Bradford City (A) Jan 25th, 12.30pm

Match Centre 24/25
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"It was a grand upstanding Bantam Cock, so brisk and stiff and spry,
With springy step and jaunty plume and a purposeful look in his eye…"

(Jake Thackray song “Bantam Cock”)

Back to the Saturday lunchtime routine as we visit Bradford City, currently lying in 8th place in League 2, just one point adrift of the play-offs. For a club with a traditionally large following it’s understandable that some of their supporters are frustrated at the club’s apparent inability to be among the front-runners. Their prospects have recently been somewhat dashed by the serious injury to Andy Cook - the damage to his anterior cruciate ligament will sideline him for the rest of this season and possibly the start of the next one. As an example of their support numbers, consider that on 4th January (lack of money in many people’s pockets) they had a reported gate of 18,011 for a home game against Grimsby Town. Anyway, their current form looks like this:-

December 21st Notts County (A) Lost 3-0
December 26th Port Vale (H) Won 2-1
December 29th Chesterfield (H) Won 2-1
January 1st Barrow (A) Drew 2-2
January 4th Grimsby Town (H) Won 3-1
January 18th Carlisle Utd (A) Won 0-1

There have been quite a few players to have featured for both sides, some of whom I found quite surprising … Steve Baines, Mick Bates, Tom Brownlee (one for the old 'uns there), Steve Claridge, Stan Collymore (apprentice with us), Michael Flynn (manager with us), Don Goodman, Andy Halliday, Jordy Hiwula, Zeli Ismail, Caolan Lavery, Gary Liddle, George Miller, Richard O’Donnell (Bantams captain in 2021), Emmanuel Osadebe, Aramide Oteh, Mark Paston, Andy Petterson (not ours!), Mark Prudhoe, Lee Sinnott, Yann Songo’o, Steve Staunton, Neil Tolson, Gus Uhlenbeek, Kevin Wilson and Bernie (the bolt) Wright. There’s more than two full teams there!

There are still a few days left this week to possibly welcome new signings, but after the demolition of M K Dons it’s evident that this squad has all the necessary skills and attitude to carry on with the style of performance that has put us 12 points clear at the top (with a game in hand). We have the so-called defenders and midfielders who can rattle the opponent’s woodwork and/or score. Some of that has to be down to their sheer fitness, which exceeds most previous Walsall teams by some distance.

Prediction? The Bantams will certainly be up for this game, hovering around the play-offs as they are - and we surely can’t go on winning EVERY time we play? Using the old theory of “win your home games, draw your away ones and you will be champions” I’ll go for a 1-1 draw.

UTS

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We won’t win every game until the end of the season, Bradford will be fired up as at home, on a bit of a run that’s put them on the edge of the playoffs, and they considered themselves unlucky to come away from our place with nothing - so it’s not a done deal. But that’s much the same as our away games at Wimbledon, Fail and Notts County - and the team showed up (in spades) for all of those.

So long as we aren’t over confident and start making mistakes, I think we will have enough for another positive result. Hopefully a win to keep on track to break the winning streak record, but wouldn’t be disappointed with a draw.

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Tyriek Wright and Caolan Lavery too ?

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2-1 Walsall

Up the reds :grin:

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2:1 to Walsall we have this

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I had the same thoughts.

A very tricky game against a team very much in form. However, we have overcome these hurdles plenty of times already this season, is it really any more difficult than Wimbledon or Notts away, I don’t think so.

I think we will probably take a draw from this game, but like yourself would like to see us have a good go at the league record for consecutive wins.

After Bradford Saturday, we have played all the current top ten bar, Doncaster, and Crewe last game of the season, away from home. A positive result here and we are edging ever closer to the prize.

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Mentioned in the preview… and I got Bernie but overlooked Tyriek !!

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On sky sports + for the unable to go x

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Not going to be able to make it to this one, going for a 1-0 away win, Jamma to score the winner

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5 of us heading up there

2-2 for me

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You can throw Jamie Lawrence and Rob Steiner into the mix as well. Also our current reserve keeper Sam Hornby which means you can move Andy Petterson even further down the pecking order (or just cross him off the list).

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It’s probably going to be a cold day, so you might all benefit from digging out the old Don Goodman wigs!

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3-1 to us.

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A really tough game this .1-1 is my prediction.

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Comfortable 2-0 win!

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Would take a draw here, but it would be fantastic to drag the winning run on even longer.

1-1 Jellis.

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Pity our lot can’t adapt this for Bradford lol it would bring a smile to my face anyway

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These are fairly shit hot at home, but bottom 8 away.

I’ll take a point all day long.

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Draw not the worst but we are the runaway leaders and best team in the league. The team have the confidence to win

0-1, Josh gordon to get it late on

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Their home results have been very good and the University of Bradford Stadium is a tough place to go at the best of times. Make no mistake despite our incredible run of form this will be an incredibly tough fixture, that said it’s one we go in brimming with confidence and hungry to add to the record breaking winning streak. I don’t think we will win bigly but I think we can squeak another historic victory. Hoping their will be a really healthy travelling gate joining me.

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