Saturday 23 August 2008
Coca-Cola League 2
Bradford City vs Rochdale

Good afternoon and welcome to the Coral Windows Stadium for this afternoon's visit of Rochdale. We welcome the players, officials and supporters who have made the short trip across the Pennines for today's match.

As these are my first programme notes of the new season, I hope that you have had a good summer - despite the poor weather - and are enjoying having some competitive football to watch again.

There was a lot of optimism about our chances for the new campaign before a ball was kicked, not just around the football club but also in the eyes of the bookmakers, and we have lived up to our billing so far by taking six points from our first two league games. However, if we are to be a side that is to fulfill its ambitions of getting promotion, then Notts County at home and Macclesfield away are fixtures that we should be looking to take full points from.

Rochdale, on the other hand, are a different kettle of fish altogether. They are also highly fancied after last season's exploits, and they will prove stern opposition for us this afternoon after completing the double over us during the last campaign.

The end of the transfer window is now approaching and, having spoken to Stuart this week, he may well decide to add to the squad during this period in order to maintain the healthy competition for places that we now have.

Unfortunately, once again, we have exited the Carling Cup at the first round stage but I would like to take this opportunity to say thanks to all of our fans who turned out in such huge numbers on a miserable, rainy evening in Huddersfield. I am only sorry that we could not deliver the result that your tremendous backing deserved.

On the subject of cup competitions, you will all be aware that we now also face an interesting challenge in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy, having been drawn to play against Leeds United at Elland Road in the first round. This is a game which could well attract the largest crowd ever seen for a match in this competition outside of the Final. According to the Leeds website, we will be looking for a first competitive win in their backyard since 1943, so given that we have stated our ambition to do well in this competition this year, we will need to make sure we secure a second victory in over half a century. We will certainly be going there with the intention of doing just that.

During the close season, we were pleased to announce our first trading profit (albeit a small one!) for the first time in many a year, and this is testament to the hard work of a great many people, and indeed everyone who has contributed towards the survival of the club over the last six years. Your support has been a fundamental part of that and I'd like to thank everyone who has backed the club again during the summer by buying a season ticket and helping to ensure that we will, once again, have clearly the largest crowds in the Coca-Cola League Two this season.

You may also have read that we are likely to lose money again over the course of this season, but this is a calculated gamble that myself and Mark hope will pay off with us achieving promotion to League One. If, however, this doesn't happen then don't worry - we will not be in the kind of position that we found ourselves in back in 2002.

Enjoy the game - let's hope our 100% league record is still intact come 5'o clock.

Julian Rhodes
Joint Chairman