The Official Bradford City Match Thread (Sponsored by Discarded Prophylactics "for all your dead rubber needs") | Vital Football

The Official Bradford City Match Thread (Sponsored by Discarded Prophylactics "for all your dead rubber needs")

HerrLjunga

HerrLjunga

Vital 1st Team Regular
Eleven years ago today we celebrated promotion from this rotten division after Danny Kedwell's 15th goal of the season gave us a 1-0 home win against Torquay United. Those halcyon days seem a long way off today as we make the trip to Yorkshire, we've blown our chance of promotion this season by being utterly inconsistent and absolutely hopeless in front of goal, while poor old Torquay went into administration yesterday and are staring down the barrel of relegation to the seventh tier of football. Ah, the beautiful game.

Today we make the trip to Bradford to take on a side that have taken our level of underperformance and run with it to provide their fans with a true shit fiesta of a season. Mark Hughes was booted after an inauspicious start to the campaign left them in 18th, with his permanent replacement (and Well Fan favourite) Graham Alexander firing them up the table to the dizzy heights of 15th. All this has been played out on a notoriously awful pitch at Valley Parade in front of dwindling crowds that have left the capacious stands more empty than full. The board's response to this successful season? Jack up ticket prices for 2024/25, hurrah.

The only interest in today's fixture is our lot proving that they're not the gutless, spineless rabble that the second half capitulation against Harrogate indicated they are. I'd also be inclined to test some of our younger players out to see how close to first team readiness they are. Why Walker is being considered for a place in the squad ahead of Sithole or Gbode is beyond me, I'd much rather have one of our own who wants to prove themselves than a want-away loanee who is nowhere near this level.

We lead the head to head by 23 wins to 16, with only one defeat at Valley Parade in our last eight visits. The highlights come from the aforementioned promotion season, Gills registering their 10th away win of the season courtesy of a goal from Cody Mac (oh for a striker of his or Keds' calibre these days).


Safe travels if you're making/have made the trip, I hope we give you something to shout about, but I suspect it will be more of the same, uninspiring dross played out on a mudheap between two sides not deserving of the steam from their own supporter's bed wetting.

Enjoy the game and...

COYG!
 
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Wouldn't be amazed if somehow we won, our rivals lost, we go back to 7th. Then, with our hopes rekindled, we f### up again next week.

This is the most disappointed I've been with a Gills team, and that includes numerous relegation sides.
 
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Gills 58 said:
Woulsn't be amazed if somehow we won, our rivals lost, we go back to 7th. Then, with our hopes rekindled, we f### up again next week.

This is the most disappointed I've been with a Gills team, and that includes numerous relegation sides.
Click to expand...

lol - I had that exact same thought.

What is so frustrating is that even a slight improvement in our consistency would have seen us in the playoffs. Every other team is so inconsistent that a bit of consistency would see anyone safe in the playoffs - I half expect Doncaster to prove that point.

Disappointed is a way to describe this squad. I also think gutless and lack of fight is another way and I thinks thats through lack of leadership on and off the pitch.

This team needs a Pulis team talk !! Wonder what he'd make of this shadow of a Gillingham squad
 
Harrogate last week was the first match this season that I haven’t been at or seen live on ifollow as I was in a jeep across the Sahara and had no signal. And not a bad one to miss. By the pool in Tunisia today so will tune in with a few beers.

It’s obvious that the players have been fully dressed down after last week and the owner has pretty much said that he was fuming about it. In two minds to think we should go with the same/similar line up and kick them up the arse and ask them to repay the fans or make wholesale changes and really go for it. For example, play a flat 4-4-2 with wingers who can cross the ball like Hutton and Mahoney and play both Andrews and Hawkins and try to batter them. The latter could easily lead to a repeat of last week, but could equally deliver that thrashing of someone else we’ve been lusting after for seasons!
 
Put in some of the youngsters please. Won't be any pressure on them. A good experience and will struggle to do worse than their immediate predecessors.

Unfortunately I expect the same old line up and boring sh#t.
 
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Proper Job (new label whooo!) today.
Anything like last match and I’ll have exhausted my supply half hour in.
Not going anywhere tonight so might hit the Bacardi as well.
I’m usually pretty positive but this lot are doing their best to kick it out of me.
UTG
 
markinkent said:
lol - I had that exact same thought.

What is so frustrating is that even a slight improvement in our consistency would have seen us in the playoffs. Every other team is so inconsistent that a bit of consistency would see anyone safe in the playoffs - I half expect Doncaster to prove that point.

Disappointed is a way to describe this squad. I also think gutless and lack of fight is another way and I thinks thats through lack of leadership on and off the pitch.

This team needs a Pulis team talk !! Wonder what he'd make of this shadow of a Gillingham squad
Click to expand...
Superb video

This present lot would soil themselves if they had to sit through that.
 
There is some irony in the fact that (barring a miracle) our season is now effectively over yet today's game has become our most important of the season.

Time to restore some dignity and some pride and silence the critics.

COYG!
 
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Gills 58 said:
Wouldn't be amazed if somehow we won, our rivals lost, we go back to 7th. Then, with our hopes rekindled, we f### up again next week.

This is the most disappointed I've been with a Gills team, and that includes numerous relegation sides.
Click to expand...

I agree. Hugely underwhelming, over promised/ under delivered and don't look bothered. Their attitude has rubbed off on me and now I'm not really bothered either.

I'm up in Yorkshire visiting family (wife's branch, you'll be pleased to know I'm 100% southern) and got asked if I fancied going to the match today. 😂

Foxtrot Romeo Oscar.

Instead I'm going to her indoors' Uncle's pub to have a few pints of free Peroni.
 
Gills 58 said:
Wouldn't be amazed if somehow we won, our rivals lost, we go back to 7th. Then, with our hopes rekindled, we f### up again next week.

This is the most disappointed I've been with a Gills team, and that includes numerous relegation sides.
Click to expand...
Exactly this.
 
markinkent said:
lol - I had that exact same thought.

What is so frustrating is that even a slight improvement in our consistency would have seen us in the playoffs. Every other team is so inconsistent that a bit of consistency would see anyone safe in the playoffs - I half expect Doncaster to prove that point.

Disappointed is a way to describe this squad. I also think gutless and lack of fight is another way and I thinks thats through lack of leadership on and off the pitch.

This team needs a Pulis team talk !! Wonder what he'd make of this shadow of a Gillingham squad
Click to expand...

People think that crude and simple, but there is as much good science behind what Pulis is doing there as behind any data-driven, outcomes-oriented, buy in-securing, team-building approach.
 
markinkent said:
lol - I had that exact same thought.

What is so frustrating is that even a slight improvement in our consistency would have seen us in the playoffs. Every other team is so inconsistent that a bit of consistency would see anyone safe in the playoffs - I half expect Doncaster to prove that point.

Disappointed is a way to describe this squad. I also think gutless and lack of fight is another way and I thinks thats through lack of leadership on and off the pitch.

This team needs a Pulis team talk !! Wonder what he'd make of this shadow of a Gillingham squad
Click to expand...

“Don’t pass back, don’t pass square when you can go on and do something with it”

He makes it seem so simple!
 
Gills 58 said:
Yes, spot on. Says it all.
Click to expand...

And this from a bloke coming in from two divisions higher who has the ability to have most L2 defenders on toast, his goal at home v Morecambe being a prime example. For reasons known only to him, he lacks belief and commitment. Sadly, he's not alone in that in this squad.
 
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