Also known as: The Bantams
Ground: The Coral Windows Stadium/ Valley Parade
Capacity: 25,136
Year Formed: 1903
Website: www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk
FootyMad Site: www.bradfordcity-mad.co.uk
Manager: Phil Parkinson (since August 2011)
Odds to win the League: 12/1. Odds for Promotion: 4/1 Odds for Relegation: 11/1
2014-2015:
League (League One): W: 27 D: 14 L: 15 F: 55 A: 55 GD: 0 Points: 65
Home Record: W: 8 D: 6 L: 9 F: 26 A: 33
Away Record: W: 9 D: 8 L: 6 F: 29 A: 22
Pos: 7th
Top Scorer: Billy Clarke (14)
Worst Discipline: Rory McArdle (2 yellows 2 reds)
FA Cup: Quarter-Final Replay (lost 3-0 to Reading)
League Cup: Third Round (lost 2-0 to MK Dons)
Last Five League Positions: 7th (League One), 11th (League Two), 7th (League Two), 18th (League Two), 18th (League Two)
Head To Head v Barnsley: W: 37 D: 30 L: 36
Last season v Barnsley: 12/10/14 Barnsley (Rory McArdle og 48, Sam Winnall 65, Kane Hemmings 90) 3-1 Bradford (Jason Kennedy 1) 25/4/15 Bradford (Jon Stead 17) 1-0 Barnsley
Last Five Results v Barnsley: won 1-0, lost 3-1, drew 0-0, lost 5-3, drew 1-1.
Meet in 2015-2016 on: Saturday 22nd August at Oakwell & Saturday 9th January at The Coral Windows Stadium.
View From The Terrace:
Michael Wood (www.boyfrombrazil.co.uk)
Level of Interest:
I go home and away most weeks. I have a 25 year season ticket too which is a mixed blessing.
How has pre-season gone for you?
Pre-season was marred by a injury to Filipe Morais that will keep him out for the whole season, and by a failure to be able to bring in players to the club but with two weeks left and deals generally getting later and later in the window there is a lot of room for movement.
Are you pleased with the signings your club has made?
There is nothing amongst them to get especially excited about but to get excited about players before you have seen them kick a ball is a mistake in itself. I've been watching Phil Parkinson's teams for a few years now and know that he prizes character over everything else. The result of that has been some "interesting" results over the last few years. Its impossible to judge that character in a pre-season kick around at Farsley so I reserve judgement on the likes of Steve Davies and Josh Morris until Christmas.
What realistically are you aiming for this season?
I find that there is no way to answer this question. If I said that I think we could reach a Cup Final, or I think we could be the only team in Europe to beat the Premier League Champions and not just beat them but spank them at their own stadium, I'd be accused of being unrealistic yet both things happened in the last three years. Is it unrealistic to say that any League One team might win League One in that context? Is it unrealistic to say any team might finish bottom? Of 72 Football League clubs ten will go up, twelve will go down and fifty will do nothing at all so perhaps, given those odds, its unrealistic for any of us to aim for anything other than nothing.
Which player has past his sell by date?
None of them. Andrew Davies seems to have left as his sell by date came up and I think signing Jon Stead would have been signing someone past his. The squad is young.
Have you got the right manager in charge?
Without a doubt. Parkinson is a manager who understands that the only route to success is in working harder than the opposition.
What advice would you give him?
I would advise him against using Christopher Routis and to give the experience he gives Routis to another player.
Who do you see as your key player?
Parkinson seems ready to return to a 4-4-2 formation which puts target man James Hanson squarely into that role as key player although Rory McArdle - junior partner in central defence for a few years - has got the senior role at the back now.
Who would you most like to beat this season?
Chelsea. No wait. Sunderl... No. Arsenal! No Villa! Definitely Vil... erm... Real Madrid?
Where will you finish?
Difficult to say although it’s worth noting that we have improved our position every season under Parkinson and last season we were a place outside the play-offs.
How do you rate Barnsley's chances next season and where do you think they will finish?
I think Lee Johnson has promise as a manager but nothing makes Barnsley stick out from what will be a crowded division.