With the new calendar year almost here, the club recently asked you, the supporters, to select your top five games of 2015.
We got a number of responses and collated a top five from the responses that we received. It is clear to see that last season’s cup run has played a telling part in the selections…the top choice is a rather obvious one!
1 | Chelsea 2-4 Bradford City | 24th January 2015
A simply jaw-dropping day at Stamford Bridge was rated as your top game of 2015 and it is a pretty obvious selection for pretty obvious reasons. Chelsea may look only a shadow of their best at the moment, but last season they were scintillating, the form of Belgian star Eden Hazard helping them on their way to Premier League glory. The Blues were en-route to silverware in late January when they were faced with the surely simple task of a home tie against a play-off hunting League One side.
It just wasn’t the case though, and although Gary Cahill and Ramires had The Blues in cruise control with first half strikes; Jon Stead’s thumping strike on the stroke of half time threw a spanner into the works. I don’t think you’ll ever see a better second half performance than the one Phil Parkinson’s men conjured up and goals from Filipe Morais, Andy Halliday and Mark Yeates put the stamp on what will surely go down as the biggest upset in FA Cup history.
2 | Bradford City 2-0 Sunderland | 15th February 2015
The run continued in superb fashion just three weeks after the stunning win at Stamford Bridge and although it was against a Premier League side who were struggling for form and confidence, it was still top flight opposition expected to record victory.
Sunderland manager Gus Poyet bemoaned the difficult playing surface, but City were superb to progress to the Quarter-Final of the FA Cup. John O’Shea turned compatriot Billy Clarke’s shot past Vito Mannone after three minutes to hand Phil Parkinson’s men a dream start. Played in front of a modern day record crowd, the Bantams thoroughly deserved the victory and it was sealed just after the hour with Jon Stead continuing his run of a goal every round, by firing a low shot past Mannone to condemn his former club to the exit.
3 | Bradford City 4-0 Millwall | 14th January 2015
The prize at stake was one that was firmly in the line of sight of both clubs, a trip to Stamford Bridge to face Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea. The initial tie at the start of January was a six goal thriller at The Den which resulted in honours even for both sides.
The replay though was far from an evenly contested battle, with City taking the bull by the horns from the first whistle. Early pressure resulted in Mark Beevers’ dismissal, after he’d pulled James Hanson down as he looked to run through on goal. Hanson got himself on the scoresheet, before Jon Stead and Andy Halliday scored before the break to leave the relegation threatened Championship side in tatters.
Boyhood West Ham United fan Billy Knott had bagged a brace in the initial tie and he got in on the act just before the hour to score his third goal against The Hammers’ old foe, in just two games.
4 | Bradford City 0-0 Reading | 7th March 2015
Many might have anticipated another higher opposition scalp taken by in-form Bradford City, but according to many bookmakers, it was actually Phil Parkinson’s men that went into this one as favourites despite the divisional difference between the two sides.
Although both sides hit the woodwork, first Reading through Pavel Pogrebnyak and then City through Gary Liddle, only one shot on target was registered during a game which really was a hard fought stalemate. City had plenty of the play, and the one shot that found the target was a header by James Hanson, but the conclusion of the game meant the ball was now in the court of Steve Clarke and his side.
It was an entertaining display, caught on camera by BT Sports and the Scarf Parade prior to the game was a superb scene setter as 20,000+ Bradfordians hoped to be booking their route to Wembley Stadium for the semi-final, ultimately it wasn’t to be and The Royals went on to be defeated by the eventual cup winners Arsenal in the Capital.
5 | Rochdale 1-3 Bradford City | 3rd October 2015
Fans favourite Kyel Reid was making his second debut for Bradford City at Spotland following his arrival on loan from Preston North End, and it was a day to remember for Phil Parkinson’s side.
Lee Evans scored his first goal for the club, turning Tony McMahon’s deflected free kick past Josh Lillis from close range before Peter Vincenti levelled proceeding before the break. Backed by a healthy away following that had travelled across the Pennines, The Bantams were superb in the second half and Devante Cole continued his rich vein of form, scrambling the ball home after some great work by Steven Davies. A couple of minutes later, Oliver Lancashire’s own goal confirmed a victory for City, and a second away victory of the season.
The win would spark a league unbeaten run of nine matches.
Fans can look back and enjoy highlights of each of these five matches by clicking on the video link below.