The Birth of Bradford City

1903

Although football had been played in for many years, it was not until January 1903 that a serious attempt was made to form a professional team in the city.

James Whyte, sub-editor of the Bradford Observer, was the prime mover. A series of meetings were held at the Market Tavern. In March the committee of the ailing Manningham Rugby Club indicated they were prepared to consider a professional football team playing at their Valley Parade ground.

The initial proposal was for football and rugby to play on alternate Saturdays.

Possibly the last game played by a Manningham XV

Eighteen Football League clubs indicated their support for the Bradford bid. Sheffield United sent a team to meet a West Yorkshire XI at Valley Parade on 6th April.

Twelve players were signed on, despite the fact that there was no guarantee of a ground to play on - let alone a plaace in the Football League.

A delegation travelled to London on 25th May to apply for admission to the League. The infant club was accepted with open arms and the delegation returned to Bradford in triumph. At the Belle Vue public house they celebrated what was described as ‘the greatest football scoop ever known’. City were the only side to have joined the League without having played a single match!

The Manningham committee had by now shifted their position and were proposing abandoning rugby 'for twelve months'.

One obstacle remained the members of Manningham Rugby Club. As a democratic organisation they had the power to kill the football club at birth.

The fateful meeting was held in St Paul's Schoolroom, Manningham on 29th May. For two hours a furious debate raged. No one was deceived - this was about making an irreversible decision to completely abandon rugby in favour of - in the now famous words of Manningham President Alfred Ayrton - 'a game that would pay’.

Although a call for rugby to be retained was ‘met with great cheers’, the adoption of professional football was passed by 75 votes to 34.

Bradford City was born.

Bradford City 1903

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