Stadium Coral Windows Stadium Valley Parade Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD8 7DY
Telephone 0870-822-0000
Club Colours Claret & Amber
Nickname The Bantams

Official Club Website www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk
Key Personnel Manager Stuart McCall

Brief Directions By Road
M1 onto the M62 westbound. Exit at junction 26 onto the M606 spur road signposted Bradford. The ground is well signposted from this point. Following the signs for Bradford Airport go under the tunnel and straight on at traffic lights. Turn left at next roundabout (Wakefield Way) passing over two roundabouts (signposted Shipley A6037). Airedale Road becomes Canal Road then turn left into Station Road (A6177) and left again into Queens Road. Through three sets of lights then turn left into Manningham Lane. The first left is Valley Parade.

Car Parking
Street parking is limited around the ground although the area has its fair share of private pay on exit type car parks which are probably your best bet. Remember Bradford City is numerically the best supported club in the league and gates up to 15,000 are not unusual. It will be busy in the immediate vicinity so get there early.

Directions By Train
Bradford station is a good 25 walk from the stadium therefore a taxi is your best option - approx. £3.50. There are at least three buses which serve the stadium the 622, 623 and 626 all available from the bus station adjacent to the train station.

Supporters Coaches
The BFCSA is running a coach to this fixture and the fare is £35.00 for adults and £30.00 concessions. For further details about supporters coach travel and how to book check out the BFCSA website at www.bfcsa.co.uk. You can also phone the Coach Travel hot line on 01707 647365. Please remember that you must be a member of the Association to travel - don't worry you can join on the day.

Eating And Drinking Locally
Ah, now we are cooking. The huge Indian population in Bradford makes this area a Mecca for Curry, marvellous. I have been recommended the Panshee Restaurant on Tickhill Street, Leeds Road Bradford for a very inexpensive buffet lunch (about £8.00 per head plus drinks). Checking their website confirms what outstanding value is to be had.

The best pubs are a short stroll from the ground and two have been recommended by the club and indeed by visiting fans. The Corn Dolly on Bolton Road (10 minutes walk) is a haven for real ale and inexpensive meals. They specialise in big Yorkshire Puddings with various fillings. Virtually next door to the Dolly you will find the Goldsborough, good beer, good food and free parking for the stadium! Make sure you speak to the landlord first, it usually works.

For overnight accommodation look no further that the New Beehive in West Gate 01274 721784www.newbeehiveinn.co.uk 17 rooms ensuite from about £35.00 per single room and £58.00 per double room inc. Breakfast sounds about right.

The Social Club
The Bantams social club is not available to away fans.

Ground Description
Valley Parade is a big ground in relation to many we will visit this season although deceptively the capacity is only some 25,000; it looks like it could house considerably more. The Kop or home terrace behind the goal is a huge two-tiered stand and is attached to the main or Sunwin stand. This stand has its top deck built in 2001 but it hides the site of a terrible tragedy. TV cameras captured the destruction of the old all wooden main stand by fire on the 11^th May 1985 in less than 5 minutes. 56 died with hundreds more injured. That incident was the real catalyst for the call for more stringent safety regulations in sports stadiums thereafter. Opposite the Sunwin is the single tiered Midland Road stand while behind the other goal is our home for the afternoon, the TL Dallas stand. The lower portion is normally enough for visiting supporters. Good seating with plenty of legroom although the view is somewhat obscured by pillars.

Rivals
Huddersfield Town and more vociferously Leeds United.

Admission Prices
TL Dallas Stand: Adults £20, Students (with valid ID) £15.00, OAP's £14, Juveniles £12.

Our Last Meeting& Memories
We have met City on only four occasions to date. A last minute Jason Puncheon free kick at Underhill capped a 2-1 win in September 2007. The goal was eventually awarded goal of the season.The return fixture at Valley Parade in April 2008 in front of over 13,000 featured an Adam Birchall goal in the 1-1 draw.Back in the infamous season 1993-4 season Bradford triumphed by a 2-1 score home and away. Our goalscorers in those games were Sean Close and Tony Dolby - remember them?

Overnight Stay Factor
I must mention there are more curry houses per square yard here than anywhere else in Britain but the night life in Bradford is nothing to write home about and the local countryside offers very little in the way of glorious scenery. Therefore a stop over attracts a 4/10 mark.

Celebrity Watch
Bradford is the home of the National Media Museum previously The Museum of Photography, Film and Television. Not quite the British Museum but nevertheless extremely interesting housing a large collection of work by one of Bradford's famous son's, artist David Hockley. Author J.B. Preistley was born here, and his book Dangerous Corner was no doubt inspired after watching Edwin Stein at Runcorn in 1984, as was the late TV's Countdown host Richard Whiteley and comedian Adrian Edmonson. The creator of hand puppet 'Sooty' was Harry Corbett; he was born in Bradford. The three Bronte Sisters lived on the outskirts of the city too. Music is diversely yet well represented as the bands New Model Army and Smokie, singers Kiki Dee, Gareth Gates and composer Fredrick Deliuis all emanate from Bradford. On a more infamous note, so does serial killer Stuart Sutcliffe aka the Yorkshire Ripper and Britains last ever and most well-known Hangman, Albert Pierrepoint.