeable people. It’s a great place to browse over a sandwich or coffee. It’s helpful if you need socks or word searches too.
15. That big beautiful Kop
Ah, the Kop. Home. A proper old-school stand that looms up behind the goal. In all of its different guises over the years it has always been tall, loud and bloody imposing. Scatter my ashes there when I’m done. Top tier please.
16. You never know what you’re going to get…
Unplayable to unwatchable in the blink of an eye. The sheer unpredictability of Bradford City will always be a mystery. There is always hope and expectation but anyone who possesses certainty on match day is on a different planet to the rest of us. Bradford City will always baffle. I am convinced they do it on purpose.
17. … actually, you do know what you’re going to get
There are certainties in life at Bradford City. Three minutes to go and cruising 2-0, we will let a goal in just to make it interesting. Losing to the side who are on a shocking run. Losing to the club whose manager you simply detest.
These things still make you behave in an inappropriate fashion, but you’re used to it now. It’s become part of the fun.
18. Mr Phil Parkinson
We've had some dreadful managers over the years. Jim Jefferies, John Docherty and Peter Taylor are just three names that conjure up atrocious memories.
In Phil Parkinson, we appointed a manager who, at first, we simply hoped would just restore some pride back into the club. He's done that all right. He's done that and then some. In his four-plus years , he's helped serve up some of the happiest moments in the club's history. He's got his doubters, but for the majority he's put us well and truly back on the up and we bloody love him for it.
19. Respecting what has happened before
The club has suffered more than most in the past. Those memories are always there just underneath the surface. Supporting this club is more than just watching a football game.
20. It’s never ever easy
For Bradford City to do it the easy way is unthinkable. Some sides stroll breezily through life to promotion and success. Bradford City model their approach on John McClane in Die Hard. We battle and stagger our way to successes so by the time we emerge victorious, we’re all flat on our backs gasping for breath and praying for it to end. Thrill and turmoil are the norm.
Look at the facts. For City to even consider promotion, a playoff deficit to come back from is obligatory. That, or we must grimace our way through 90 minutes of pain involving missed penalties, heart-stopping rebounds and the woodwork. When beating Premiership giants in the cup we must first go two goals behind, or concede a late equaliser to take things to penalties. In the shootout, we deem it necessary to add to the drama by fluffing the actual spot kick to win it.
There’s always a twist. City will never do it the easy way. It’s terrifying but it’s addictive.
21. We love ‘em
Bradford City came into our lives for many different reasons. Locality, pride in the city, family connections. What unites us is that we’re not blind followers of some show pony football club. Ups and downs are the norm. It doesn’t matter one bit, we love it.
Yep, sat there singing about condiments in our slightly crazy colours, we love it.
@jpieslak