At 5pm on Saturday against Swindon Town the Bradford City fans, players and all connected with the club looked on with envy as they watched a jubilant set of players in red and white celebrating with their fans as they leave League Two worthy champions. In stark contrast the City fans exited Valley Parade as the curtain draws on yet another season with the same feeling of previous campaigns – could do better.
Back in August before a ball had been kicked I was optimistic under Peter Jackson that Bradford had a chance of challenging for a play-off place, shows what I know given what has happened over the past ten months!
The opening month of the season hadn’t elapsed before Jacko left the club as Bradford became the first club in the Football League to change managers. For one game only Colin Cooper took temporary charge and guided the club to a comfortable win over Barnet. Cooper didn’t land the role permanently and shortly after ex-Charlton gaffer Phil Parkinson took over at Valley Parade, Cooper left to join the coaching staff at championship side Middlesbrough.
Throughout the course of the season the squad has evolved massively, the majority of the summer recruits have left or hardly featured under Parkinson as he brought in his own players. Prior to Jackson leaving he almost guided City to a memorable victory over Leeds in the Carling Cup as the Bantams dominated at Elland Road for a large portion of the match before running out of legs towards the end and narrowly losing 3-2.
From a personal point of view I’ve not been overly impressed with Parkinson as a whole this season but at the same time I do believe he is the right man to take City forward. Ultimately he’ll be judged more on next season rather than this campaign. Once he’s had a summer to bring in his own players and ship out the dead wood in the ranks I’ll be hopeful that City can at least compete towards a play-off place.
There have been a few highlights during the course of the season, the run to the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy northern semi final was a highlight whilst it also enabled many City fans to have the bragging rights over their neighbours for a short period of time as Bradford knocked out Sheffield Wednesday, Sheffield United and Huddersfield Town all on penalties before crashing out away to Oldham which on paper would have been the easier tie compared to the previous three rounds.
Another major highlight has been the emergence of Bermudan striker Nahki Wells. The young striker has been a revelation since breaking into the side, and he is now a permanent fixture in attack. Wells was snapped up by Jackson on a free transfer last summer from Carlisle and if he keeps progressing I’m sure in due course bigger clubs will come sniffing around – hopefully the City board will have Wells tied down on a long term deal, so if clubs do come calling at least Bradford can benefit financially.
Elsewhere on the pitch giant defender Luke Oliver, who scooped nearly all Player of the Year awards for this season, has been consistently solid at the back. Under the failed regime of Peter Taylor, Oliver had been a far cry from being the fans favourite which he has now become. Playing out of position at times Oliver simply looked a liability but he is a completely different player now, clearly benefitting from playing in his natural position. Oliver has excelled at the back this season and his partnership with on loan Andrew Davies has been a plus point to Bradford’s season.
Aside from Wells and Oliver I struggled to pick out many other star performers from the season. The likes of Kyel Reid and Andrew Davies have done well, Reid in patches and Davies has been solid enough all season long. Let’s be honest with the squad City have they should have done significantly better this season.
On the pitch results have been inconsistent, hence the reason why City are likely to finish 18th. On any given day the Bantams have been capable of beating the top sides whilst being more than capable of getting turned over by the likes of Hereford and Macclesfield. Away from home results have been poor, with Bradford’s first away league win not coming until mid December away at Southend and ending the season with only four away wins to their name – if next season City are to be successful their away form needs to be significantly better.
At home their form has been good, only Crawley have left with three points in recent months. Prior to that the last team to take all three points from Valley Parade was Rotherham last November. Unfortunately though the Crawley game won’t be remembered for the Sussex side taking the three points, it will be remembered for the post-match brawl which brought national coverage to both sides for all the wrong reasons, City had three players sent off and Crawley two after the final whistle – subsequently Crawley had an extra player banned following an FA hearing.
As the curtain draws on this campaign, Parkinson has already started to show his hand with regards to letting players leave the club. Craig Fagan, Michael Flynn and Chris Mitchell have all left the club, whilst Steve Williams and Mark Stewert both on loan at Inverness and Hamilton respectively look set to leave the club permanently. With players leaving it frees up some of the budget immediately for Parkinson to bring in his own players. I would expect more players will be leaving Valley Parade over the coming weeks when the gaffer starts to fully implement his stamp on the side.
So everyone heads away for the summer holidays and the gates shut at Valley Parade for yet another season. Yes it has been disappointing on the whole but it won’t take long for the excitement and expectation to start building for next season once one or two signings arrive. Fingers crossed City can compete at the right end of the table, I for one am getting fed up of looking at the bottom end of the table and for a club the size of Bradford within League Two they should really be challenging at the right end of the table. That is the task Parky has for next season – and I generally hope he can give the long suffering Bradford fans the one thing they desperately crave, promotion out of the bottom division.
Written by Mark Scully, We Are Going Up’s Bradford City Blogger
It’s not often Bradford make the national news but since Tuesday night we’ve certainly had our fair share of coverage, unfortunately for all the wrong reasons. As the full time whistle blew on Bradford’s latest defeat this time against Crawley Town the red mist descended and what followed was nothing short of remarkable. The pictures and footage which thousands of people witnessed would be more a kin with watching a royal rumble or a Friday fight night with Hayemakers reigning in all over the place.
It’s not fully clear what sparked the mass brawl, Crawley have a certain style and everyone is aware of what Steve Evans brings to the party. He’s like a jack in the box on the touchline, bellowing for absolutely everything. I can’t imagine he’s won many friends throughout his time in the football league. The five reds cards distributed after the final whistle matches previous records for dismissals in a domestic English league fixture.
The melee appeared to start when City’s centre half Andrew Davies who has collected two red cards already this season, reacted angrily to something, he charged at Crawley defender Claude Davis who clearly forearms Davies in the face quite aggressively but what follows was shameful from both clubs. Davies partner at the back Luke Oliver came steaming in and landed a right hook on Davis, as players traded blows City keeper Jon McLaughlin joined the party and started trading blows with Crawley’s Pablo Mills, who was giving as good as he got by throwing punches freely.
As the ref watched the chaos unfold, he duly noted down the offenders and subsequently sent the players off in the referee’s room after the match. Crawley saw Davis and Mills both receive red cards whilst Bradford received reds for Davies, Oliver and McLaughlin. Davies will receive a five match ban whilst the other two offenders for the bantams will receive three games. Both clubs will expect a heavy fine from the FA for failing to control their players along with other charges, yesterday the FA charged Pablo Mills with violent conduct and also charged fellow defender Kyle McFadzean. With the bantams struggling badly in recent weeks, the events on Tuesday night couldn’t have come at a worst time the club needs all hands on deck not sat in the stands unable to help the team.
On one hand the fact that McLaughlin and Oliver stuck up for Andrew Davies after he got hit is honorable but they over stepped the mark by a country mile. On the other hand all three could potentially cost Bradford their place in the football league next season, with City racking up defeats for fun in recent weeks it has left Bradford hovering dangerously close to the drop zone and now have to contend with missing three key players for a minimum of 3 and 5 games, which could quite easily be extended by the FA should they deem fit.
For the record Crawley won the game 2-1, but going forward will anyone look at this fixture and remember the score line?…I suspect not, it will be remembered just like the fixture between Sheffield United and West Brom for the mass brawl that brought shame on our national game.
On top of the suspensions fellow defender Marcel Seip has been ruled out for the season and left back Matt Fry is struggling with injury which will pile extra pressure on Phil Parkinson’s shoulders. Saturday’s fixture against fellow strugglers Plymouth is a huge game, as the club not only needs a win to keep clear daylight between themselves and the relegation zone but also to move on from the chaos of Tuesday night.
City need wins and quickly with a tough run-in starting against Plymouth, it is only hoped that what happened against Crawley will galvanize the squad to produce the goods on the pitch and ensure survival is reached. As the season reaches its climax, performances aren’t what it’s about its results and three points in the bag…without a doubt City have under-performed badly again this season which surprises me as Parkinson has signed some good players which on paper should do very well in League Two but for whatever reason it hasn’t happened and yet again for the second season running although this time around it is a lot closer than last, City find themselves stuck in a relegation battle.
Personally, I’m not overly enthusiastic with the gaffer but he should be judged on next season. Hopefully we will have stayed up and over the summer he can rebuild and try to mould a squad that he believes is good enough not only to survive but to be successful at the top end of the table. If once again City struggle then without a doubt he’ll come under pressure but for now I’m sure he has the backing of the majority of fans, who for the remaining games need to be the 12th man like they always are.
The City fans have endured dour season after dour season in recent times we deserve some success and the first part of that success can start with staying up!
Written by Mark Scully, We Are Going Up’s Bradford City Blogger
The signs of a revival under Phil Parkinson are there for everyone to see. Unbeaten at home in three months and with an away win recently at high flying Torquay under their belt it would suggest that the tide is slowly turning for Bradford. Last Saturday’s 1-1 draw at home to Hereford United kick started a week of relegation 6-pointers for the Bantams with away trips to Barnet on Tuesday and next Saturday at Dagenham & Redbridge. Ideally we could have done with all 3 points in front of a bumper crowd in excess of 17,000 at Valley Parade due to the ticket offer which the club put out for the game, but in the end we were grateful for David Syers’ header a minute from time rescuing a deserved point in a scrappy, nervy game.
Late drama seems to be the ‘in thing’ at Valley Parade in recent games, Andrew Davies scored a stoppage leveller in the previous home game against Port Vale, whilst against Burton and Morecambe both games produced late equalisers for the visitors, frustratingly so as had we had the extra 4 points on the board the threat of relegation wouldn’t be half as real as it currently is. Despite not notching up the wins as freely as one would have hoped for, one thing is clear under Parkinson is as a team we are a lot harder to beat if a team is going to take maximum points off the Bantams they will have to work hard for it. I believe credit must go to Parky who having taken over the reigns from Peter Jackson just a few weeks into the season has effectively had to bring in a brand new squad of players, and proof that it’s slowly working was he was rewarded Manager of the Month for League Two in December. In my opinion had Jackson not resigned when he did Bradford could have been dead and buried now, I like him as a person but a lot of his signings have been shipped out and replaced and you’d have to worry had we still had the majority of Jackson’s players competing for the points just how badly we’d be doing now. Under Parkinson he’s brought players into the squad that provide that extra bit of steel to the spine of the side, bringing in Andrew Davies at centre half has been a master stroke arguably the best central defender we’ve had at Valley Parade in a long time and without a doubt he could easily ply his trade at a higher level. The likelihood of keeping hold of the on-loan Stoke defender is extremely unlikely, despite Davies being out of contract it’s hard to believe we can compete financially to keep him at the club long term.
In midfield he’s signed Ricky Ravenhill; Ravenhill initially arrived on loan from Notts County but the deal was made permanent in the January transfer window. He’s a player that likes a tackle, not afraid to get stuck in and breaks up play he’s another one who has achieved success both at County and also at Doncaster Rovers so hopefully going forward into next season he can have further success in his career down at Valley Parade. Up top, Parky seems to have rejuvenated James Hanson, the big target man had gone stale under the horrendous Peter Taylor regime and then the short Jackson tenure, but Parkinson has clearly worked with Hanson and both the player and club are reaping the rewards of a striker in form.
Unfortunately with Hanson out for the next few weeks the attacking options are limited, Hanson has at times being subjected to flak from the terraces at Valley Parade but take him out of the side and its evident how much we miss his presence in the team. The attacking department is somewhat light, so far Craig Fagan hasn’t set the world alight although in fairness he has played the majority of his games for the club on the right hand side of midfield. Young Bermudan striker Nahki Wells has been a revelation since breaking into the side during November, but we badly miss a 15-20 goal a season striker. We had pretty much secured a deal to bring Paul Benson to the club from Charlton terms were all agreed and at the last minute the Bradford club doctor had concerns about one of the strikers previous injuries and in the end we pulled out of the deal. Subsequently Benson has signed for Swindon and scored a few goals, I think the fee was around the 100k mark had we signed him, which in my opinion would have been far too much given that he’s 30+ and was going to be out of contract in the summer anyway. Another striker that we lost at the end was apparently Chris Dagnall, pipped to his signature by Barnsley near the end of the transfer window. Its an area in the summer that Parkinson will need to strengthen significantly if we are to be challenging next season.
On the pitch results have been steady since the turn of the year, with only one win so far in 2012 which was away at Torquay and draws against Morecambe, Burton, Hereford and Port Vale. Mixed in with those results have seen defeats in the FA Cup away at Championship side Watford and league defeats at Rotherham United and Bristol Rovers. Looking ahead hopefully we can secure survival sooner rather than later but for the time being we are still nervously looking over our shoulders, as previously mentioned this week is huge for City if we lose both games at Barnet and Dagenham then suddenly the league looks a darker place, ideally a return of at least 4 points would be the target to keep the rest of the strugglers at arms length.
Not all City fans are yet to be fully convinced by Parkinson but without a doubt we are a lot harder to beat and at times are playing some really good football. We tore both Crewe and Shrewsbury apart over Christmas and if City can continue to perform the majority of the remaining games in that fashion avoiding relegation will be straight forward enough. He has said things won’t be pretty as he battles to get the points on the board, and if the game against Hereford is anything to go by he’s true to his word. But I honestly believe that Parkinson is the right man for the job, providing we stay up this season I firmly believe we will be up there challenging for the play-off positions next season. The nucleus of the side is there, so the usual merry go round of players in the summer months at Valley Parade hopefully won’t be as vigorous this time around. If we can add a proven goal scorer into the mix and a decent right winger then the squad will be strong enough for a serious challenge.
Over the years the fans have had plenty of false dawns but for me it feels different this time around, hopefully I’m right. I just hope the revival doesn’t start in the Blue Square Premier!
Written by Mark Scully, We Are Going Up’s Bradford City Blogger
Before my visit to Valley Parade on Boxing Day, I could have written a novel full of superlatives to describe Crewe Alexandra’s start under new manager Steve Davis. However, after a truly dismal display, I will keep them locked in a chest and possibly throw away the key.
Bradford was not a fun trip. Over the last few seasons, I have seen some terrible games away from home. The Alex had a shocking run last season which saw us lose 10 away games in a row. I was there at the majority and I therefore feel as though I can judge how bad an away day has been.
I left the living room with the blazing fire and warm turkey sandwiches to embark on a 3 hour drive to pick up my companions and head up the M6 to Bradford. The ground itself is spectacular for a League Two side. Once a Premier League venue, Valley Parade is built into a hillside and is quite a view for a Crewe fan. I approached the game feeling optimistic about the 90 minutes ahead; under Steve Davis, the team had started to look like a decent outfit who could finally defend and grind out results. After a solid draw against top of the league a week before, I genuinely thought I was going to see my team take all 3 points from a struggling Bradford side.
90 seconds into the match, Crewe’s defence exploded, as did my expectations.
A “fluke” goal had not been the start I was hoping for and the game had a feeling of… “What’s changed?” Crewe competed, but the same weaknesses (Defence) were being exposed by the opposition who deservedly lead at the break. The team came out of the dressing rooms with extra belief, we attacked their goal with flare, but then a penalty turned into a nightmare for us. I say this, as it completely changed the game. Great work by Nick Powell on the right and after a slight touch (Debatable) he flung himself onto the grass and the referee pointed to the spot. Cue celebrations by the Crewe fans. Not all though, including myself, who knew full well of Crewe’s record of converting penalties.
What followed could be described as one of the most painful 30 minutes I have ever watched. After a long delay, Lee Bell struck the penalty onto the underside of the bar and down onto the line. The ball was cleared and the chances of Crewe coming away with anything disappeared. After this, the Bradford fans were in full voice and to cut a long story short, they scored two goals and inflicted a first league defeat under Steve Davis.
What was positive to come out of the trip was the players reaction at the end of the match. Bell and Tootle both raised their hands to apologise, the team seemed devastated. This is a side of the team that has not been shown before. Steve Davis walked right over to the fans to applaud them and it genuinely seemed like their performance was a total one off.
The problem Crewe have is goals. Last season they were the top scorers in the division and would just outscore teams. However, after big names left in the summer only 5 teams have scored less. The January transfer window will be interesting. Crewe won’t spend money, but I expect them to be busy in the loan market. A centre forward and centre back need to be brought into the team. We have the potential to be up there at the end of the season competing for the play-offs. Davis has brought fresh ideas to the team which have been welcomed. Just an extra 25% needed to be that team who will be making a late surge come the second half of the season.
Ever optimistic….
Written by Hugh Wilson, We Are Going Up’s Crewe Alexandra blogger
Following Saturday’s 3-2 home defeat to Rotherham United, Bradford slipped to third bottom of the Football League and if alarm bells weren’t ringing prior to the game then they certainly should be now. Despite the opportunity to get out of jail with two stoppage time penalties, only one was taken as City slumped to yet another abject defeat.
On paper the squad would suggest Bradford have enough quality to challenge for a play-off place but in practice the harsh bottom line is that they are simply not good enough. The frustrating thing for Phil Parkinson and the fans alike is the form in the cups where Bradford have produced excellent performances against both Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United as well as Huddersfield Town, all three clubs have been knocked out by Bradford on route to the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy semi-final.
Maybe it’s a case of players raising their game when competing against bigger teams with better players, but what good would getting to Wembley and winning the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy do if come the end of the season Bradford are heading into the doldrums of the non-league. I’m sure Birmingham City would have sacrificed winning the League Cup last year if it meant retaining their Premier League status.
So far the JPT has been the only positive in an otherwise poor season to date, knocking out both Sheffield clubs and Huddersfield on penalties and deservedly going through the ties after some excellent performances has been a rare highlight. Generally speaking the JPT is a cup competition that is disregarded by many a club, but with Oldham now in City’s sights and only a few short steps away from a possible date at Wembley it’s a competition that City are taking very serious.
If I’m honest, in the games against Huddersfield and Sheffield United the best I was hoping for was a good performance from the team and not to be embarrassed by losing heavily, but it has so far worked in Bradford’s favour by playing bigger games rather than an Accrington or Morecambe as Bradford seemingly raise their game for the bigger occasion. At Huddersfield the game finished 2-2 before City eased past Town on penalties whilst at Bramall Lane it finished 1-1 as Bradford missed a couple of great chances to win the game outright before winning a tense penalty shoot out. With Oldham away in the semi’s the club has a real chance of getting to the northern final and who knows Wembley could be on the cards….we can but dream!
Aside from our excellent run in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy, Bradford have knocked out another league one side this time in the FA Cup first round when Rochdale left the competition thanks to a wonder goal from Nakhi Wells that has to be a contender for goal of the round; Wells picked the ball up in his own half before heading into the ‘dale half – with not much on he unleashed a delightful strike into the top corner – take a bow son!
In the league, one thing that is consistent is that Bradford are inconsistent. Off field changes during the opening few months of the season clearly haven’t helped the situation with former manager Peter Jackson walking out just a few games into the season. New gaffer Phil Parkinson has tried to put his mark on the squad with a host of new signings but currently it isn’t working out, obviously it is going to take time for his new signings to gel but time isn’t something City have a lot of; if the results continue like this over the coming weeks then City can forget about anything else this season aside from trying to stay in the Football League.
It probably sounds negative, but after witnessing some really poor performances over the course of the season and especially in the last two league home games, I think the root of the problem probably goes deeper than what people would like to believe.
Going into the season, you pick out certain teams that you would expect to do well and some that you expect to struggle. I had City challenging strongly for a play-off place, despite only just staying up last season I generally thought City had turned the corner but at this juncture they haven’t unfortunately. If at all possible at this point City have gone backwards on last season – that’s an achievement in itself.
Despite all the negativity surrounding the club with the league position, the quality in the squad would suggest City are capable of achieving so much more. For a League Two side to have the likes of Andrew Davies, Craig Fagan, Kyel Reid and Matt Duke in the ranks and to be where Bradford are in the league is shocking. These are players who have clearly played at a higher level and frankly must be wondering what they are doing turning out for Bradford.
Currently I’m a very disgruntled City fan; the season hasn’t panned out how I thought it would and that goes for the majority of fans. Pressure will grow on Parkinson if results don’t start to improve over the coming weeks, but let’s be realistic if for whatever reason fans started calling for Parkinson to go, would that really help? The answer is no. Parkinson needs time and plenty of it at this rate to get his own squad together and to get them playing his way. Expect wholesale changes in January as City look to strengthen and move away from the drop zone.
Who’d have thought it; Bradford’s next league home game in a couple of weeks pits us against Plymouth Argyle. Aside from Swindon, both Bradford and the Green Army are the two biggest sides in the league but it will be a big relegation six-pointer when the two meet….how the mighty have fallen…
Written by Mark Scully, We Are Going Up’s Bradford City Blogger
As the away side in a football match, you are expected to keep things tight and make life difficult for your hosts. More often than not a well-fought draw will do and if you pick up a close victory, even better.
Thrashings in football aren’t a regular occurrence but they do happen. However it is rare when the visiting team hands out a pasting to their hosts. Last week Andy Hessenthaler’s Gillingham did just that with a 6-1 victory at League Two strugglers Hereford United, so today Toppo’s Top Ten looks at those occasions where the visiting team has a field-day in front of goal, leaving the home fans heading for the exits early.
10: Burnley 2 Sheffield Wednesday 7 2003
Sheffield Wednesday were already relegated by the time they travelled to Turf Moor for a Division One fixture in 2003 – you wouldn’t have known it though looking at the final score.
Paul McLaren opened the scoring for the visitors with a long-range effort which Burnley goalkeeper Nic Michopoulous failed to save. Two minutes later Ashley Westwood added a second with a close-range tap-in Brian Barry-Murphy’s cross. Defender Richard Wood made it 3-0 to Wednesday, his first senior goal coming minutes after Burnley striker Ian Moore was sent off.
Burnley manager Stan Ternent hauled off the goalkeeper replacing him with sub-goalie Marlon Beresford and the Clarets pulled one back through a Robbie Blake penalty but in truth it was a miserable first half for the hosts and things didn’t improve. A minute after the break, Richard Evans beat Beresford with a cross-cum-shot from 35 yards before Blake made it 4-2 with a left-footed drive.
Chris Turner’s Wednesday quickly restored their three goal advantage as Steven Haslam scored from Alan Quinn’s free-kick and within seven minutes they scored again. Burnley’s French defender Artur Gnohere put Grant Holt’s cross past his own goalkeeper before the travelling Owls capped off a memorable afternoon, Quinn hitting an excellent 30-yard drive past Beresford for an 7-2 success.
9: Crewe Alexandra 1 Coventry City 6 2002
In February 2002, Coventry City visited Dario Gradi’s Crewe Alexandra in a Division One fixture where the hosts had a shocker. The Sky Blues were still harbouring hopes of a play-off spot while Crewe went into the match having won their last four games in a row. By the end of this 90 minutes though there was only one emphatic winner.
The first goal came on 37 minutes when a Lee Hughes cross was spooned into the air by Alex goalkeeper Ademole Bankole and Laurent Delorge knocked it into the net. Crewe equalised in injury time when Shaun Smith curled in a corner and Rob Hulse powered a near-post header into the back of the net, but seconds later Coventry were back in front when £5 million signing Hughes turned Steve Foster before driving in a curled shot from 15 yards.
Two minutes after the break striker Hughes made it 3-1 as he beat Bankole to the ball, nodding home Lee Mills’ flick-on from a long throw-in. After the Crewe defence failed to clear a cross ten minutes later, Hughes saw his shot blocked but it fell to Delorge who slammed it home to extend the visitors’ lead.
Midfielder David Thompson made it 5-1 after a mix-up in the Crewe backline and then with 20 minutes to go Hughes completed his hat-trick as he ran onto Thompson’s through ball, outmuscled Efe Sodje and Bankole before finishing easily. Gradi hauled ‘keeper Bankole off, replacing him with Clayton Ince but by then the damage had well and truly been done.
8: Hereford United 1 Gillingham 6 2011
Hereford United have made a poor start to the League Two campaign this season and their misery was compounded last week as Gillingham inflicted a 6-1 home reversal on them.
West Ham loanee Frank Nouble opened the scoring after good interplay with Chris Whelpdale before Garry Richards made it two five minutes later, his looping header beating Bulls ‘keeper Dave Cornell from Danny Jackman’s cross. Luke Rooney scored the Gills’ third on 38 minutes as his driven cross-cum-shot deflected off a home defender and into the net.
3-0 down at the break and things didn’t get better for Hereford as Jackman netted a fourth for Gillingham three minutes after the restart as he curled an excellent effort into the top corner of the net from wide on the left. Hereford missed a penalty midway through the second period but it was Gillingham who scored again, Whelpdale’s low effort bobbling over the diving Cornell and in.
On 82 minutes the visitors added a sixth when Stefan Payne netted his first senior goal with a strike from 20 yards but Hereford did salvage some pride, as with three minutes to go as Sam Winnall powered home a free-kick from 25 yards. Despite that it was the Bulls’ worst home defeat since returning to the Football League.
7: Millwall 1 Watford 6 2010
Millwall went into this Championship encounter against Watford proudly defending a ten month unbeaten record at home, but the Hornets ended that run in style.
John Eustace bundled home Don Cowie’s corner after seven minutes to give Watford the lead, which Jordon Mutch extended six minutes later, lashing the ball into the back of David Forde’s net after seeing his first effort blocked. Marvin Sordell’s left-footed effort two minutes into first-half stoppage time tricked over the line and saw Millwall 3-0 down at the break.
Nine minutes after the restart another Cowie corner led to a Watford goal as Adrian Mariappa headed the visitors into a four goal lead. Liam Trotter reduced arrears two minutes later but soon after Danny Graham rifled a powerful finish into the top corner to restore the four goal cushion for Malky Mackay’s side. They made it 6-1 added time as Martin Taylor directed a header low into the bottom corner to compound Millwall’s misery.
6: Reading 0 Bristol Rovers 6 1999
Having moved to the new £50 million Madejski Stadium in August 1998, four months later Reading put in one of the worst performances seen at the ground as they slumped to a 6-0 home defeat at the hands of Bristol Rovers.
The Division Two fixture in January 1999 saw Rovers’ pick up one of their best-ever away victories while The Royals were left embarrassed, particularly when the half-time score was 0-0. In the second half Jamie Cureton ran onto a through ball and slotted a composed finish beyond the advancing Reading goalkeeper for 1-0. The striker then made it two from the penalty spot and soon completed his hat-trick, knocking in after a defensive mix-up between Elroy Kromkeer and Chris Casper. Jason Roberts then set up strike parter Cureton for his fourth goal – all of them coming within the space of 20 minutes.
More poor home defending allowed Roberts, a £250,000 summer signing from Wolverhampton Wanderers, to score twice and make it 6-0 to Ian Holloway’s men.
5: Bradford City 0 Portsmouth 5 2003
On their way to the Division One title and promotion to the Premier League in 2003, Harry Redknapp’s Portsmouth travelled to Valley Parade in their final league match, where they hammered Bradford City 5-0.
Italian defender Gianluca Festa marked his final appearance for Pompey with a goal, his left-footed shot beating City goalkeeper Aidan Davidson to open the scoring. Svetoslav Todorov hit a quick-fire double after the break to make it 3-0 and was then felled by Bantams defender David Wetherall in the box for a penalty.
The Bulgarian striker stepped up and converted the spot-kick to complete a ten-minute hat-trick. Former England winger Steve Stone finished off the rout on 67 minutes with a well-struck right foot shot to give Pompey only their second victory at Valley Parade in 14 attempts and the best possible preparation for life in the top flight.
4: Hartlepool United 1 Plymouth Argyle 8 1994
Plymouth Argyle made the long trip north to Hartlepool United for a Third Division clash in May 1994 and left Victoria Park with all three points and a hatful of goals scored. Dwight Marshall set the visitors on their way with a 29th minute strike and Steve McCall added a second ten minutes later. Richard Landon and Paul Dalton made it 4-0 at half-time and there was no let-up after the break as Landon hit number five. Steve Castle added yet another goal before Hartlepool midfielder Nicky Peverell grabbed a consolation effort with 20 minutes remaining. Landon completed his hat-trick on 77 minutes to restore Argyle’s six goal advantage and midfielder Paul Dalton completed the scoring with a minute to go, as the Devon side racked up a remarkable 8-1 away win.
3: Oldham Athletic 1 Cardiff City 7 2002
Division Two promotion rivals Oldham Athletic and Cardiff City met at Boundary Park in March 2002, where it was the visitors who prevailed by some scoreline.
Veteran Scottish goalkeeper Andy Goram played for Oldham the club between 1981 and 1987 and was brought in by boss Mick Wadsworth to resolve a goalkeeping crisis for this match, but he found himself conceding seven goals. Scott Young put the Bluebirds ahead early on before Leo Fortune-West and Peter Thorne gave them a 3-0 lead after just 23 minutes.
Andy Campbell made it four half an hour in before Oldham’s Matty Appleby was sent off. Fortune-West hit the fifth and his second of the afternoon just before half-time and after the break striker Campbell completed his hat-trick, netting in the 64th and 73rd minutes. Stuart Balmer pulled a goal back for Oldham, a mere consolation sixteen minutes from the end which did little to gloss over a very poor performance from the Lancashire outfit.
2: Torquay United 1 Scunthorpe United 8 1995
In October 1995 Scunthorpe United equalled their club-record victory as they thrashed a lacklustre Torquay United 8-1 at Plainmoor. Torquay had made the Division Three playoffs the season before but lost in the semi-finals to Preston North End, however they suffered a play-off hangover at the start of the 1995/96 campaign which culminated with the 8-1 reversal at the hands of the Iron.
Future Torquay striker Andy MacFarlane caught the eye as he netted four goals but the manner of the defeat hit Torquay chairman Mike Bateson hard, admitting he could have sacked the vast majority of the players who took to the field for the game. Instead he relieved manager Don O’Riordan of his duties in a bid to turn around the club’s fortunes. See the goals from the game in the clip below.
1: Norwich City 1 Colchester United 7 2009
Colchester United manager Paul Lambert inspired his side to a remarkable 7-1 win at newly-relegated Norwich City on the first day of the 2009/10 League One season, putting himself in the frame for the manager’s job at Carrow Road in the process.
As Norwich City began life in the third tier for the first time in half a century, no one saw this result coming. Kevin Lisbie gave the U’s the lead after ten minutes, Clive Platt netted twice, David Fox netted from a free-kick and Lisbie found the net again as Norwich were 5-0 down within 38 minutes. Cody McDonald netted for the Canaries after the break but David Perkins’ volley and Scott Vernon’s close-range finish made it 7-1 to the visitors – a fantastic performance from Lambert’s side inflicting Norwich’s heaviest home defeat in their 109 year history.
Norwich sacked manager Bryan Gunn within a week of the thrashing and turned to the man who helped deliver it, Lambert being appointed Norwich boss soon after. He galvanised the Norfolk outfit and led them to promotion as Champions, before embarking on a memorable season the following campaign as the Canaries finished 2nd in the Championship to secure Premier League football for the first time since 2005.
Written by Steven Toplis, We Are Going Up podcast member and blogger
Tweet Steven at @steven_toplis with your suggestions for Toppo’s Top Tens
I hope the Blue Square Premier is dusting down the welcome mat in preparation for Bradford City’s arrival – because if things don’t improve it is where the Bantams are heading. With a paltry one win in their opening ten games, it is no wonder the club find themselves languishing third bottom of the whole Football League. But for the well-documented financial problems at Plymouth Argyle, there would be no doubt Bradford would be in the relegation zone rather than sitting just outside.
As I predicted a few weeks ago on the We Are Going Up podcast, Phil Parkinson has taken over the managerial reins following the sudden departure of Peter Jackson. During Parkinson’s first month in charge a lot has changed, Jackson’s assistant Colin Cooper initially agreed to reprise the role under Parkinson, but left the club a few days later to join Middlesbrough’s coaching staff. Cooper has been replaced by Steve Parkin who brings a strong CV boasting time as first team coach at Hull City during their rise to the Premier League and spells as manager of Mansfield Town and Rochdale in the lower leagues.
Within a day of arriving at the club, Parkinson snapped up left winger Kyel Reid – who he worked with at Charlton Athletic – on a free transfer. Reid has been joined by a host of new recruits with goalkeeper Matt Duke and striker Craig Fagan, both formerly of Hull City, joining on free transfers. Another signing from the Tigers is tricky Irish winger Jamie Devitt, who has already become a fans favourite with some energetic, skillful displays.
Last week Parkinson moved to add strength to a defence which has failed to keep a clean sheet in the league this season by signing Stoke City centre-back Andrew Davies, who appears to have the attributes to be a big success in League Two. On paper all the new arrivals look classy players for this level, without doubt they bring extra quality to the squad and while results have not improved, their quality will soon start to shine through.
The new signings have had mixed fortunes so far, the star of the show being Devitt who at this level is a constant threat. Reid doesn’t appear fully fit but looks to have the ability to cause problems for the opposition, Duke looks shaky which isn’t being helped by a defence which has more holes than a sieve. Davies only made his debut against AFC Wimbledon and Fagan isn’t fully match fit.
Normally when a new manager comes in he picks up a token win in one of his first matches, but not at Valley Parade as Phil Parkinson’s winless run currently stands at five. Successive draws in his opening two games were both snatched with last minute equalizers, the first at Morecambe coming when Ross Hannah clipped home a deserved 93rd minute equalizer. Against Bristol Rovers, Michael Flynn converted two penalties won by loanee Devitt. Again a point was the least the Bantams deserved having dominated for large periods.
The boot was on the other foot away to Port Vale as Tom Pope scored a last minute winner which defeated Bradford 3-2. The defeat at Vale Park was backed up with an abject performance against league favourites Crawley Town as Parkinson’s men succumbed to a 3-1 loss, despite Kyel Reid giving them a first half lead.
With the manager threatening changes and a hard week in training before playing AFC Wimbledon, it was hoped Bradford would kick start their campaign against the newly promoted side. However another soft goal allowed the Dons to level after a Flynn spot-kick had put Bradford in front, before a long range strike on the hour was badly misjudged by goalkeeper Duke to seal the Bantams’ third defeat in a row.
The mentality of the players is certainly under question at the moment – Parkinson and his team have to work hard to turn it into a winning one. Talent in the squad suggests a change in fortunes isn’t too far away but if results don’t improve quickly City are in danger of being cut adrift near the bottom of the league. The players who joined midway through August are behind the rest of the squad in terms of match practice so it might take a few games for them to find their feet. The new faces will take time to settle in and for the team to gel but ultimately winning games will restore confidence and see the team progress up the table.
Away from the league struggles, the Bantams’ progression into round two of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy is a welcome distraction, having beaten League One neighbours Sheffield Wednesday on penalties at Valley Parade. Victory over The Owls set up another derby day at Huddersfield Town, a difficult game no doubt but anything can happen in cup football.
The squad Phil Parkinson has at his disposal is more than capable of aiming for the play-offs and the club needs to start climbing the league sooner rather than later. Bradford have struggled for the last few seasons and when fans start to believe it might be a successful campaign, they have been left disappointed. Hopefully that won’t be the case this season as everything is still to play for after just ten games.
City sit eleven points adrift of the play-offs – it’s just a shame those elusive positions seem so close but yet so far away.
Written by Mark Scully, We Are Going Up’s Bradford City Blogger
He fulfilled his wish by landing – in his own words – his dream job, but like any dream they come to an end and unfortunately for Peter Jackson, it only lasted seven months after handing in his resignation as Bradford City manager on Thursday afternoon.
News broke late that day after a routine boardroom meeting at Valley Parade. The first I heard was when I received a text saying ‘has Jacko been sacked?’ My immediate reaction was don’t be daft. However after a quick look on the Bradford City website it was clear Peter Jackson had resigned citing a poor start to the season, saying he leaving so early in the campaign would give his replacement the best possible chance of bringing success to Valley Parade.
To say I was shocked would be an understatement and the same applied to the vast amount of Bradford fans. Jacko had taken training as normal on Thursday morning before heading off to the routine boardroom meeting. Whether something was said in the meeting or whether Jackson had decided prior to it he was going to go, I suppose we’ll never know.
When Jackson arrived at the club in February last season his brief was simple – keep Bradford City in the Football League – which he did with relative ease. His appointment was met with a mixed reaction by Bradford fans due to his Huddersfield Town connections; personally I was un-decided when he was brought in as the interim manager to replace Peter Taylor. However during his managerial career at Town he impressed in both spells with the club. His managerial spell at Lincoln unfortunately was hampered due to having a serious health problem at the time.
Despite having a mixed reaction when he was appointed, I was really disappointed to see Jacko walk away from the club last week. To be honest when I heard he had left the club on Thursday I was gutted – I don’t think I’ve been so disappointed to see a manager leave since the Premier League days and Paul Jewell’s departure.
Jackson had an infectious personality and was a very likable person; he brought real passion to the dugout during his reign, something which had been lacking under the previous manager. One moment stands out from last season when Tom Adeyemi scored a last minute winner against Rotherham United and Jackson did a ‘Mourinho’ running down the touchline! It was something his predecessor Taylor would never have done, unfortunately football is all about results and with only four wins in his eighteen games that in itself says a story.
Full credit must go to Jackson for admitting he feels he isn’t the right man for the job. Who knows what would have happened if he’d got a couple of wins in the previous four games, but for now Peter Jackson’s Bradford City managerial career is condemned to the history books.
With Jackson gone, the hunt to replace him started quickly with joint-chairman Mark Lawn admitting to the media the shortlist consisted of three names, two of which were unemployed the other currently in a managerial position. Some exciting names were linked to the post over the weekend such as Phil Parkinson, Mark Robins and Ady Boothroyd. Colin Cooper, number two to Peter Jackson, was handed the task of picking the team for the visit of Barnet on Saturday.
So onto the game on Saturday a very tricky fixture on paper against a decent Barnet side. With the sudden change in management it was important the team not only put in a good performance for themselves and the club, but also showed any potential manager they are worthy of retaining their shirt. The Bantams certainly produced the goods with a comprehensive 4-2 win; collectively working well with some brilliant individual performances.
Despite Barnet taking the lead through the dangerous Izale McLeod, City hit back inside a minute with man-of-the-match James Hanson claiming the first of his two goals. In the second-half Guy Branston heading home his first goal for the club to put City in front for the first time in a league game this season. Two became three as Hanson side footed home from a superb cross from Chris Mitchell who claimed his third assist of the afternoon. The rout and first win of the season was complete when Nahki Wells scored his first professional goal. Wells hit the post deeper into stoppage time before McLeod claimed his second with near enough the last kick of the game.
As the full time whistle blew at Valley Parade a collective sigh of relief could be felt and with a 4-2 win in his pocket Colin Cooper can be proud of how he pulled together the team following a turbulent few days.
As I write this blog, the news has broken that ex-Charlton manager Phil Parkinson has been appointed the new boss at Valley Parade on a two year deal, becoming the third manager at the club in eighteen months. It’s not yet known whether Colin Cooper will be staying on as his number two, but with Parkinson in the crowd on Saturday to witness the 4-2 win against Barnet I personally think he would be foolish to let someone with Cooper’s experience leave the football club.
Overall, his managerial record is mixed. He did a unbelievable job at Colchester United, taking them into the Championship which gave him is big chance at Hull City where things didn’t work out. He joined Charlton as assistant to Alan Pardew before taking up the managers post following Pardew’s departure from the club.
Time will tell if he is the right man for the job. One thing we can be certain of he has been appointed as manager of a football club that has badly under achieved in recent years. He will be backed by a fantastic set of fans which have been deprived of success for so long. However the big thing now for Bradford City is stability as three managers in eighteen months is a terrible record. Hopefully Phil Parkinson can bring success and stability, meaning it will (hopefully) be a while longer before the club starts a search for yet another manager.
Written by Mark Scully, We Are Going Up’s Bradford City Blogger
As the title suggests it’s a marathon not a sprint, granted Bradford City haven’t had the start I and most fans out there wanted, three games in and one point on the board isn’t an ideal way to kick off the new campaign, but to quote a well renowned phrase ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day’. Yes it would be great to be writing this with 3 wins out of 3 and Jacko closing in on the August manager of the month award but how realistic was it that we would get off to a flying start? The mass influx of new signings meant time was needed to gel, find the right formation and players to gain a good understanding with each other.
There will be some fans out there that will have the side as good as relegated after only getting 1 point out of the opening 9, but it’s a long season and with 43 games left and 129 points to play for anything can happen. If after 10 to 15 games Bradford are still struggling at the wrong end of the table I might start to become concerned about how the season might pan out. For now though I believe they are moving in the right direction even if results suggest otherwise.
Lacklustre performances undermined the defeats against Aldershot and Accrington. Against the ‘Shots City played and looked like a team that had only been put together over the course of the summer, whilst at Accrington they simply never turned up and lost the game to a scrappy second half goal. Sandwiched between the Aldershot and Accrington games was a well earned point at The Kassam Stadium against Oxford, the late leveller from Ross Hannah his first goal in professional football.
The story of the season so far – apart from the heroic effort at Elland Road in the Carling Cup – can be summed up in two parts. One is soft goals being conceded and the second being injuries to key players. On the opening day against Aldershot poor defensive play allowed ‘Shots midfielder Alex Rodman the freedom of the penalty area, before he squared the ball for Danny Hylton to tap in from about a yard out. Twenty minutes later another Rodman cross looked simple enough for goalkeeper Martin Hansen to come and claim. Come he did but claim he didn’t as he misjudged the cross badly and the unlucky Robbie Threlfall could do nothing as the ball hit him and ended up in the net. Most frustratingly Bradford were 2-0 down without Aldershot doing anything special to be in such a comfortable position.
Fast forward a week to Oxford, which could be a good point gained against a side fancied to be near the promotion spots come May. However once again Bradford conceded a soft goal, allowing Oxford midfielder Simon Heslop to break forward from half-way unchallenged. City’s midfield seemingly went missing and the defence backed off, giving Heslop the chance to stride forward and plant one in the bottom corner. A well-taken goal in fairness but he shouldn’t have been allowed the space afforded.
Lightning struck for a third time on Tuesday night away at Accrington, a very poor advert for League Two with neither side doing very much to win the game. Had the game finished 0-0 it would have been a fair result, but a weak tackle just outside the area by Guy Branston on Wes Fletcher allowed the Accrington striker clean through on goal, where he slid the ball under the on-rushing Hansen – who was a little slow off his line maybe – and the ball trickled into the net to give the hosts their first win of the season.
Simon Ramsden is struggling to overcome injuries which forced him to miss most of last season and all four games so far this campaign. ‘Rambo’ only featured in two pre-season games and looks unlikely to feature for the first team anytime soon. Steve Williams, who would normally be considered first choice defensive partner for skipper Guy Branston, is yet to make a league appearance after picking up a recurrence of the thigh injury against Leeds which also plagued him during pre-season.
Most important though is Dave Syers who has been ruled out for up to 3 months with knee ligament damage sustained in the defeat at Leeds. Without doubt a massive blow to lose last season’s top scorer and Player of the Year so early in the campaign, he will certainly be missed over the coming weeks.
During that game at Leeds United Bradford produced a superb display, at times bridging the gap between the Championship and League Two with ease. Goals from Jack Compton and a stunner from Michael Flynn twice put the underdogs in front and had me and the rest of the City fans dreaming that this is our time to get one over our illustrious rivals. Ultimately, it proved not to be as Peter Jackson’s men tired in the last 20 minutes, Leeds came back into the game and scored twice to run out 3-2 winners. Despite losing the game the players showed a real desire and commitment to the cause, and I came away from Elland Road one proud Bradford fan.
For me Bradford showed enough promise in the Leeds game to suggest they can have a successful season. If they can replicate their performance during that match in the league then we’ll be up challenging at the right end of the table come the end of the season. So as we head into back to back home games against Dagenham and Barnet it gives us the perfect opportunity to kick start the season and get that elusive first win on the board.
Keep the faith, and the good times will roll…..hopefully!
Written by Mark Scully, We Are Going Up’s Bradford City Blogger
The first day of the football season is always eagerly anticipated. The pitches are a lush green, the sun is shining and fans up and down the county are dreaming of a successful campaign, whether it be promotion or avoiding the drop. Nothing is decided on day one of course, but it is always good to get off to a winning start. Sometimes you can send out a statement of intent to your rivals or be caught in pre-season mode and find yourselves on the wrong end of a spanking. This week Toppo’s Top 10 looks at some of the more glorious and (for some) disasterous opening days in Football League history.
10: Bradford City 11 Rotherham United 1 – 1928
Kicking things off is an opening day defeat from nearly 80 years ago so bad it deserves a mention here. It was the first day of the 1928/29 Third Division (North) season with The Millers travelling 40 miles north to Valley Parade. They probably wished they hadn’t bothered as they returned home having been thrashed 11-1 – not surprisingly Bradford’s record home victory to date.
9: Queens Park Rangers 4 Barnsley 0 – 2010
Following a 13th placed Championship finish in 2009/10, QPR were placed amongst the favourites for promotion the season after, with Neil Warnock about to begin his first full season in charge and a squad assembled with bags of Championship experience. Warnock brought in eight new faces including Paddy Kenny, Shaun Derry, Jamie Mackie, Bradley Orr and the mercurial Moroccan Adel Taarabt, joining permanently from Tottenham having been on loan at Rangers the season before.
Barnsley were the visitors to Loftus Road as the season kicked-off on August 6th, 2010 and the Hoops dispatched their visitors with ease, setting the tone for the forthcoming campaign. Heidar Helguson put them in front from the penalty spot four minutes before the break, Mackie made it two and new captain Taarabt slotted home Rangers’ second penalty on 63 minutes for 3-0. The rout was completed when Hogan Ephraim laid on a tap in for Fitz Hall as Warnock’s side began the season in style, sitting top of the table. It was a position they would relinquish only twice during the campaign as they returned to the Premier League after 15 years away.
8: Notts County 5 Bradford City 0 – 2009
The summer of 2009 will go down as one of the most memorable in the history of Notts County. The club were taken over by Munto Finance, supposedly backed by mega-rich Middle Eastern owners who were going to take the Magpies into the Premier League within 5 seasons. Former England manager Sven Goran-Eriksson joined as Director of Football and after years in the doldrums, a bright new dawn had beckoned at Meadow Lane.
League Two County wasted no time assembling a squad capable of securing promotion, even bringing in former England defender Sol Campbell and Ian McParland’s men heralded the new era with a thumping display on the first day of the season. Ben Davies made it 1-0 on 17 minutes then new marksman Lee Hughes hit two in four minutes as Notts went 3-0 up by the break. Hughes secured a debut hat-trick from the penalty spot before Brendan Moloney’s fine solo strike capped off a fine team performance.
Unfortunately for County Munto’s takeover was based on false promises. The money was never forthcoming, Sol and Sven soon left and the club was on the brink of collapse. New owners came in to save the club who did get their promotion into League One at the end of a tumultuous campaign.
7: Walsall 4 West Bromwich Albion 1 – 2003
Paul Merson spent his latter playing career in Division One, helping Portsmouth to the title in 2003 before leaving to join Walsall, their fans hoping his magic touch could establish them as a force in the second tier. Merson’s debut could not have gone better, the ex-Arsenal man scoring a brace as the Saddlers demolished West Midlands rivals West Brom. Albion travelled to the Bescot on the opening day having just been relegated from the Premier League and Gary Megson’s plans for a swift return got off to the worst possible start.
A record crowd at the Bescot saw their side out of reach by half-time, Merson breaking the deadlock with a sweet right-foot volley which flew past Russell Hoult and into the top corner. The midfielder made it two with a drive which crashed in off the bar then just before half-time Jorge Leitao bagged number three as he tapped home after Simon Osborn’s shot hit the post. Former Wolves midfielder Steve Corica made the game safe 12 minutes after the break as Saddlers fans basked in the warm August sunshine, the only blot on their team’s day coming as Jason Koumas netted a consolation goal for Albion.
In February 2004 Merson was handed the manager’s role at Walsall following the sacking of Colin Lee but could not prevent the club from being relegated to Division Two on the final day of the season.
6: Chelsea 5 Derby County 0 – 1983
A game from back in the days when Chelsea were an second tier team! In the summer leading up to the 1983/84 season, Blues boss John Neal made several signings including Pat Nevin, Nigel Spackman, John Hollins and prolific frontman Kerry Dixon. The new faces inspired Neal’s side to a 5-0 demolition of Derby County on the season’s first day at Stamford Bridge.
Spackman put Chelsea ahead after just four minutes, Chris Walker made it two after the break and Chris Hutchings netted a third not long after. Dixon then plundered his first two Chelsea goals on 63 and 68 minutes to complete the rout. The win set the tone for Chelsea’s season as they finished top of the Second Division – with a 5-3 win at Fulham plus 5-0 victories over Leeds United and Kevin Keegan’s Newcastle United along the way – Dixon top-scoring with 36 goals.
On paper a 2-1 win may not seem too remarkable but the significance of the day makes it a match few Seagulls fans will forget in a hurry. Since the club’s owners controversially sold the club’s Goldstone Ground in 1997, they have spent 14 years waiting for a new stadium to call home, playing their games at Gillingham’s Priestfield Stadium and the Withdean Stadium.
Construction finally began on a new ground in 2008 and earlier this year the club were finally handed the keys to the £100 million AMEX Stadium ahead of the 2011/12 campaign. Gus Poyet led the Seagulls to the League One title last season meaning the club would be hosting Championship football in their state-of-the-art arena.
Doncaster Rovers were the first visitors as emotional Brighton fans created a great atmosphere, 22,000 waving flags long before the teams entered the field. Doncaster netted the first league goal at the ground, Billy Sharp’s partially-blocked effort crawling over the line to give the visitors the lead.
It seemed as if Doncaster would spoil the party, however on 83 minutes they failed to clear a Brighton set-piece and the ball fell to Seagulls new signing Will Buckley, who hit a crisp, low volley from the edge of the area into the bottom corner to level matters. Injuries to Doncaster’s James Hayter and goalscorer Sharp saw eight minutes of added time at the end of the second half and Rovers forced to play with 10 men after they used all their substitutes.
Brighton took full advantage as former Watford winger Buckley broke forward and curled home a 98th minute winner. There were scenes of jubilation as Brighton secured a dramatic first victory at the AMEX, fans and players celebrating wildly.
4: Newcastle United 5 Leeds United 2 – 1989
On the opening day fans get the chance of seeing their club’s new signings for the first time and in 1989, debutant Micky Quinn put on a show in front of over 40,000 Newcastle United followers.
Leeds United were the visitors to St.James’ Park as Jim Smith’s Magpies faced Second Division football after relegation from the top flight two months before. Quinn was signed for £680,000 from Portsmouth, having hit 54 goals in 121 appearances for the South Coast club and soon got on the scoresheet for his new employers, along with fellow debutant John Gallagher. Leeds led 2-1 but the big centre-forward put the game out of reach of Howard Wilkinson’s men, hitting 4 goals on his first appearance for the club. He went on to net 34 times in the league that season, making him the top scorer in England by a distance.
According to his autobiography, after scoring his fourth Quinn ran towards the crowd shouting, “That’s who f*****g Mick Quinn is, that’s who f*****g Mick Quinn is, *****g Come on!”
Nobody told him that he was screaming at the family enclosure full of children.
3: Brentford 4 Leyton Orient 3 – 1991
At the start of the 1991/92 Division Three season, London sides Brentford and Leyton Orient played out a thriller at Griffin Park. Future Wimbledon and Bolton striker Dean Holdsworth put the Bees in front just before the break. Orient equalised in the second half then went in front as Kevin Nugent nodded home Ricky Otto’s left-wing cross.
Holdsworth made it 2-2 straight from the restart, pouncing on a rebound after Richard Cadette’s shot was saved. The frontman then bagged his hat-trick, latching onto Terry Evans’ long ball forward and slotting a composed finish past the goalkeeper. Orient weren’t out of it and Ricky Otto again put a teasing cross in from the left which Andy Sayer converted for 3-3.
That wasn’t the last of the goals as Brentford went in front again. A set-piece was floated into the penalty area, centre-back Evans met the ball with a header which looped over the ‘keeper into the far corner of the net to make the score 4-3 to The Bees. An amazing opening day match that kick-started a promotion campaign for Brentford, which saw them win the league and boast the top scorer in Holdsworth, who netted 38 goals.
2: Millwall 0 Rotherham United 6 – 2002
An incredible scoreline from the New Den on the opening day of the old Division One in 2002. Millwall lost in the previous season’s play-off semi-finals while the Millers just escaped relegation – but it was the hosts who were left stunned.
Ex-Walsall striker Darren Byfield started the rout, powerfully heading home Paul Warne’s cross. Lions goalkeeper Tony Warner then gifted the visitors their second as he let Martin McIntosh’s 35-yard free-kick squirm through his grasp and over the line. After the break Millwall capitulated, hesitation in their defence allowing Byfield to make it 3-0.
Despite going forward in search of goals, Millwall conceded a fourth when Chris Sedgwick cut in from the right to score then Byfield completed his hat-trick with ten minutes to go, chipping the ball over Warner from the edge of the penalty area. Sixty seconds later he had another as he rounded the goalie and slotted home a sixth goal for Ronnie Moore’s side. Unbelievable stuff.
1: Norwich City 1 Colchester United 7 – 2009
It can be argued that this game was a watershed moment in the recent history of Norwich City. Having been relegated to the third tier of English football for the first time since 1960, the Canaries were instantly placed amongst the favourites for an immediate return to the Championship. With legendary former goalkeeper Bryan Gunn in charge and new signings arriving at the club in pre-season, it was expected that they would get their League One campaign off to a good start.
Their first game of the season, at Carrow Road against Colchester United, was a disaster as they slumped to an incredible 7-1 home defeat. Kevin Lisbie put the U’s in front after 10 minutes, scoring after a mistake by Canaries goalie Michael Theoklitos. Clive Platt made it two then grabbed another soon afterwards with a back-post finish. David Fox bent home a free-kick before Lisbie’s second goal, a header, meant Norwich were five down after just 38 minutes with their fans already heading for the exits, two even ran on the pitch and threw their season tickets at manager Gunn.
In the second-half Cody McDonald grabbed a consolation but David Perkins’ volley and Scott Vernon’s tap-in set the seal on a fantastic result for Paul Lambert’s team, inflicting Norwich’s worst home defeat in their 109-year history.
Within a week of the game Bryan Gunn was sacked and Norwich turned to the man who masterminded Colchester’s thumping win – ex-Scotland international midfielder Paul Lambert. Aided by the 24 league goals from Grant Holt, Lambert turned the club’s season around as they won the League One title. He then went even further, guiding them to 2nd place in the Championship and a second successive promotion in 2010/11 – meaning that just two years after one of their darkest days, Norwich City will be playing Premier League football this coming season.
Written by Steven Toplis, We Are Going Up Blogger
Tweet Steven at @steven_toplis with your suggestions for ‘Toppo’s Top Tens.’
At 5pm on Saturday against Swindon Town the Bradford City fans, players and all connected with the club looked on with envy as they watched a jubilant set of players in red and white celebrating with their fans as they leave League Two worthy champions. In stark contrast the City fans exited Valley Parade as the curtain draws on yet another season with the same feeling of previous campaigns – could do better.
