AS THE decade draws to a close, we look back at some of the memorable Bradford City matches from the last 10 years.
This is the first part of my personal countdown during a period of real highs and lows.
10) CITY 4 ROCHDALE 3, December 2017
Stuart McCall had said it the moment he retook his Valley Parade office: “Give me a 4-3 win over a 1-0 any day.”
The second McCall era may have finished just short of promotion but there was no lack of entertainment along the way. Two months before his sudden sacking, City fans were treated to a seven-goal thriller.
Matt Kilgallon poked City into the lead before Rouven Sattlemaier saved Ian Henderson’s penalty.
The game then went bonkers with four goals in seven minutes before half-time. Charlie Wyke’s header was pegged back by Henderson before City instantly responded with Dominic Poleon’s volley.
Henderson struck again right on the break before Steve Davies levelled against his old club within a minute of coming off Rochdale’s bench. City though had the final say when Tyrell Robinson scooted away and sealed it in front of the Kop.
9) SWANSEA 5 CITY 0, February 2013
It was up there with the heaviest and most one-sided defeats of City’s decade. But the Capital One Cup final will still be fondly remembered for one incredible sight.
At 4-0 down, and still to register their one shot on target, the Bantam fans stood en masse cheering and singing as if they were the team with a hand on the trophy.
The image of the claret and amber flags waving proudly behind Phil Parkinson at Wembley remains one of the special moments.
A fourth Premier League scalp unfortunately proved well beyond City as Swansea cruised with two goals each from Nathan Dyer and Jonathan de Guzman and another by Michu. But the enduring memory was that of Bantams pride in the crowd.
8) BURTON 1 CITY 3, May 2013
After the cup final, City’s sights were on returning to Wembley in the play-offs three months later.
Having made the top seven with a late charge, momentum was checked by Burton 3-2 win at Valley Parade in the semi-final first leg. City had it all to do in the return.
Wearing their voltage cherry change kit, the performance at the Pirelli Stadium crackled with electricity.
Burton must have been sick of the sight of Nahki Wells, who scored five times against them that season – including two in this one.
He latched onto a poor back pass for City’s opener before setting up James Hanson for a thudding low drive to make it two.
Jacques Maghoma hit back with a Burton penalty but within two minutes City’s front two combined again for Wells to net his second.
7) CITY 2 SUNDERLAND 0, February 2015
Gus Poyet probably had a strong claim for City’s man of the match as his Sunderland side were dumped out of the FA Cup at a frenzied Valley Parade.
The Black Cats manager had spent the build-up to the fifth-round tie moaning about the City pitch and how his players would struggle. Having planted that fear in their minds, the Bantams needed only three minutes to turn it into reality as Billy Clarke’s cross-shot cannoned in off John O’Shea.
City’s second just after the hour was particularly sweet for Jon Stead, who had endured a miserable time at Sunderland earlier in his career.
James Meredith forced Adam Johnson into a panicky clearance near his own box. He shanked it straight to Stead who calmly slotted home to maintain his run of scoring in every round.
6) ASTON VILLA 2 CITY 1, January 2013
It’s difficult to know where to place this game on the list.
In terms of the outcome, it would undoubtedly be right up there as City became the first team from the fourth level to reach a major Wembley cup final.
In terms of one moment, it probably delivered the defining goal of the decade.
And yet, the Wembley dream fired by a commanding 3-1 win in the first semi-final would have been over by half-time if Christian Benteke had set his radar right.
But Aston Villa had just one goal to show for their first half superiority when Benteke converted Joe Bennett’s cross.
City had killed Villa from set-pieces a fortnight earlier – and they did it again to devastating effect. James Hanson evaded marker Ron Vlaar to thump home from Gary Jones’s corner, their first of the night.
Andreas Weimann’s late winner for Villa set up a tense finale but City stayed strong to make history.
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