Old Football Programmes
  • Name: kevin
  • Date of Birth: 19/04/1953
  • Club you support: Bradford City
  • Town: bradford
  • County: west yorkshire
  • Country: United Kingdom

Match Details:

  • Match Date:11/09/1976
  • Match:Bradford City vs Stockport County
  • Match Type:fourth division
  • Score:3-3
  • Stadium:valley parade

kevin's Story

Why an earth an average fourth division game sticks in my memory i do not know other than during the 60s and 70s there was a bit of romance left in the game. It was a wet Saturday afternoon and i recall being delighted that the game was not called off and what followed vindicated the decision.
County had a prolific striker called Barney Daniels, while City possessed a skilful inside forward (or midfielder nowadays) named Rod Johnson - an ex-Leeds player.
I have no personal record of the times of the goals or how the game ebbed and flowed but what i do remember is leaving the ground thrilled at seeing six goals including two hat-tricks, one apiece for Daniels and Johnson.
The memory is faded regarding details of the game but what has lasted forever is the warm glow that on a miserable afternoon, from a basement battle in front of 3,000 or so fans there was excitement, spills and thrills and the feeling that the grass roots of the game matters.
Those days mean't a lot to me - there were players that gave there all, provided entertainment and did not really earn that much. Indeed, a former Bradford goalkeeper from the 60s recently admitted to me that he and a very useful midfielder of the day used to have a cigarette in the boiler room at Valley Parade ten minutes before kick-off! Can you imagine that nowadays?