Are you watching, Rodney Marsh?

Something nasty in the air

There was a real hatred in the crowd for the opposition at Sunday's match - but the club are not to blame.

It was an atmosphere I had never felt before at City. It wasn't pleasant, and I don't think it came across on TV.

But I don't blame City for putting tickets on general sale and Leeds fans getting hold of them.

What can City do? They have to sell the spare tickets.

It takes a brave person to sit in the opposition end. But if people have tickets among the opposition fans they should sit quiet and keep their emotions to themselves.

Liverpool and Everton fans manage to watch derbies together. I know that won't happen with City-Leeds but we should be able to watch matches peacefully.

I'm a season-ticket holder on the Kop, Block H, and there were a few Leeds fans around.

There was a hatred for the opposition which emanated from both sets of fans and I don't think it had anything to do with football. It was just rivalry pure and simple.

I'm a big City fan, but I have friends who are Leeds fans. I don't have a problem with that.

I want Yorkshire teams to do well - if Huddersfield get promoted to the Premiership then great, and I don't have a problem with Leeds winning the title.

I thought referee Paul Durkin was too lenient as well and that contributed to the bad atmosphere. It was a tough derby match and he let a lot go.

Several players could have been sent off and the crowd were baying. Haaland was committing foul after foul.

But one thing about the atmosphere was that it really got the City fans behind the team!

I wish they were this passionate at every match because we have some vital matches coming up at Valley Parade. Sometimes the atmosphere's dead.

I am looking forward to Saturday's match at Coventry. Let's hope we can get something there.

Andy Hall

Heart and soul in the City

City definitely look after their fans.

I am a member of a 'Voice of the Fans Panel' which is made up of one fan from each of the Premiership Teams, chaired by Ray Stubbs from BBC's Football Focus

One of the topics hotly debated at the recent Panel meeting was whether clubs look after or exploit their fans. The Newcastle rep. had a lot to say on this issues as you can imagine, but when it came to my turn I said that I felt, on the whole, City did take fan into account and did look out for us.

Here's some of the reasons I gave to back up that point of view.

IT has been possible to watch Premiership football this season at Valley Parade for the same price as nationwide last season (if you bought you season ticket in good time)

THERE'S quite a good deal on Family Season tickets which means the cost of taking kids isn't totally astronomical

THE chairman has said that the extra cost next seasons tickets will go towards ground improvements and a Youth Academy, that is to improve the club rather than just lining someone's pocket

IT is one of the few clubs that allows a Fanzine to be sold on the terraces

THE club and the players do a lot of local community work with schools and local youth initiatives

THE chairman, manager and players make themselves available for Supporters' Club meetings and never fail to acknowledge the contribution of supporters at the end of a match, and in the media

THERE are no-smoking areas of the stands, though they need better reinforcement by the stewards

THE club has done some pioneering work on the Kick Racism out of Football campaign.

You may not agree with all these points or have other views on how City can value their fans, but listening to the other Premiership fans' on their clubs makes you realise just how important the club/fans relationship is here at City, and how the club is seeking to use its role in the wider Bradford community in a positive way. Long may it last.

Jan Smithies

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Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.