Close, Noble and co - Bradford's top sports stars

Here is a list of a few sporting stars who were either born, raised or made their name in the city.

Why not give us your iconic Bradford sporting names for future articles. 

RICHARD DUNN

He is most famous for two things in Bradford; facing Muhammad Ali in 1976 and having a city sports centre named after him.

Starting boxing as an amateur in the early 1960s, he turned professional in his mid-20s while still working as a scaffolder, living in Bradford.

He was unable to afford the expense of sparring partners to train with for most of his career.

The heavyweight southpaw started his professional career in 1969.

He won the European Heavyweight Title in London in April 1976.

But it was one of his 45 fights which put him on the world stage. Dunn was given the chance of fighting for the WBC and WBA titles against the Muhammad Ali on May 24, 1976, at the Olympic Hall in Munich, Germany, for which he received £52,000.

But Dunn was mismatches and the referee stopped the fight when the Bradford fighter was knocked down in the fifth round.

Dunn lost his next fight in London five months later with Joe Bugner and retired from the ring in September 1977.

JOE JOHNSON

One world sporting champion from Bradford made his name on the green baize.

Johnson turned professional in 1979, but his shining moment happened seven years later.

The underdog defeated Steve Davis 18–12 to win the 1986 World Snooker Championship. The following year, he reached the final again, losing 14–18 to Davis.

Johnson also won the 1987 Scottish Masters and the 1989 Norwich Union Grand Prix before retiring from professional play due to injury in 2004.

ADRIAN MOORHOUSE

The former Bradford Grammar School student is best known for winning a gold medal in the 100-metre breaststroke at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, Korea.

Some of his many other honours include winning gold medals at three successive Commonwealth Games; in the 100m breaststroke in 1982; in the 200m breaststroke at the 1986 version and in the 200m at the 1986 Games in Edinburgh.

Moorhouse now works as a swimming commentator for BBC television.

BRIAN NOBLE

Nicknamed 'Nobby', Noble is a bona fide Bradford Bulls/Northern legend, having played for, and coached, the club.

Noble was a Great Britain representative hooker, for Bulls between 1978 and 1984, but is best known for his coaching career, having been in charge at Bradford Bulls, Wigan Warriors, Crusaders RL and Salford Red Devils in the Super League. He also coached the Great Britain national team.

While head coach of the Bradford Bulls between 2001 and 2006, Noble guided the them to two Minor Premiership titles, victory in three Grand Finals in 2001, 2003 and 2005, victory in the Challenge Cup in 2003 and to three World Club Championships in 2002, 2004 and 2006.

He was the first coach to win three Super League Grand Finals.

ANNAMARIE PHELPS

Phelps is a British rower and sports administrator, who was born in Bradford.

She competed in the women's eight event at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, USA.

She was Chairman of British Rowing from 2013 to 2018 and became Vice-Chairman of the British Olympic Association in 2017.

Phelps was appointed chair of the British Horseracing Authority in June last year.

LEN SHACKLETON

Nicknamed the Clown Prince of Soccer, the Bradford-born inside or outside forward spent his teenage years before World War II with Bradford (Park Avenue), Kippax United, Arsenal, Enfield, and London Paper Mills, before he turned professional at Avenue in 1940.

He scored 127 goals in 384 professional games in his pro career for Avenue, Newcastle and Sunderland, scoring six goals on his debut for the Magpies.

He played five times for England, scoring one goals and died aged 78 in 2000.

MARJORIE RAISTRICK-CARTER

Bradford-born Raistrick-Carter was a British gymnast who competed at the 1952 Summer Olympics and the 1960 Summer Olympics, held in Helsinki and Rome respectively.

Unfortunately she failed to claim a medal in either Games, competing in events including the women's horse vault and uneven bars.

JENNIFER STOUTE

The only Bradfordian sports star who has being a Gladiator on her CV.

The Bradford-born sprinter represented Great Britain at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul and the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, where she won a bronze medal in the 4x400 metres relay.

She also appeared as 'Rebel' in the ITV show Gladiators from 1996 to 1999.

Stoute also won two medals at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland, a gold in the 4x400m relay and silver in the 4x100m relay.

BOBBY VANZIE

Nicknamed 'Viper', Vanzie (born 11 January 1974) is a British former professional boxer who competed from 1994 to 2005. He held the British and Commonwealth lightweight titles between 1998 and 2001.

The lightweight fighter won 26 of his 32 career fights.

BRIAN CLOSE

Close was the youngest man ever to play Test cricket for England when, aged 18, he was picked to play against New Zealand in July 1949.

He went on to play 22 Test matches for England, captaining them seven times to six wins and one drawn Test.

Close also captained Yorkshire to four county championship titles.

He later went on to captain Somerset, where he helped mould Viv Richards and Ian Botham into the successful players they became.

Close died in 2015 aged 84 and now has a street named after him in Baildon.

PAULA DUNN

Dunn is an English former sprinter who competed in the 100 metres, 200 metres and 4x100 metres relay.

She represented Great Britain in all three events at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul.

She is a five-time Commonwealth Games medallist, including winning silver (1986) and bronze (1994) in the 100 metres.

During the 1990s, the Bradfordian competed as Paula Thomas (her then married name).

Her personal bests of 11.15 secs in the 100 metres and 22.69 secs in the 200 metres, were the fastest times run by a British female sprinter during the 1990s.