Mary Gets The Star Treatment

Back in 1903 Alfred Ayrton was a major force in the creation of Bradford City. Today his granddaughter, Mary Needham, witnessed her very first game - and what a game it was!
As guest of honour, Mary's first port of call was the bantamspast museum to see a presentation about her grandfather's involvement with the club, delivered by David Pendleton. A sizable crowd was there too, the highlight being a view of the silver fronted manuscript given to Alfred on the occasion of his retirement as club chairman in 1907.
Having been interviewed and photographed by the press, Mary made her way into the ground to view the match. As we all know now, a fairly uneventful first half was followed by a second which really couldn't have been scripted better : 5 - 0!
Following the match Mary spoke with her grandfather's successor, Mark Lawn, and was assured she would be welcome again. Could she be the much needed lucky charm?

Mary's First Game

Mary Needham, granddaughter of Bradford City’s first chairman, Alfred Ayrton, will be an invited guest at Valley Parade for Bradford City versus Oxford Utd on Saturday 30th Oct. At the age of 79, this will be Mary’s first ever visit to a football match.

Mary recently donated a magnificent illuminated silver presentation case to Bradford Museums and Galleries. This presentation case was given to her grandfather when he retired as Bradford City chairman in 1907 along with his portrait painted in oils. The solid silver case was made by Fattorini of Bradford and was signed by board members at the time including Harry Jowett (chairman), A Fattorini, A Lancaster and others.

David Pendleton will give a talk on Alfred Ayrton’s significance to the club before the game in the bantamspast museum at 2pm. Mary will be in attendance between 1:30 and 2:30pm to meet fans and hear the talk about her grandfather. Alfred saved Manningham Rugby Club from closure when he became their president in 1900. He later drove through the conversion of Manningham Rugby Club to football and the birth of Bradford City. The illuminated case was given on the occasion of his retirement as Chairman of Bradford City on January 29th 1907.

As usual, admission to the presentation is free and everyone is welcome.

Mary will then be watching her first football match and meeting the present chairman, directors and fans.

A (Very Important) Date for the Diary

Book Launch and Film Night
21 November 2010
8.15pm
Pictureville
National Media Museum
Bradford

The official launch our book 'Glorious 1911 and Bradford City's Golden Age' is being held at Pictureville at the National Media Museum, Bradford. The evening will feature a presentation about Bradford City's FA Cup triumph 100 years on and the writing of the celebratory book.

Several films will be shown:

• Dewsbury v Manningham northern union game from 1901 showing rare footage of City's predecessors
• Bradford City's first ever home match in the Football League when they met Gainsborough at Valley Parade in 1903
• the FA Cup Final at Crystal Palace in 1911 and the replay at Old Trafford when City defeated Newcastle United to win the FA Cup
• films of World War Two league games at Valley Parade against Bradford Park Avenue and Newcastle United

Tickets will be available shortly from the National Media Museum.

World Cup Presentation

Richard Kunz will be giving a presentation about his trip with the Lionsraw organisation to South Africa during the 2010 World Cup, in the bantamspast museum, before the Morecambe game tomorrow, at 1.45pm.
Lionsraw is a Christian organisation of which Bingley based Richard is an active member. His group went up into the mountains above Durban and built dressing rooms for a football pitch at an orphanage.
Richard also visited HIV hospitals and saw two of the World Cup games involving the finalists.
His account is a fascinating, sometimes quite moving personal story well worth seeing.