List of Bradford City A.F.C. managers
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The following is a list of Bradford City managers from 1903, when the club was founded, to the present day. It details the record of the managers and their honours.
[edit] History
- See also: History of Bradford City A.F.C.
Bradford City's first manager was Robert Campbell,[1] who was given the role upon the club's election into the league in 1903 although the club was administered by a 13-man sub-committee.[2] He left by mutual consent in 1905 to be succeeded by the club's most successful manager Peter O'Rourke in the first of two periods in charge of the club.[2] O'Rourke's first spell as manager lasted 16 years, during which time he oversaw the club's first title and promotion in 1907–08 and the FA Cup success of 1911. David Menzies took over in 1921, but the club were relegated the following year. The club continued to struggle and Menzies' successor Colin Veitch oversaw a second relegation in 1926–27 before O'Rourke returned to the club. During his second spell he brought the Division Three (North) title in 1928–29 when the club set a number of records which remain today.[3] O'Rourke resigned in 1930 to be succeeded by first Jack Peart then Dick Ray but the club were again relegated in 1936–37.
For half-a-century, City remained in the bottom two divisions of the Football League under a succession of managers until the 1980s brought an upturn in the club's fortunes. Former England international Roy McFarland was appointed player-manager in 1981, bringing instant success with promotion from Division Four in 1981–82. But he left in controversial circumstances to Derby County,[2] to be replaced by another England international Trevor Cherry as player-manager from rivals Leeds United. Cherry oversaw a turbulent period at the club, which included City going into liquidation in 1983, the Division Three title in 1984–85 and the tragic fire on 11 May 1985. He was only the third City manager to win a trophy.
Cherry was sacked just one month after the club returned to Valley Parade in a move which shocked the Bradford public.[2] His successor was first team coach Terry Dolan, who had played for the club for five years making nearly 200 league appearances. With the fans still singing Cherry's name, Dolan quickly won over the fans with a 5–1 FA Cup victory over Oldham Athletic in his first game,[2] before guiding the club away from relegation and a 10th place finish in 1986–87. The following season a final day defeat to Ipswich Town then failure in the play-offs against Middlesbrough prevented Dolan from taking the club into top flight for the first time in 66 years. He was unable to replace star players Stuart McCall and John Hendrie, who left during the summer,[4] and was sacked to be replaced by Welsh manager Terry Yorath but relegation followed in 1989–90.
John Docherty had taken over two months before relegation was confirmed. During the 1990 close season he signed Sean McCarthy, to solve the club's goal-scoring problem, and a number of his former players from Millwall but he could not help City bounce back.[5] He was replaced by Frank Stapleton, who also failed to deliver promotion before new chairman Geoffrey Richmond bought the club. Richmond's first appointment was experienced manager Lennie Lawrence, who had made a solid start to the 1995–96 season before he was enticed away to Luton Town. Richmond appointed assistant Chris Kamara, who took City to promotion via the play-offs following a run of results at the end of the season, taking 28 points from a possible 39 to edge Chesterfield out of the play-off places by just one point. A 2–0 victory in the final against Notts County meant City and Luton Town swapped divisions.
Kamara was also succeeded by his own assistant Paul Jewell originally on a temporary basis before the striker, who had been at the club since 1988, was given the job permanently in the summer of 1998. Richmond gave Jewell the biggest transfer budget in the club's history. Jewell signed the club's first three £1million players to mastermind Bradford's return to the top flight in his first full season. He then defied the critics by keeping the club in the Premiership with a 1–0 victory over the club where he had begun his career Liverpool.[6][7] Jewell made a shock exit from the club after a disgreement with Richmond,[8] who made his third successive appointment from within the club by elevating Chris Hutchings to the manager's seat. Hutchings was given unprecedented money for a Bradford manager to spend on a series of talented players including record signing David Hopkin, Benito Carbone and Dan Petrescu but he was sacked after 137 days and just one win from 12 league games.[9][10]
The money Hutchings was given, combined with the collapse of ITV Digital continued to have repercussions on the club's league position and finances long after he had left.[11] Three relegations have followed with a succession of respected managers, including Jim Jefferies, former England captain Bryan Robson and Colin Todd unable to stop the club from dropping through the league. Having stated in his autobiography he would one day "love to manage Bradford",[12] Stuart McCall, who had two playing spells at the club, came from Sheffield United on 22 May 2007 to become the club's 38th full-time manager.[1]
[edit] Managers
[edit] References
- ^ a b Manager History. Bradford City Official Website. Retrieved on 2007-12-04.
- ^ a b c d e Frost, Terry (1988). Bradford City A Complete Record 1903-1988. Breedon Books Sport, pp65-82. ISBN 0907969380.
- ^ History. Bradford City Official Website. Retrieved on 2007-12-04.
- ^ Markham, David (2007). The legends of Bradford City. Breedon Books Sport, p81, 115. ISBN 978-1-85983-572-2.
- ^ Markham. The legends of Bradford City, p117.
- ^ Paul Jewell: the Scouse Special One. Independent Online (21 October 2005). Retrieved on 2007-12-04.
- ^ Markham. The legends of Bradford City, p99.
- ^ Markham. The legends of Bradford City, p99, p207.
- ^ Bradford sack Hutchings. BBC Sport (6 November 2000). Retrieved on 2007-12-04.
- ^ Hutchings shown the door. BBC Sport (6 November 2000). Retrieved on 2007-12-04.
- ^ Lawn Pitches In As City Investor. Telegraph & Argus (7 June 2007). Retrieved on 2007-12-04.
- ^ McCall, Stuart (1998). The Real McCall. Mainstream Publishing, p184. ISBN 1-84018-078-1.
- ^ Winning percentage is correct to one decimal place.
- ^ Robert Campbell management career stats at Soccerbase
- ^ a b Peter O'Rourke management career stats at Soccerbase
- ^ David Menzies management career stats at Soccerbase
- ^ Colin Veitch management career stats at Soccerbase
- ^ a b c d e Caretaker manager
- ^ Frost. Bradford City A Complete Record 1903-1988, p67, p210.
- ^ Jack Peart management career stats at Soccerbase
- ^ Dick Ray management career stats at Soccerbase
- ^ Fred Westgarth management career stats at Soccerbase
- ^ Bob Sharp management career stats at Soccerbase
- ^ Jack Barber management career stats at Soccerbase
- ^ Jack Milburn management career stats at Soccerbase
- ^ David Steele management career stats at Soccerbase
- ^ Albert Harris management career stats at Soccerbase
- ^ Ivor Powell management career stats at Soccerbase
- ^ Peter Jackson management career stats at Soccerbase
- ^ Bob Brocklebank management career stats at Soccerbase
- ^ Bill Harris management career stats at Soccerbase
- ^ Willie Watson management career stats at Soccerbase
- ^ Grenville Hair management career stats at Soccerbase
- ^ Joint caretaker managers
- ^ Frost. Bradford City A Complete Record 1903-1988, p76, p226.
- ^ Jimmy Wheeler management career stats at Soccerbase
- ^ Ray Wilson management career stats at Soccerbase
- ^ Bryan Edwards management career stats at Soccerbase
- ^ Bobby Kennedy management career stats at Soccerbase
- ^ John Napier management career stats at Soccerbase
- ^ George Mulhall management career stats at Soccerbase
- ^ Roy McFarland management career stats at Soccerbase
- ^ Trevor Cherry management career stats at Soccerbase
- ^ Terry Dolan management career stats at Soccerbase
- ^ Terry Yorath management career stats at Soccerbase
- ^ John Docherty management career stats at Soccerbase
- ^ Frank Stapleton management career stats at Soccerbase
- ^ Lennie Lawrence management career stats at Soccerbase
- ^ Chris Kamara management career stats at Soccerbase
- ^ Paul Jewell management career stats at Soccerbase
- ^ Chris Hutchings management career stats at Soccerbase
- ^ Stuart McCall management career stats at Soccerbase
- ^ Jim Jefferies management career stats at Soccerbase
- ^ Steve Smith management career stats at Soccerbase
- ^ Nicky Law management career stats at Soccerbase
- ^ Senior players Peter Atherton, Wayne Jacobs, David Wetherall and Dean Windass took temporary charge.
- ^ Windass, Dean (2007). From Gipsyville to the Premiership. Great Northern, p125. ISBN 978-1-905080-29-8.
- ^ Bryan Robson management career stats at Soccerbase
- ^ Colin Todd management career stats at Soccerbase
- ^ David Wetherall management career stats at Soccerbase
- ^ Stuart McCall management career stats at Soccerbase
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