Me, my dad and City

Tomorrow, sadly, it will be my dad’s funeral. Following Bradford City was a major part of our lives together as father and son. I just wanted to share a few memories of this.

My Dad was an Aussie, and even though cricket and Aussie Rules Football were his main sports, he soon got into following football in England when he arrived in the mid 60s. Prior to moving to Bradford, he had been a regular attendee in Hull, Leicester and Cardiff. My first few games were at the cavernous Ninian Park in around 1977/78.

When we first moved to Bradford, all I knew about Bradford City was from managing the weekly football ladders from Shoot or Match Weekly magazine. Bradford City always seemed to be at the bottom along with Rochdale, Crewe and Southport. My Dad actually wanted to take us to see Leeds United initially, but they were rude to him when he contacted them and so that ruled them out as an option for regular attendance. As a result my first match in Yorkshire was the famous low attendance 0-1 defeat at home to Hereford in 1981.

We sporadically attended after that. I particularly remember a 0-0 draw with Millwall where a fan ran the length of the field from the away end to goad the City fans, unopposed. On the way home through the city centre it was bedlam. My dislike of Millwall stretches back to 1983.

It was the 1984/85 season where we began watching City much more frequently, coinciding with a terrific season and great entertainment. As I said, my dad was cricketer and so the final match of the season against Lincoln clashed with a cricket match. He refused to let me take my brother to the game, because he was concerned it was sold out and would be so busy, even though I had already been going to games on my own with friends. Without doubt our lives would have been very different, as we always went in the main stand to see games. The day after the fire, my dad, with tears in his eyes, told me that Richard and Robert Ormondroyd hadn’t come home. I had attended middle and grammar school with the twins and played in the same Eldwick Juniors football team. It was sad at the time and has become more poignant with every passing year.

1985/86 and 1986/7 were the years where dad, my brother and I starting seeing City regularly both home and away. Anywhere from Birmingham northwards was on the cards for a day out. Being a bit of a football geek as a kid, it was amazing to visit places like Bramall Lane, Ewood Park and even Elland Road. One game I remember was a 2-2 draw away at Sheffield United, I think it was the game that Tony Clegg was sent off in and he never really featured much after that. It was also my first encounter with the South Yorkshire police. My dad had strategically parked to get a quick getaway. Unfortunately, the police were intent on marching City fans back into Sheffield and one copper poked my dad quite forcefully with his truncheon when we tried to make a break for it.

I had started a Saturday job for the ‘nearly season’ so my attendance started to become more limited, although midweek games home and away were always on. The game away at Villa Park where we lost 1-0 to a David Platt header was particularly memorable. Bradford City competing with a team that had been European Champions only six years before – what a ground, atmosphere and game.

Things started to drift after the nearly season, I left Bradford and I was limited to sporadic away games and home games in holidays for a good few years until the Notts County final. Seeing City win at Wembley, next to my dad was very special. After that with my Dad approaching retirement we started attending again together. If there is any moment, following Bradford City that sticks in the memory it was the Chris Waddle goal at Everton in the cup. Me and my dad absolutely lost it at that point, Hugging everyone we could, jumping around going crazy. Amazing.

With my dad being in semi-retirement, he took on the responsibility of queuing at City to get tickets for the big games. I remember him saying he had a long chat with Geoffrey Richmond one day waiting to get tickets for some game and said how enthusiastic and visionary he was for the club.

We got back into away trips again, especially during the Premiership years going to Liverpool, Everton, Derby, Coventry and Manchester United. After that I started to work away in India so missed much of the ITV Digital turmoil and the administrations and my dad decided to spend more time with my mum at weekends. I do, however, remember going up to Hartlepool for the first game of the 2005/06 season. It was a glorious sunny day, we had a great meal at the new quayside area there and then Bobby Petta scored a terrific goal on his debut. Yet another false dawn.


It was the Mark Lawn initiative for cheap tickets that saw me and dad attending again with season tickets. Even though the football wasn’t always great at that time I really enjoyed seeing my dad every fortnight and having a good chat.

His final match at City was the Arsenal game in 2012. After the match my dad collapsed on the way home and never regained his confidence to attend a game.

Without doubt, I became a Bradford City fan because of my dad. He wasn’t a fanatic, but he was a supporter. Much of our regular telephone calls would be discussing the woes and occasional fortunes of City.

Sorry this is a bit of a ramble, but it has felt good to reflect on life with my dad and City.

 

Wow! That's quite a coincidence.

We lived in Radyr. My first game was in 1978 for Cardiff v Southampton with Mick Channon and Alan Ball in the Southampton team.

 

Thank you.

 

Thank you, very much appreciated.

 

Sorry for your loss and hope you are doing okay. It's a rough time.

Yes, I also avoided politics with my dad! He was a character and very decent man. Thank you for your kind words.

 

Thanks everyone for your kind words.

We had the funeral yesterday and it went well. It was up at Oakworth, proper rugged Yorkshire. A beautiful place to say goodbye to dad.