The 1907–08 season was the fifth season in Bradford City A.F.C.'s history and the fifth successive in the Second Division since their election to the league in 1903.
| 1907–08 season | |
|---|---|
| Manager | Peter O'Rourke |
| Stadium | Valley Parade |
| Football League Second Division | 1st |
| FA Cup | First Round |
| Top goalscorer | League: Frank O'Rourke (21) All: Frank O'Rourke (21) |
| Highest home attendance | c. 27,000 (v Leeds City, 5 October 1907; v Burnley, 20 April 1908) |
| Lowest home attendance | c. 8,000 (v Stockport County, 22 February 1908) |
Background
editBradford City had been elected to the Football League in 1903,[1] since when they had played in the Second Division.[2] They finished 10th in their first season in the league,[3] and followed it with two further mid-table positions.[2] Their best position in the first four seasons came in 1906–07, manager Peter O'Rourke's first full campaign having replaced Robert Campbell in November 1905.[4] He led City to fifth position in 1906–07, helped by a record of 10 victories from their final 14 games of the campaign.[5]
Review
editPre-season
editO'Rourke added to his squad which finished the previous season with a string of victories by signing Scottish national goalkeeper Willie Muir from Dundee, centre forward Sam Higginson from Reading and left half Harry Hanger from Kettering Town.[6]
September
editBradford started the season by winning 8–1 at home against Chesterfield,[6] the first time the club had scored more than six goals in a league game.[7] Wally Smith's four goals in the match[8] was also the first time any City player had managed the feat.[7] Despite losing the second game of the season at Burnley, Bradford responded with 1–0 and 3–0 successes against Oldham Athletic and Clapton Orient.[8]
Match results
editLegend
edit| Win | Draw | Loss |
Football League Second Division
edit- Source: Frost[8]
| Game | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance[A] | Goalscorers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 September 1907 | Chesterfield | Home | 8–1 | 14,000 | Handley (2), McDonald, O'Rourke, Smith (4, 1 pen) |
| 2 | 14 September 1907 | Burnley | Away | 1–2 | 8,000 | O'Rourke |
| 3 | 21 September 1907 | Oldham Athletic | Home | 1–0 | 17,000 | McDonald |
| 4 | 28 September 1907 | Clapton Orient | Away | 3–0 | 10,000 | Bartlett, Higginson, O'Rourke |
| 5 | 5 October 1907 | Leeds City | Home | 5–0 | 27,000 | Bartlett, Hanger, McDonald, Smith (2, 1 pen) |
| 6 | 12 October 1907 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Away | 0–0 | 8,000 | |
| 7 | 19 October 1907 | Gainsborough Trinity | Home | 7–1 | 15,000 | Hanger, McDonald, O'Rourke (4), Smith |
| 8 | 26 October 1907 | Stockport County | Away | 1–1 | 4,000 | Smith |
| 9 | 2 November 1907 | Glossop | Home | 2–1 | 12,000 | Bartlett, Clarke |
| 10 | 9 November 1907 | Leicester Fosse | Away | 1–2 | 15,000 | Handley |
| 11 | 16 November 1907 | Blackpool | Home | 3–0 | 11,000 | McDonald, O'Rourke, Robinson |
| 12 | 23 November 1907 | Stoke | Away | 0–3 | 5,000 | |
| 13 | 30 November 1907 | West Bromwich Albion | Home | 0–0 | 18,000 | |
| 14 | 7 December 1907 | Grimsby Town | Away | 1–0 | 2,000 | Handley |
| 15 | 14 December 1907 | Hull City | Away | 2–0 | 9,000 | Bartlett, Smith |
| 16 | 21 December 1907 | Derby County | Home | 3–1 | 17,000 | Bartlett, Handley (2) |
| 17 | 25 December 1907 | Barnsley | Home | 2–0 | 18,000 | O'Rourke (2) |
| 18 | 26 December 1907 | Fulham | Home | 1–3 | 25,000 | Smith (pen) |
| 19 | 28 December 1907 | Lincoln City | Away | 4–2 | 2,000 | Bartlett, Handley, McDonald, Smith |
| 20 | 1 January 1908 | Barnsley | Away | 2–1 | 8,000 | Handley (2, 1 pen) |
| 21 | 4 January 1908 | Chesterfield | Away | 1–1 | 2,000 | O'Rourke |
| 22 | 18 January 1908 | Oldham Athletic | Away | 0–4 | 18,000 | |
| 23 | 25 January 1908 | Clapton Orient | Home | 1–0 | 10,000 | Smith |
| 24 | 1 February 1908 | Leeds City | Away | 1–0 | 25,600 | McDonald |
| 25 | 8 February 1908 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Home | 6–2 | 16,000 | Higginson (2), McDonald, Smith (3) |
| 26 | 15 February 1908 | Gainsborough Trinity | Away | 5–1 | 4,000 | Handley (3), O'Rourke (2) |
| 27 | 22 February 1908 | Stockport County | Home | 5–0 | 8,000 | Clarke, Handley, Higginson, McDonald, Smith |
| 28 | 29 February 1908 | Glossop | Away | 2–2 | 2,000 | O'Rourke (2) |
| 29 | 7 March 1908 | Leicester Fosse | Home | 1–5 | 17,000 | McDonald |
| 30 | 14 March 1908 | Blackpool | Away | 1–2 | 3,000 | McDonald |
| 31 | 21 March 1908 | Stoke | Home | 6–0 | 14,000 | Clarke, Handley, O'Rourke (3), Smith |
| 32 | 28 March 1908 | West Bromwich Albion | Away | 2–3 | 7,000 | O'Rourke, Smith |
| 33 | 4 April 1908 | Grimsby Town | Home | 1–1 | 16,000 | Bartlett |
| 34 | 11 April 1908 | Hull City | Home | 2–1 | 16,000 | Smith (2) |
| 35 | 17 April 1908 | Fulham | Away | 2–0 | 40,000 | Handley, O'Rourke |
| 36 | 18 April 1908 | Derby County | Away | 3–2 | 14,000 | Hanger, Higginson, McDermott |
| 37 | 20 April 1908 | Burnley | Home | 2–0 | 27,000 | Handley, McDonald |
| 38 | 25 April 1908 | Lincoln City | Home | 2–0 | 12,000 | McDonald, O'Rourke |
FA Cup
edit- Source:Frost[8]
| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance[A] | Goalscorers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 January 1908 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Home | 1–1 | 15,100 | Handley |
| 1R | 15 January 1908 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Away | 0–1 | 16,000 |
League table
edit
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bradford City | 38 | 24 | 6 | 8 | 90 | 42 | 2.143 | 54 | Division champions |
| 2 | Leicester Fosse | 38 | 21 | 10 | 7 | 72 | 47 | 1.532 | 52 | Promoted |
| 3 | Oldham Athletic[a] | 38 | 22 | 6 | 10 | 76 | 42 | 1.810 | 50 | |
| 4 | Fulham[a] | 38 | 22 | 5 | 11 | 82 | 49 | 1.673 | 49 | |
| 5 | West Bromwich Albion | 38 | 19 | 9 | 10 | 61 | 39 | 1.564 | 47 |
Notes:
Player details
edit- Source: Frost[9]
| Pos. | Name | League | FA Cup | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| FW | Albert Bartlett | 18 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 7 |
| RB | Robert Campbell | 30 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 31 | 0 |
| OR | Willie Clarke | 22 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 3 |
| LB | Fred Farren | 30 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 32 | 0 |
| OL | George Handley | 37 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 39 | 17 |
| CH | Harry Hanger | 34 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 36 | 3 |
| CH | Sam Higginson | 35 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 37 | 5 |
| CH | Gerald Kirk | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| GK | Herbert Kneeshaw | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| IF | Tommy McDermott | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| FW | Jimmy McDonald | 36 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 38 | 13 |
| DF | Jimmy McLean | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| DF | David Melville | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| HB | Jimmy Millar | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| GK | Willie Muir | 28 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 30 | 0 |
| CF | Frank O'Rourke | 36 | 21 | 2 | 0 | 38 | 21 |
| FB | James Roberts | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| HB | George Robinson | 37 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 39 | 1 |
| FW | Wally Smith | 34 | 20 | 2 | 0 | 36 | 20 |
| GK | Martin Spendiff | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| FW | James Vallance | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| GK | Albert Wise | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Frost 1988, p. 13
- ^ a b Frost 1988, p. 168
- ^ Frost 1988, p. 170
- ^ Frost 1988, p. 65
- ^ Frost 1988, p. 176
- ^ a b Frost 1988, p. 32
- ^ a b Frost 1988, p. 170–176
- ^ a b c d Frost 1988, p. 178
- ^ Frost 1988, p. 179
- Bibliography
- Butler, Bryon (1987), The Football League 1888–1988 The Official Illustrated History, Macdonald Queen Anne Press, ISBN 0-356-15072-0
- Frost, Terry (1988), Bradford City A Complete Record 1903–1988, Breedon Books Sport, ISBN 0-907969-38-0