The Bantams get set to face Bury at the Northern Commercials Stadium this Saturday (10 February 2018) in their first Sky Bet League One fixture since the departure of Stuart McCall as manager.
Following the exit of McCall on Monday, caretaker manager Greg Abbott and Kenny Black are scheduled to take charge of first team affairs for this weekend's match with the Shakers.
Despite a disappointing run of recent results, City still occupy a play-off position and they will be looking to get back to winning ways when Bury arrive at Northern Commercials Stadium on Saturday.
Opponents Bury are currently situated at the bottom of the League One table, but they find themselves in a good vein of form at the moment having collected seven points out of nine under new manager Ryan Lowe.
The arrival of Bury is likely to see the return of popular former striker James Hanson to Valley Parade for the first time since his departure from the club back in January 2017.
Hanson netted 91 goals in 335 appearances for the Bantams over the course of seven and a half years at the club.
The 30 year-old isn't the only former Bantam likely to make up part of Bury's match-day squad, however.
Defender Adam Thompson, who spent the first part of this season on loan with City, is expected to be involved for the Shakers.
Goalkeeper Connor Ripley and left back Greg Leigh have also previously represented the Bantams earlier in their careers.
Even Bury first team coach Steven Schumacher played for City during his playing days, the ex-midfielder featuring for the Bantams between 2004 and 2007.
Team News
Bradford City
The Bantams are expected to check on the fitness of a number of their first team squad players before naming their match-day eighteen for this weekend.
Tyrell Robinson, Alex Gilliead and Paul Taylor - all of whom missed last Saturday's game at Oldham Athletic - will be hoping to be back in contention.
Matty Lund hurt his ankle in the Oldham match but he too will be trying to be involved at the weekend.
Jake Reeves is unlikely to feature, however, due to an on-going groin problem, while Nicky Law isn't set to be involved either after a recent bout of tonsillitis.
Omari Patrick (knee) and Alex Jones (ankle) remain sidelined.
Bury
Shakers' boss Ryan Lowe could have some selection issues on his hands for this weekend.
Lowe made several changes to his side for their rearranged game with AFC Wimbledon on Tuesday night - a game which Bury won 2-1.
In a bid to freshen up his side, Lowe moved James Hanson, Stephen Dawson and Chris Maguire down to the bench for the Dons match, bringing in Harry Bunn, George Miller and Josh Laurent as replacements.
Nathan Cameron missed out on the Wimbledon match altogether, with fellow centre half Adam Thompson also moving up into the starting XI.
Jermaine Beckford is ruled out for the season for Bury after suffering a serious knee injury in December.
Previously at the Northern Commercials Stadium
Saturday 31 December 2016
Sky Bet League One
Bradford City 1 (Law 52)
Bury 1 (Burgess 39)
BRADFORD CITY LINE UP:
Doyle, McMahon, Vincelot, Knight-Percival, Kilgallon, Marshall (Vuckic 82), Cullen, Devine (Dieng 73), Law, Hanson, Hiwula (McNulty 73)
Subs not used: Sattelmaier, Darby, Meredith, McArdle
BURY LINE UP:
Lainton, Soares, Kay, Bedeau, Leigh, Burgess (Mellis 68), Etuhu, Styles, Hope, Pope, Miller (Vaughan 67)
Subs not used: Williams, Dudley, Walker, Cooney
Earlier this season
Saturday 14 October 2017
Sky Bet League One
Bury 3 (Maguire pen 19, Beckford 20, Vincelot OG 85)
Bradford City 1 (Wyke 9)
BURY LINE UP:
Fasan, Humphrey (Bunn 43), Edwards, O'Connell, Aldred, Leigh, Reilly, Maguire (O'Shea 57), Laurent, Beckford, Smith
Subs not used: Dobre, Tutte, Ince, Maloney, Shotton
BRADFORD CITY LINE UP:
Doyle, Hendrie (Taylor 86), Knight-Percival, Kilgallon, Chicksen, Gilliead, Reeves (Patrick 78), Vincelot, Law, Wyke, Poleon
Subs not used: Raeder, Jones, Hanson, Dieng, Field
Tickets
Details on home match tickets, including the pre-match discounted rate for adult tickets, can be found HERE.
The full list of match-day ticket prices for this fixture will be:
Adults: £25.00
Senior Citizens/Students : £15.00
Juveniles U16 : £10.00
Juveniles U11: £5.00
All sections of the stadium will be open with the standard turnstile configuration.
Wheelchair Access
JCT 600 West Stand via Gate WD on Valley Parade or via the 1911 Club reception using the lift.
North West Corner through the One-in-a-Million school compound and then through Gate NWB.
Supporters in wheelchairs can gain access to the North Stand Kop through the One-in-a-Million school compound and then through Gate ND.
Supporters in wheelchairs cannot gain access to the Kop from Midland Road and are asked to enter the stadium through the One-in-a-Million school compound and then through Gate ND.
Late Gates (open until half-time)
The late gate for NW corner will be NW6.
There will be no late gate for the Kop on Midland Road; N1 behind the Kop will remain open until half-time.
The main stand late gate will be W3.
Can we also remind all supporters of the road closure in place from 1:00pm until 5:30pm.
Midland Road will be closed from its junction with Thorncliffe Road right through to its junction with Cornwall Road.
The lower section of Holywell Ash Lane will also be closed from its junction with Lupton Street.
Access to the disabled parking spaces in front of Rear Rock Terrace will still be allowed from the Thorncliffe Road closure point.
Supporters are reminded that in line with legislation and the EFL ground regulations, the entire stadium, including the seating areas, concourses, stairways, turnstiles and toilets, is a no-smoking area.
The use of electronic cigarettes in all parts of the stadium is also forbidden.
Supporters are also asked not to bring bags to the stadium.
Where this is unavoidable, all bags will need to be searched before entry can be allowed. Items included on the EFL ground regulations that are deemed to be a potential risk, including bottles and aerosols, will not be allowed into the stadium.
In addition, supporters will not be allowed to record or live-stream any of the live match action.
The Club has been reminded by the EFL of its obligations to prevent live footage of the game being stored, recorded or transmitted and stewards will take appropriate action if this regulation is contravened.
The Club would also like to take this opportunity to remind people travelling to the stadium by car to make sure that their car is left secure and that no valuables are on view.
With the number of people coming to the game, thieves may target the area.
If you do suffer any crime of this type while attending the game, please report the problem to West Yorkshire Police immediately by calling the non-emergency 101 number.
In addition, we would ask anyone parking up for the game to park responsibly and not obstruct access to residential or business premises or to block access ways for emergency vehicles to the stadium or other premises in the area.
Kick It Out
This Saturday's game will be City's dedicated 'Kick It Out' fixture. Please click HERE for more details.
Match Officials
The referee for Saturday's fixture is scheduled to be Sebastian Stockbridge. The official has been in charge of twenty-nine games so far this season, mainly in Sky Bet League One and League Two. Mr Stockbridge's last game in charge of City came back in March last year when the Bantams dramatically defeated Swindon Town 2-1 at the Northern Commercials Stadium thanks to two late goals from Charlie Wyke. The two assistant referees for the Bury game will be Gareth Mellor and Paul Thompson. The scheduled fourth official for Saturday is Alf Greenwood.
Interview
Watch the pre-match video interview with Greg Abbott below:
Back the Bantams
City supporters can back the Bantams for success at home to Bury with Sky Bet!
City are currently priced at 10/11 to defeat Bury at the Northern Commercials Stadium.
The Bantams are also priced at 13/2 to beat Bury by a 1-0 scoreline.
Dominic Poleon is available at 9/2 to opening the scoring, while Paul Taylor can be backed at 7/4 to score at anytime during the game.
Fans can place their bets now with Sky Bet by clicking HERE.
Please note, odds are subject to change.
Coverage
For those unable to get to the Northern Commercials Stadium on Saturday, City supporters can follow live updates from the Bury game via the club's official website, plus Facebook and Twitter pages.
City's Facebook and Twitter pages will include game updates on match-day, while the 'Match Centre' on the official website will give supporters all the stats, news and in-game action.
Full audio match commentary of the Bury match can be found via iFollow Bantams. Keep up to date with BBC Radio Leeds' Tim Steere for match action and reaction from the game.
Subscribers of iFollow Bantams will now actually be able to hear post-match interviews from the management and the players directly after the game via the extended audio match-day service.
New for this season, iFollow subscribers outside the UK and Ireland will also be able to watch LIVE coverage of the match as it happens!
Video post-match interviews from the management and players, plus extended match highlights over the coming days, are also available via iFollow.
On top of all that, iFollow subscribers can get interviews, action, previous encounters and highlights as well in the build up to Saturday's match.