Match reports

Reports of most of Bradford FC's Saturday matches appeared in local papers, such as the Yorkshire Observer, on the following Monday. Midweek match reports normally appeared the next day but this could not be relied upon.

The local press usually gave team line-ups before games were played, perhaps as a service to the players who needed to know whether or not they had been picked. However the Monday reports seldom listed the teams, so it is not possible to compile lists of  appearances or even accurate details of scorers.

In this section, we have put together a small selection of reports from some of the more important milestone fixtures in the history of the Bradford club.

1882 exhibition  Where it all began - Blackburn Rovers vs Blackburn & District (16th September 1882) - The first match at Park Avenue

Swinton (A) 1895  Bradford's first ever association game - it started with the vicar

Featherstone (H) 1895  Bradford's first competitive game which was played at Park Avenue

Leeds (N) 1896  The first ever game of association football at Valley Parade

Featherstone (N) 1896  Bradford win their first trophy

Hunslet (N) 1896  The West Yorkshire Association League championship play off

Sheffield United Reserve (A) 1897  Bradford's first match in the new Yorkshire League

Kilnhurst (A) 1897  Bradford's first ever game in the FA Cup

Corinthians 1897  Bradford play the famous Corinthian amateur XI

Hunslet (H) 1899  Bradford's last match at Birch Lane

Sheffield Wednesday Reserve (H) 1899  Bradford's last match for eight long years