The 1987–88 season was the 85th season in Bradford City A.F.C.'s history, and their 73rd in The Football League . They finished fourth in the Football League Second Division , having been six points clear at the top of the table at one point. City went into the play-offs and lost over two legs to a Middlesbrough side who City had beaten twice during the league campaign. Having won the first leg 2–1, Middlesbrough went ahead in the second game and after extra time finished 2–0 winners.
Bradford City 1987–88 season Chairman Stafford Heginbotham Manager Terry Dolan Football League Division Two 4th[ 1] FA Cup Fifth Round Littlewoods Cup Quarter-finals Simod Cup Quarter-finals Top goalscorer League: Ron Futcher (14) All: Ron Futcher (19) Highest home attendance 16,017 (v Ipswich Town , 7 May 1988) 16,017 (v Middlesbrough , play-offs , 15 May 1988) Lowest home attendance 8,658 (v Millwall , 5 September 1987) 6,408 (v Fulham , Littlewoods Cup , 10 November 2007)
The club also reached the fifth round of the FA Cup , the quarter-finals of the League Cup , where they were defeated by eventual winners Luton Town and the semi-finals of the Simod Cup , where they were also knocked by the eventual winners, Reading .
Captain Stuart McCall and forward John Hendrie left at the end of the season. McCall went to an Everton side managed by Colin Harvey and Hendrie to Newcastle United .
Source[ 2]
Game
Date
Opponent
Venue
Result
Attendance
Goalscorers
Notes
1
15 August 1987
Swindon Town
Home
2–0
10,553
Futcher , McCall
2
18 August 1987
Oldham Athletic
Away
2–0
8,087
Abbott (pen), Hendrie
3
22 August 1987
Bournemouth
Away
0–2
7,025
4
29 August 1987
Leeds United
Home
0–0
11,428
5
5 September 1987
Millwall
Home
3–1
8,658
Futcher (2, 1 pen), Palin
6
12 September 1987
Stoke City
Away
2–1
9,571
Ellis , Futcher
7
16 September 1987
Plymouth Argyle
Home
3–1
11,009
Abbott (3, 2 pens)
8
19 September 1987
Blackburn Rovers
Home
2–1
12,068
Hendrie , Mitchell
9
26 September 1987
Shrewsbury Town
Away
2–2
4,247
Futcher , Ormondroyd
10
29 September 1987
Huddersfield Town
Away
2–1
11,671
McCall , Mitchell
11
3 October 1987
Middlesbrough
Home
2–0
14,222
Leonard , Palin
12
10 October 1987
West Bromwich Albion
Away
1–0
12,241
McCall
13
17 October 1987
Birmingham City
Home
4–0
12,256
Leonard (2), McCall , Palin
14
21 October 1987
Manchester City
Home
2–4
14,819
Evans , Mitchell
15
24 October 1987
Reading
Away
1–1
5,920
Hendrie
16
31 October 1987
Crystal Palace
Home
2–0
13,021
Leonard , McCall
17
3 November 1987
Hull City
Away
0–0
14,443
18
7 November 1987
Barnsley
Away
0–3
11,569
19
14 November 1987
Sheffield United
Home
2–0
13,694
Futcher , Mitchell
20
21 November 1987
Leicester City
Away
2–0
11,543
Futcher , Hendrie
21
28 November 1987
Aston Villa
Home
2–4
15,006
Futcher (2, 2 pens)
22
5 December 1987
Ipswich Town
Away
0–4
13,707
23
12 December 1987
Bournemouth
Home
2–0
10,763
Leonard (2)
24
20 December 1987
Plymouth Argyle
Away
1–2
11,350
McCall
25
26 December 1987
Shrewsbury Town
Home
1–1
12,474
Ellis
26
28 December 1987
Blackburn Rovers
Away
1–1
14,124
Mitchell
27
1 January 1988
Leeds United
Away
0–2
36,004
28
2 January 1988
Stoke City
Home
1–4
12,223
Ormondroyd
29
6 February 1988
Millwall
Away
1–0
8,201
Ormondroyd
30
13 February 1988
Oldham Athletic
Home
5–3
13,862
Hendrie (3), Kennedy , McCall
31
27 February 1988
Middlesbrough
Away
2–1
21,079
Ormondroyd (2)
32
1 March 1988
Huddersfield Town
Home
0–1
12,782
33
5 March 1988
Birmingham City
Away
1–1
8,101
Hendrie
34
12 March 1988
West Bromwich Albion
Home
4–1
12,502
Hendrie , Leonard (2), Sinnott
35
19 March 1988
Crystal Palace
Away
1–1
9,801
Ormondroyd
36
30 March 1988
Swindon Town
Away
2–2
8,203
Futcher , Leonard
[ 3]
37
2 April 1988
Barnsley
Home
1–1
15,098
Hendrie
38
4 April 1988
Sheffield United
Away
2–1
13,888
Hendrie , Ormondroyd
39
9 April 1988
Hull City
Home
2–0
13,659
Futcher (pen), Ormondroyd
40
20 April 1988
Reading
Home
3–0
13,608
Futcher , Hendrie , McCall
41
23 April 1988
Manchester City
Away
2–2
20,335
Futcher (pen), Leonard
42
30 April 1988
Leicester City
Home
4–1
14,393
Futcher (pen), Hendrie , Mitchell , Ormondroyd
43
2 May 1988
Aston Villa
Away
0–1
36,423
44
7 May 1988
Ipswich Town
Home
2–3
16,017
Abbott , McCall
Round (Leg)
Date
Opponent
Venue
Result
Attendance
Goalscorers
Notes
2 (1)
22 September 1987
Fulham
Away
5–1
4,357
Futcher (2), Mitchell , Oliver , Ormondroyd
2 (2)
7 October 1987
Fulham
Home
2–1
6,408
Hendrie , McCall
3
27 October 1987
Charlton Athletic
Away
1–0
3,629
Abbott
4
18 November 1987
Reading
Away
0–0
6,784
4R
24 November 1987
Reading
Home
1–0
10,448
Ormondroyd
5
19 January 1988
Luton Town
Away
0–2
11,022
Source[ 5]
^ Lost to Middlesbrough in play-off semi-finals
^ a b Frost, Terry (1988). Bradford City A Complete Record 1903–1988 . Breedon Books Sport. pp. 316–317. ISBN 0-907969-38-0 .
^ Original game was abandoned with Swindon winning 3–0
^ 0–1 after 90 minutes
^ a b Frost. Bradford City A Complete Record 1903–1988 . pp. 352–353.
^ 1–1 after 90 minutes
^ Kennedy was born in Salford , England.
^ McCall was born in Leeds , England.