Carling Premier League.
Bradford City v Leicester City Saturday 23rd. October. 1999
Bradford (2) 3 Leicester (1)
1 FT
Blake 12 Impey 21
Mills 40
Redfearn 66
Just One Of Those Days
Peter Gilbert. 23.10.99
We lost this game but I don't begrudge Bradford City their day
of glory. I hope they go on to further victories,
they deserve to do well, and I'd love to see them make the media
and Rodney Marsh in particular eat their vile words of hatred
for anything that doesn't emanate from London. I
can relate to the frustration that Bradford fans must feel as
we've been subjected to much of the same in the past.
Driving back over the South Yorkshire moors I reflected on a great
day out although it was was stained slightly by some London yob
banging on about the team he had latched on to as he hosted 606
on Radio 5 live, which is becoming dominated by these 'types'.
Yes, it was one of those days for better or for worse. I
was taking my dogs a walk before 9.00am with my mobile phone in
my pocket and the Bradford City ticket line number in my pocket
- as you do. I phoned them and it rang and they answered,
which for me was a minor miracle. There I was in the middle of
nowhere talking to a Yorkshire lass who told me she had some tickets
left at the away end. I would have married her
if I wasn't already spoken for, she was so helpful. She
organised my 'dream ticket' which I had been too busy to sort
earlier, with such charm. She took my name and said 'Yes come
to the window at the ticket office I'll have your ticket ready
for you' . What a beautiful woman!!
So I set off. The trip took me two hours. I found
a parking spot and I strolled to the ground some two hours before
kick off. I went to the ticket office and there she
was......'Ah yes. We spoke on the phone, here's your tickets.
If you go and stand on that corner over there you'll see Kevin
Keegan in a minute.' I stood on the corner,
young lads sat looking down and out smoking roll ups and a drunk
cavorted around shouting 'Sort it out!' at every half decent car
that arrived. Footballers wafted past me, you
can always tell; they wear dodgy suits, have fake tans and look
at you as if to say 'Oi - do you know who I am?'
Sure enough Keegan crossed the road and passed by me. I couldn't
resist having a word. 'All the best Kevin' I said. 'Cheers.'
he replied with a smile and I couldn't resist quipping; 'Do you
want Muzzy Izzet's phone number?' He nodded and smiled
to himself.
Then the Leicester bus turned up and the lads all jumped off,
up some steps and away.
I showed my ticket which interested the turnstile folk
'Ooh you've got one of these have you?'
'One of what?.'
'These tickets were stolen, so we've re-issued them.'
'No problem is there?'
'Oh no you're all right, but if anyone else tries to get into
you seat you must tell a steward then we can get on with it.'
I went in, had an excellent meat and potato pie followed by an
oily coffee and then took my seat. Then the City players came
out for a look at the pitch. It appeared that my seat was right
next to the Leicester City dressing room just behind the corner
flag. The players came out and joshed with those of us who were
in early, and a good bunch of lads they seemed to be, but when
you're right there with them and they're in track suits they seem
like boys and generally a bit shy.
Slowly the ground filled up, the warm up started which I always
enjoy watching. Then two blokes turned up with about five small
kids and stood right in front of me.
Charming I thought, one of the blokes turned to me and said 'Sorry
mate, we just want him.' pointing to one of them 'To say hello
to his Dad.' The lad in question sat on the wall in front of me
and wriggled about restlessly. He kept falling off and tumbling
in to me. Eventually he sat back on my knee, and I just let him.
'Sorry mate' said the bloke. Then the lad's Dad turned
up, bent over he wall, kissed his son and said 'Be a good lad,'
It was none other than Matt Elliott.
So there I was - in love with a woman in the ticket office, who'd
sold me a stolen item. I had offered to give Kevin Keegan
Muzzy Izzett's phone number and now I was baby sitting for Matt
Elliott.
The warm up continued and the back room boys John Robertson and
co. came and stood next to me watching proceedings, chain smoking,
laughing and joking in their own private world. It was quite bizarre
really as the players filed past me and back into the changing
rooms. I thought in a minute I would be asked to do the team talk
as I was pretty well in by now.
The players lined up beside me preparing to run out. I nodded
at Tim Flowers who nodded back knowingly.
By half time I was pensive. We were 2-1 down thanks to some pretty
slick finishing by Bradford and some rather inept defending by
Leicester. The players filed off and Neil Lennon stared me in
the eyes as if to say 'Go on have a moan at us,' But I remained
silent, sometimes it's not what you do say but what you don't.
I returned the glare in silence, and he was grateful.
The second half saw another Bradford goal but our first half Impey
strike never looked like being improved upon really. Martin
made frantic substitutions all to no avail. He took off Savage
and put on Marshall. He sent Heskey wide down the right. He took
off Cottee and threw Elliott up front who was not 'a good boy'
and it came to nothing. At the end of the game our boys trooped
off. I didn't give them a rollicking, I encouraged
each and every one of them.
Last but not least Martin came off he looked me in the eye. I
felt I had to say something.
I shrugged my shoulders and said 'It was just one of those days
Martin.'
He nodded 'You're not wrong there, you're not wrong there.'
We lost but it was a great day out, and we'll be back.
Bradford: Walsh, Halle, Wetherall, O'Brien, Sharpe, Windass, McCall, Redfearn, Saunders (Lawrence, 84), Mills, Blake.
Subs not used: Whalley, Clarke, Rankin, Dreyer.
Leicester: Flowers, Guppy, Gilchrist, Sinclair, Elliott, Impey, Lennon, Izzet, Savage (Marshall, 55), Cottee (Walsh, 71), Heskey.
Subs not used: Arphexad, Oakes, Zagorakis.
Booked: Sinclair.
Attendance: 17,655.
Referee: M Reed
