Seasonal Best Wishes

We would like to wish all our visitors a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

During the festive period we will be selling copies of the new book Paraders, the 125 year history of Valley Parade, on matchdays in the bantamspast museum. Copies of our previous publication, Glorious 1911, will also be on sale. The books are also available from Waterstones in the city centre and online or by email. We hope to see many of you at the matches on Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve.

Pre-Christmas Activities

One in a Million (The Charity based at Valley Parade) and Friends of Bradford City (The fund raising group of supporters) are staging a Christmas event in the Museum/Cafe area (Above the club shop) prior to next Saturday's game against Plymouth. Shipley Salvation Army Band will be providing suitably festive music in the Museum prior to appearing on the pitch before kick off and at half time.
One in Million will be offering festive fayre in their cafe including mince pies and mulled wine, whilst Santa Claus will be dropping in.
bantamspast will have the newly launched book `Paraders` tracing the 125 year history of Valley Parade available for sale, and author David Pendleton will be available to sign copies.
Bantamstrek will be selling Santa Hats, the sales of which will benefit the Bradford Burns Unit,.
It is hoped some of the City players will be making an appearance.
Friends of Bradford City will be selling their new 2012 Calendar `Its a fan's life` featuring City players in fans roles, and will also have other seasonal gifts available.
In addition Friends of Bradford City will be giving details of the re-launched `Junior Bantams` young supporters club in association with One in Milllion and would give a warm welcome to young City supporters.
City Gent will have a seasonal twist in their new issue of the City Gent fanzine, and Friends of Bradford City will have sales locations in each stand, making it a very busy day for the various supporter groups.
Mark Neale, Chairman of Friends of Bradford City said "The home game nearest Christmas is traditionally a special day for the fans, and it's great that the various supporters organisations have joined together to have a special event in the Museum/Cafe area before what is a very important game for City".
"We are developing a great relationship with One in a Million who are now an important part of the Valley Parade scene, and bantamspast are also very pro-active in keeping alive the history of our great club".
"There will be something for every age group on Saturday, but we really hope young City fans can come and get our new Junior Bantams group of to a great start with an official launch taking place on 31st December".
Above: David Pendleton signs copies of his latest book, Paraders, at Thursday's launch, held at Waterstones in Bradford,

Paraders - Book Launch

The official launch of a new book which celebrates the 125 year history of Bradford City AFC’s Valley Parade ground will take place at Waterstones at 6.30pm on Thursday 8 December. Entitled ‘Paraders, the 125 year history of Valley Parade’, it has been written by David Pendleton, curator of Bradford City’s bantamspast museum and author of the critically acclaimed book Glorious 1911.

Paraders tells the story of the Bantams’ home from its inception as a rugby ground in 1886 right through to the present day. From the fire disaster of 1985 to the FA Cup winners of 1911; the brief Premier League sojourn to all too many years in the basement division of English football. The full sweep of the history and development of Valley Parade is captured. Scores of previously unpublished images enhance the painstakingly researched text. Even the most dedicated Bradford City supporter will learn something new from this comprehensive history.

Paraders is much more than a history of a football ground. It touches on the social, industrial and demographic changes that have shaped the wider city of Bradford over the last 125 years. Priced at just £16 the book will appeal to even those who do not make the fortnightly pilgrimage to Valley Parade.

Paraders is on sale in the bantamspast museum on matchdays and at Waterstones in Bradford city centre. The author will be signing copies in the bantamspast museum prior to home matches during December.