Bradford derby

Bradford derby

Other names	Wool City derby
Locale	Bradford
Teams	Bradford City Bradford Park Avenue
First meeting	24 February 1912
Statistics
Most wins	Bradford Park Avenue (23)

The Bradford derby is a football derby match played between Bradford City and Bradford Park Avenue.

The derby has also been called the Wool City derby,^[1] referring to Bradford's history with the wool trade. The two clubs are the only two from Bradford to have played professional league football.

The rivalry was a regular league one across all four Football League tiers, first played in 1914, until 1969. However Bradford Park Avenue's failed re-election to the Football League in 1970 and subsequent liquidation in 1974 meant the game has only been played in friendly fixtures since.

The Tom Banks Memorial Trophy is awarded to the winner of this match.^[2]

History

Bradford City had been elected to the Football League ready for the 1903–04 season. Their cross-city rivals Bradford Park Avenue joined the league five years later, for the same season as City's first in Division One.

The first game between the two teams at any level had been in the North-Eastern League. Other meetings had taken place in the West Riding Cup before the first competitive game was in the FA Cup on 24 February 1912 at Park Avenue, a year after Bradford City's FA Cup triumph. A goal from Frank O'Rourke for City gave them the first derby success.

The first all-Bradford league match took place at Valley Parade on 23 October 1914 in Division One in front of a crowd of 29,802, when City won 3–2. Park Avenue won the reverse fixture 3–0. The clubs met in the top flight just four more times before Park Avenue were relegated in 1920–21. City were themselves relegated to Division Two but a second successive relegation for Park Avenue meant the clubs did not meet again until 1927 in Division Three (North). That season's derby saw Park Avenue record a record 5–0 for a Bradford derby on their way to the title and promotion. City kept the title in Bradford the following season.

Between the 1929–30 and 1936–37 seasons the clubs continued their rivalries until City were relegated, one place below Park Avenue. The derby was resumed from 1950–51 to 1957–58 in Division Three (North), a period which included an FA Cup tie in December 1951 and a record 5–0 win for City at home on 16 April 1956. A league restructure meant the clubs did not meet again in the league again until the 1963–64 season in Division Four, although the teams did meet again in the FA Cup in December 1958 and the League Cup in September 1963, when Park Avenue were 7–3 winners.

The teams met on six successive seasons until 1968–69 when City were promoted to Division Three in fourth spot and Park Avenue had to seek re-election when they came bottom of the league. The following season Park Avenue failed a fourth successive re-election and were replaced by Cambridge United, before they went into liquidation in 1974 and the teams have never met in competitive football since.

In modern times, the teams traditionally participate in a pre season friendly, usually the week before the start of the new season.

Results

Competition	Played	City	Draw	Avenue	City goals	Avenue goals
League	52	20	11	21	72	78
FA Cup	3	2	0	1	5	3
League Cup	1	0	0	1	3	7
Totals	56	22	11	23	80	88

Crossing the divide

The following is a list of players who have represented both clubs in at least one senior fixture.

Name	Pos	City			Avenue
		Career	Apps	Goals	Career	Apps	Goals
Simon Ainge	DF	2006–2009	14	0	2009–2010
Wayne Benn	MF	1994–1996	10	0	1996–2004
Joe Brown	FW	2005–2007	19	1
Chris Brandon	MF	2008–2010	27	2	1995–1997 1999
David Brown	FW	2008	5	1	2010–
Wayne Bullimore	MF	1995–1997	2	0		4	0
Norman Corner	FW	1969–1972	110	16	1972–1973
Terry Dolan	MF	1976–1981	195	43	1969–1970	48	0
Mitchell Downie	GK	1959–1963	134	0	1950–1954	154	0
Donald Duckett		1914–1924	155	6	1927–1929
Karl Goddard	DF	1986–1990	73	0
Neil Grayston	DF	1995–1996	7	0	1996–1999 2004
Rodney Green	FW	1962–1964	66	39	1962	19	6
Bobby Ham	FW	1968–1970 1973–1975	115 73	40 24	1961–1963
Geoff Hudson
Andy Lee	MF	2002–2003	2	0
Gerry Lightowler	DF	1968–1969	11	0	1958–1968	208	1
Harry Peel	FW	1929–1936	186	26	1920–1926	207	37
Charlie Rackstraw	FW	1967–1969	104	27	1970–1971
Neil Redfearn	MF	1999–2000	17	1	2006–2007	27	5
Kevin Sanasy	FW	2002–2005	9	1
Carl Shutt	FW	1994–1995	89	16	2004–2005	13	1
Whelan Ward	FW	1948–1954	149	37	1955–1959	108	31

References

• Frost, Terry (1988). Bradford City A Complete Record 1903–1988. Breedon Books Sport. pp. 159–167. ISBN 0-907969-38-0.

1. Frost, Terry (1988). Bradford City A Complete Record 1903–1988. Breedon Books Sport. pp. 159–167. ISBN 0-907969-38-0.
2. "Next up...Bradford (Park Avenue)". Bradford City A.F.C. 2 August 2010.