BRADFORD CITY AFC

After weeks of waiting, City's staff and players finally know their first League 1 opponents for the 2014/2015 season - Coventry City at the Coral Windows Stadium.

The match, which will take place on Saturday 9 August 2014, will instantly bring back memories of the club's entertaining 3-3 draw with the Sky Blues last November. A repeat of the drama and excitement from that day would certainly make for an interesting start to the season!

After the Coventry opener and a trip to Morecambe in the Capital One Cup Round 1, Phil Parkinson's men travel to Walsall's Banks's Stadium on Saturday 16 August 2014 for their first League 1 away fixture of the new campaign.

City won the same fixture 2-0 last season to move into fourth in the table after ten games thanks in part to a truly stunning thunderbolt from Kyel Reid.

The Bantams are back on the road shortly after the Walsall game to make the long journey down to Crawley Town the Tuesday (19 August) after. City then round off August with Saturday matches at home to Peterborough United (23 August) and away at Rochdale (30 August).

Should City make the Capital One Cup second round - scheduled for Tuesday 26 August 2014 - they face the prospect of seven games in the first three weeks of the new season.

September opens up for City with back-to-back home matches against Yeovil Town (6 September) and Swindon Town (13 September). A long week on the road follows afterwards, however, with away fixtures at Milton Keynes Dons (16 September) and Colchester United (20 September).

Following that theme, City go back to two consecutive home games over the end of September and the start of October with games against Port Vale (27 September) and Crewe Alexandra (4 October).

One of the away trips likely to catch the eye of many supporters this season comes up on October 11 when Parkinson's squad make the short journey south for the Yorkshire derby against Barnsley at Oakwell.

Just a week later, another exciting all-Yorkshire clash is scheduled as Sheffield United travel to the Coral Windows Stadium on October 18.

With the fixtures coming thick and fast by this stage, City's players then travel to Bristol City (21 October) the following Tuesday and Oldham Athletic (25 October) the Saturday after.

November begins with a mouth-watering local clash between the Bantams and Doncaster Rovers at the Coral Windows Stadium (November 1).

Following a break for the F.A Cup first round, City's next League 1 action sees them travel to Preston North End's impressive Deepdale stadium (15 November) for an away fixture with the much-fancied Lilywhites.

City end November with back-to-back home fixtures against Gillingham (22 November) and last season's losing Play-Off finalists, Leyton Orient (29 November).

After a possible F.A Cup second round tie on 6 December and a trip to Chesterfield on 13 December, the Bantams face four matches in fifteen days over the festive period.

Scunthorpe United at home (20 December) is followed by a Boxing Day fixture at Fleetwood Town (26 December). City then end their 2014 fixtures with a home match against Notts County (28 December).

The Bantams' first fixture of 2015 is away at Leyton Orient (3 January 2015).

City's first home match of the new year sees them welcome Lancashire side Rochdale to Valley Parade the Saturday after (10 January 2015).

Back-to-back away fixtures follow at Yeovil (17 January) and Swindon (24 January) before City end the month of January at home to Colchester (31 January)

Noteworthy games in February include a Valentine's Day trip to Coventry City (14 February) and a visit to promotion-contenders Peterborough (28 February).

February will also see City host MK Dons (10 February) under the lights - interestingly enough, the Bantams' first scheduled home midweek evening fixture of the season.

City's month of March has a nice balance to it - two home games, followed by two away games, followed by further home games.

The club begin the month at home to Crawley (3 March) and Chesterfield (7 March) before moving onto away matches at Notts County (14 March) and Scunthorpe (17 March).

The Bantams then end March with home matches against Fleetwood (21 March) and Oldham (28 March).

The start of April brings City two Easter fixtures over the Bank Holiday weekend - Doncaster (away) on Saturday 4 April and Preston (home) on Monday 6 April.

There's a long trip south to Gillingham for Parkinson's men the following Saturday (11 April) before their penultimate home game of the league season against Bristol City (14 April).

City's second-to-last away game is the eagerly-anticipated visit to Sheffield United's Bramall Lane (18 April).

City finish things off for another season at the Coral Windows Stadium against Barnsley (25 April).

The club's final fixture of the 2014/2015 campaign is set to take place at Crewe's Alexandra Stadium on Saturday 2 May.

Number of Tuesday evening home matches: 3

Milton Keynes Dons (10 February 2015)
Crawley Town (3 March 2015)
Bristol City (14 April 2015)


Number of Tuesday evening away matches: 4
 
Crawley Town (19 August 2014)
Milton Keynes Dons (16 September 2014)
Bristol City (21 October 2014)
Scunthorpe United (17 March 2015)


Number of back-to-back away matches: 5
 
Walsall (Saturday 16 August 2014)
Crawley Town (Tuesday 19 August 2014)

Milton Keynes Dons (Tuesday 16 September 2014)
Colchester United (Saturday 20 September 2014)

Bristol City (Tuesday 21 October 2014)
Oldham Athletic (Saturday 25 October 2014)

Yeovil Town (Saturday 17 January 2015)
Swindon Town (Saturday 24 January 2015)

Notts County (Saturday 14 March 2015)
Scunthorpe United (Tuesday 17 March 2015)

Number of back-to-back home matches: 5

 
Yeovil Town (Saturday 6 September 2014)
Swindon Town (Saturday 13 September 2014)

Port Vale (Saturday 27 September 2014)
Crewe Alexandra (Saturday 4 October 2014)

Gillingham (Saturday 22 November 2014)
Leyton Orient (Saturday 29 November 2014)

Crawley Town (Tuesday 3 March 2015)
Chesterfield (Saturday 7 March 2015)

Fleetwood Town (Saturday 21 March 2015)
Oldham Athletic (Saturday 28 March 2015)

City's busiest month: March/April (6 fixtures each)
City's quietest full month: November/December (4 fixtures each - although the F.A Cup first round is scheduled for early November and the second round for early December)

Holiday fixtures

Festive:
Scunthorpe - HOME - Saturday 20 December 2014
Fleetwood - AWAY - Friday 26 December 2014
Notts County - HOME - Sunday 28 December 2014
Leyton Orient - AWAY - Saturday 3 January 2015

Easter:
Doncaster - AWAY - Saturday 4 April 2015
Preston - HOME - Monday 6 April 2015

First four:
Sat 9 August - Coventry - HOME
Sat 16 August - Walsall - AWAY
Tue 19 August - Crawley - AWAY
Sat 23 August - Peterborough - HOME

Last four:
Tue 14 April - Bristol City - HOME
Sat 18 April - Sheffield United - AWAY
Sat 25 April - Barnsley - HOME
Sat 2 May - Crewe Alexandra - AWAY

City's longest away trips:

Yeovil Town - Saturday 17 January 2015
Crawley Town - Tuesday 19 August 2014
Gillingham - Saturday 11 April 2015
Bristol City - Tuesday 21 October 2014
Colchester United  - Saturday 20 September 2014
Leyton Orient - Saturday 3 January 2015
Swindon Town - Saturday 24 January 2015

City's local fixtures (selected Yorkshire, Lancashire, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire sides)

Rochdale
HOME - Saturday 10 January 2015 AWAY - Saturday 30 August 2014

Oldham
HOME - Saturday 28 March 2015 AWAY - Saturday 25 October 2014

Barnsley
HOME - Saturday 25 April 2015 AWAY - Saturday 11 October 2014

Sheff Utd
HOME - Saturday 18 October 2014 AWAY - Saturday 18 April 2015

Doncaster
HOME - Saturday 1 November 2014 AWAY - Saturday 4 April 2015

Chesterfield
HOME - Saturday 7 March 2015 AWAY - Saturday 13 December 2014

Scunthorpe
HOME - Saturday 20 December 2014 AWAY - Tuesday 17 March 2015

Preston
HOME - Monday 6 April 2015 AWAY - Saturday 15 November 2014