Bradford City A.F.C. - Rivalry

Rivalry

See also: Bradford derby and West Yorkshire derby

Although their original neighbours Bradford (Park Avenue) are now a non-league club, they still engage in a very fierce competition with local rivals Leeds United: they are considered to be the club's most hated rivals in modern times, although it could be said that this is a one-way rivalry: Leeds fans are unlikely to raise the same level of emotion talking about Bradford City that a City fan would in talking of Leeds. This rivalry is to some extent due to the two cities' proximity to one another, which has exacerbated in later years because there has been some football fans within Bradford choosing to travel the short distance to support Leeds rather than the home town's City. However, it's thought the main reason for this rivalry is the setting alight of a chip van by Leeds fans during a game between the two sides at Odsal in 1986, perceived by many Bradford City fans as a mockery of the Bradford City stadium fire. One of the less serious manifestations of this rivalry was the City Gent fanzines publication of a 'tribute to Leeds United AFC', the booklet having only blank pages. Leeds United's relegation to League One in 2007 may have reignited this rivalry, although Bradford's relegation to League Two removed the possibility that the three major West Yorkshire football teams (Leeds, Bradford and Huddersfield) might be in the same division for the first time since the 1980s in the 2007–08 season.

Matches against these sides have produced both amazing spectacles and some terrible moments—the 1996–97 season providing examples of both. On 1 February 1997, Huddersfield Town defender Kevin Gray broke the leg of Bradford City striker Gordon Watson in two places with a horrific sliding tackle. Watson was, at that time, the most expensive player in Bradford City's history having cost them £575,000, and was playing in only his third match for the club. He required a six-inch plate and seven screws in his leg. It took Gordon almost two years of recovery and five further operations before he was able to return to football, after which he made just a handful of appearances for City before leaving the club. At Leeds High Court in October 1998 he succeeded in becoming only the second player in the history of football to prove negligence by another player and was later awarded in excess of £900,000 in damages, making it "the most expensive tackle in British football and legal history".

The return fixture that season was a happier affair. It provided a spectacular display of goals in which City took a 3–0 lead, including one famous goal scored directly from a corner by ex-England star Chris Waddle, before the game swung in Huddersfield's favour as they fought back to the final score of 3–3.

The most recent derby with Huddersfield Town at Galpharm Stadium on 4 October 2011 in the Football League Trophy second round ended in a 2–2 draw, with Bradford City winning 4–3 on penalties.

There are also lesser rivalries with Barnsley, Burnley, Hull City, Oldham Athletic, Sheffield United, Sheffield Wednesday and York City. Since relegation to League Two in 2007, Rotherham United have generally been the nearest divisional neighbours to Bradford, which has led to a minor rivalry developing between the two sides. As of May 2012, the geographically nearest club to Bradford is York City, who returned to the Football League and now occupy the same league as Bradford for the first time since the 1995–96 season.

The club is linked with American amateur side Palmetto FC Bantams.