Bradford City the EFL club & the other one.....

Its an age thing isnt it.

Avenue are little bigger than Eccleshill United or Thackley for those of us born in the 80’s or later, so we’ve grown up with only one real ‘Bradford’ side.

When you get chatting football with others I say I’m a Bradford fan to those outside of the city. Within Bradford I’d say I’m a City fan.

How big Avenue were is hard to fathom to me and many others. I’ve heard tales from others though.

I go to Harold Park next to their ground for a stroll several times a week and always find it bizarre they were the biggest team the city.

I started going to City (1993) after VP was rebuilt and Richmond then continued to develop it, so we have always seemed much bigger by comparison to me and there’s never been a rivalry there or anything.

 

I started going around then too, and to be fair I've never actually met a single person who didn't know what I meant when I said I supported Bradford.

 

Yawn...

 

I went to Avenue with my Dad from 1962 till they went out of the league in 1970, we used to get the Football Specials from Tyrrell Street. Then started following City through my girlfriend who was a season ticket holder.
Interestingly although Avenue are officially owned by the supporters, the guy who fronts them and makes a lot of the decisions was at last count apparently worth about £8 billion!

 

Interesting.

 

It is an age thing I suppose I have never referred our team to as just Bradford, just doesn't seem right to me at all.

 

It's definitely an age thing, I refer to them as City cos its easier but everyone who I knows interested asks how did Bradford get on.

 

To say that no one under the age of 50 knows that once upon a time there were two big(ish) clubs in Bradford is lying.

To also deny that said "youngsters" have never heard of BPA, who the heck have be been playing every pre-season for about same amount of years?

 

There are several people on here who will remember the times when Avenue were certainly on a par, if not the senior partner, in Bradford football. Things could easily have worked out differently in the 60s and it could have been City that departed the stage. Avenue were my first team because I lived very near the ground so I'll always have a soft spot for them and I'm glad they're still fighting on. In fact, I've gone to watch them a few times in recent years and really enjoyed it. Generally speaking City were the team of the north of the city and Avenue the south, with blurred edges on the east and west. As I lived in Little Horton and Wibsey in my formative years my switch to City was against the grain. But I really think that any true Bradfordian should wish success to both our clubs. I know I do. Those who disparage Avenue know nothing.

 

Most people under 50 couldn't care less.

 

Isn't this a thread about tomorrow's game?
Which wally started this City/Avenue debate anyway??

 

Because some people from 1940 care if we write Bradford or Bradford City on this forum.

Like Park Ave are a concern to us.

 

Quite right,when football was cheap to watch,i used to go to as many games as i could,so often ended up at Avenue and Halifax,as well as VP.The City -Avenue derby matches were always hard fought affairs,and for a lot of years Avenue were on a par,or better,than City in terms of league position.Difference was that when the rot set in at Avenue,there was no way back,whereas City always survived,thank goodness.

 

To say that no one under the age of 50 knows that once upon a time there were two big(ish) clubs in Bradford is lying.

To also deny that said "youngsters" have never heard of BPA, who the heck have be been playing every pre-season for about same amount of years?

No idea, just passing the time I suppose and a bit of a novelty we have a match thread started so early, somebody must be getting exited!

 

Derby day was always special against BPA one to look forward to

 

Maybe not nowadays but I remember the times when Bradford City weren't even the best team in Bradford in terms of league position, City consistently being lower in the table, and often in division, than BPA. I have always been a BCAFC fan but my dad was always a BPA fan. He was born and brought up on Canterbury Estate.

 

When asked in Bradford, when I lived there it was “ City”

Outside it’s “Bradford City”