DUD FIREWORKS AT VALLEY PARADE

I did go to Bradford City and found myself actually being able to hear the players "talking" to one another on the pitch during eerie silences, midst a sparse crowd. Their voices echoed around the lovely stadium that was Valley Parade, now it should be known as the Northern Commercials Stadium.

The Stanley lot (a thousand?) were put as far away from the main stand as possible and in a place where they couldn't easily see the new scoreboard, mainly because it was round the corner and they had the sun in their eyes! The board was functioning and jolly nice is was too. No replays yet; I guess they are waiting for the big opening against Rochdale. There they are! Mosque in the background.

Bradford City lost 1-2. I don't know what the %s were but the home team certainly dictated play and must have had much of the possession.  This was the first time that the two clubs had met in the cup, although of course history leads us up the garden path a bit as the team I saw in red today was not the original Accrington Stanley. Bradford and the original AS had previously met 100 years ago in the cup and Bradford won 1-0.

In 1911 when Bradford City won their one and only FA Cup Final, Stamford FC made their first appearance in the FA Cup. Tomorrow when they host Hartlepool.

The oldest cup "rematch" is Bolton Wanderers v Grimsby, a tie which first took place 120 years ago and ended in a 0-0 draw. Bolton eventually won through, this time 1-0.

Westfields from Herefordshire, playing in the Midland League Premier Division, are the lowest stepped club STILL in this round and they are playing their 7th FA Cup tie this year, one more than usual clubs need to win the final! Meeting Curzon Athletic from the National League North, they drew 1-1 and survive to be in the draw for the next round.

So it was a fun trip to Bradders and the sun did shine. Sadly for the Bamtams the tie did not go off with a bang, more  damp squib.