Review 2008–09 Bradford City A.F.C. season

1 review

1.1 pre-season
1.2 august
1.3 september
1.4 october
1.5 november
1.6 december
1.7 january
1.8 february
1.9 march
1.10 april

review
pre-season

city returned pre-season training on 1 july 2008 fifth new player, after tranmere midfielder paul mclaren signed two-year deal. 2 weeks after pre-season training started, city played first friendly when lost 3–1 farsley celtic, city goal coming barry conlon penalty. city s side included several trialists, including goalkeeper nick colgan, korey nix (brother of city midfielder kyle) , rory boulding. rory s elder brother michael, had been training city, unable play because of injury. second pre-season came 3 days later, when city defeated bradford rivals bradford park avenue 3–1, selecting squad included number of youth team players. city s third friendly 2–1 defeat west yorkshire non-league side, guiseley, featured former bradford player david brown on trial. city embarked on short tour of scotland, defeated dundee 1–0 lost 4–0 motherwell. during tour, club signed brothers michael , rory boulding on free transfers. upon return england, city lost next friendly 2–1 burnley. following form in several trial games, including string of saves against burnley, goalkeeper rhys evans, had played on loan previous season city, became city s latest signing on 1 august 2008. 3 days later, city s next friendly resulted in 1–0 victory against league 1 side oldham athletic. final pre-season friendly played behind closed doors, when city lost 2–0 sheffield wednesday team made of juniors , reserve players. day before start of season, mccall signed defender tj moncur on loan fulham cover @ right back. agreement gave bradford option sign moncur, had played 7 games on loan previous season, on permanent contract once loan finished on 3 january 2009.

august

city started season 2–1 victory @ home notts county. striker peter thorne, had been bradford s top goalscorer in 2007–08 season , scored hat-trick in corresponding fixture, scored both bradford s goals. city again lost @ first round stage of league cup third successive season, time 4–0 west yorkshire rivals huddersfield town. thorne, had been rested substitutes bench defeat @ huddersfield, returned city s second league game when scored both goals in 2–0 victory @ macclesfield town. city maintained unbeaten start season 2–0 victory against rochdale on 23 august 2008. first time since 2001–02 season city had won first 3 games of season. michael boulding opened scoring first city goal before thorne added fifth of campaign. mccall stated wanted sign 1 more player before august transfer deadline, before bringing in south african midfielder dean furman former side rangers on loan until january. city s winning start league season came end defeat aldershot town—the first time 2 sides had met. city had taken lead paul mclaren s first goal club, peter thorne missed penalty city lost 3–2.

september

city suffered second successive defeat when knocked out of cup rival west yorkshire side league one. time leeds united, won 2–1, in football league trophy in front of 20,128 fans—one of highest crowds tournament. barry conlon scored city s goal. after 2 successive defeats, city returned winning ways defeating port vale 2–0 on 6 september, goals bullock , thorne. game marked first contest between managers stuart mccall , lee sinnott since mccall appointed city manager in may 2007, when sinnott in line job following form @ farsley celtic. thorne scored two, did michael boulding, when city added fifth win 6 league games 4–1 victory on exeter city (despite being 1–0 behind @ half-time) go top of league. city lost unbeaten home start season following week when lost 3–1 bournemouth, managed former city player jimmy quinn. joe colbeck scored city s goal, first of season. city suffered second successive defeat week later against promotion favourite, shrewsbury town, 2–0. game marred injury tj moncur, collapsed after less ten minutes after clash of heads graeme lee , had taken hospital.

october

city went third game without victory 1–1 draw luton town. city had been reduced ten men when paul heckingbottom sent off, 4 minutes later barry conlon, had come on substitute minute earlier, gave city lead, luton equalise 7 minutes later. city recorded first victory in 4 games defeating accrington stanley on 11 october, despite trailing 2 goals ten minutes go. goals conlon, michael boulding , thorne gave city 3–2 victory. roles reversed week later when city led gillingham 2–0 @ half-time goals thorne , colbeck; but, despite gillingham being reduced ten men when mark bentley sent off, game finished 2–2. 2 days later, city again fell late goal when lost darlington 2–1, omar daley scoring first goal of season. after recording 1 victory in 6 matches, mccall said wanted bring in loan transfers , signed tom clarke huddersfield on 23 october. made debut following day first-half substitute against grimsby town after fellow defender matthew clarke sent off. city leading 1–0 @ time through omar daley, and, despite being reduced ten men, extended advantage through former grimsby striker michael boulding , first club goal graeme lee, winning 3–1. colbeck injured during victory on grimsby, , mccall signed midfielder nicky law, had played ten games city previous season, cover on loan deal. month ended 1–0 against fellow promotion hopefuls bury, barry conlon again coming on substitute score goal of game.

november

at start of november, city extended unbeaten run 3 games, unable defeat barnet despite being ahead 3 times. barry conlon scored 2 of goals in fourth league start of season, peter thorne scoring city s other goal in 3–3 draw. first round of fa cup saw city drawn against milton keynes dons, had won promotion league 1 previous season. however, city pulled off upset 2–1 victory @ stadium:mk goals daley , lee. following week s return league action saw city against wycombe wanderers, second in league , had remaining undefeated league record in country. second half goal lewis hunt gave wycombe 1–0 victory. full luke o brien scored first senior goal in city s next league game city defeated rotherham united 2–0 in first game @ don valley stadium, rotherham s temporary home. nicky law s first goal of second spell completed scoring. second half penalty conlon 3 days later against chesterfield gave city back-to-back victories , second 3–2 of season after being 2–0 down. first half goals graeme lee , michael boulding had started comeback in first half before chesterfield reduced ten men when alan goodall sent off committing foul led conlon s penalty. winger omar daley injured in game, becoming latest midfielder sidelined. result, mccall brought loan transfer 2 days later signing steve jones burnley 1 month. jones made debut following weekend city lost 2–1 in fa cup second round league 1 s leyton orient.

december

at start of december, chilean striker willy topp released contract 6 months let him find new club. played 2 games during 2008–09 season, both substitute. following day, tom clarke followed him out of club, after recalled loan spell huddersfield caretaker manager gerry murphy. first game of month saw city extend unbeaten run 3 games 1–1 draw against dagenham & redbridge, in game in opposition manager john still said had dominated. city s unbeaten run ended @ brentford following week in 2–1 defeat, 3 goals coming in final 2 minutes. city s goal came michael boulding, scored third successive game. city failed win third successive game when drew 0–0 chester city. 0–0 draw followed city s run without victory extended 4 games in first game of festive period @ lincoln city. bradford ended run of 4 games without victory defeating morecambe 4–0 in final game of season return automatic promotion spots.

january

striker chris o grady joined on loan oldham athletic in january

at start of new year, tj moncur s loan spell cancelled , returned fulham. following day, city brought in player on loan, chris o grady signing oldham athletic 1 month. city kept fourth successive clean sheet following day in first game of 2009, again involved in goalless draw, time fellow promotion-chasing side shrewsbury town. city s activity in loan market continued, nicky law extending loan until end of season, while midfielder luke sharry loaned out conference national side barrow. furman extended loan end of season , jones month.

city s next scheduled game postponed because of frozen pitch, before extended unbeaten run 5 games following week fourth draw during run. second half goal conlon gave city 1–1 draw accrington stanley. run extended 3 successive draws against luton town, although city losing 2–0 @ half-time before recovered 2–2. late goal luton s asa hall looked have given luton win, before conlon scored second successive game, time penalty, give city 3–3 draw.

two days after game, city again moved loan market taking pakistani international defender zesh rehman rest of season championship side qpr. leaving club on loan central defender, mark bower, signed luton town 1 month cover injuries , suspensions. rehman given debut following day city s run without defeat came end 1–0 loss top 3 side bury drop out of top 7 first time in season. however, city made amends in final game of month recording first victory of calendar year, 2–0 against grimsby side had been reduced ten men. city s goals came loan players law , jones, goal first club.

february

the january transfer window closed 2 days later traditionally, city extending jones loan until end of season deciding allow o grady return oldham. city had been due play darlington live on television same day, game postponed because of snow. when city returned action, recorded first back-to-back victories since november 2–0 victory against fellow promotion-chasing gillingham. followed third successive victory without conceding, 1–0 victory against second placed wycombe week later. jones scored second successive home game. sequence of wins came end rearranged game darlington, ended in 0–0 draw. city s 4 games without defeat or conceding came end 4–1 defeat barnet, third bottom in table , without home win in 4 months. followed away defeat, time 3–1 @ notts county, saw city drop out of play-off spots.

march

city ended three-run game without defeat , returned play-off spots 3 days later defeating macclesfield town 1–0 goal dean furman. 4 days later, city recorded highest victory of season 5–0 victory against aldershot town. peter thorne scored 2 goals, dean furman, barry conlon , last minute own goal completing city s scoring. when city returned road 3 days later, recorded third consecutive away defeat, time 3–0 fellow promotion-contenders rochdale, 3 goals coming in second half. following day, northern ireland international winger keith gillespie joined city rest of season after impressed stuart mccall during 2 weeks training club. after defeat, fourth successive away home, time 1–0 side chasing promotion, exeter city, bradford once again dropped out of play-off places. conlon , clarke disciplined club , missed game exeter because of non-footballing matter. when city suffered fifth successive away defeat, time 4–1 bournemouth, 3 days later, stuart mccall threatened resign if side missed out on play-off place.

although conlon played in defeat bournemouth, sent on loan grimsby @ end of week, fellow striker paul mullin arriving replacement accrington stanley on similar deal end of season. following day, 1–0 defeat port vale city s fourth loss in 11 games. mccall opted not bring in more new players transfer deadline, defender simon ainge allowed move on loan cambridge united. city s run without victory extended 5 goalless draw away @ chester, had not won in previous 17 games.

april

city started april extending number of games without win 6 1–1 draw @ home league leaders brentford. city s goal came in final minute peter thorne rescue 1 point. despite taking lead in subsequent game through matt clarke s header, city s run of form continued 2–1 defeat morecambe. city had goal thorne ruled out have given them 2–0 lead.