THE GROUND
Coral Windows Stadium,
Valley Parade,
Bradford,
West Yorkshire,
BD8 7DY
Valley Parade was built in 1886 as the home of Manningham Rugby Football Club and has been home to Bradford City since the club was formed in 1903.
The ground has been rebuilt in the last 30 years and is now a modern all-seater stadium with a capacity of 25,136.
The building work started after a fire in May 1985 that killed 56 people and continued through to the start of the new Millennium.
On Brentford’s last trip to Bradford – for an FA Cup with Budweiser tie in November – Bees fans were seated in the Midland Road Stand and there was room for around 1,300.
THE TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS
It is approximately 205 miles from Griffin Park to the Coral Windows Stadium by road.
Divers will go to the end of the M606 and take the Ring Road East, following signs for Leeds/Bradford Airport, and then turn in to Wakefield Road.
Take the A6037, which becomes Canal Road, and then turn left in to Station Road, A6177, and left again in to Queens Road.
At the third set of traffic lights turn left in to Manningham Lane, Valley Parade is on the left hand side past the Gulf petrol station.
The stadium is sign-posted from the end of the M606.
There is no official car park at the ground so visiting supporters will have to use surrounding roads, being mindful of parking restrictions.
The nearest station to the ground is Bradford Forster Square, which is served by Northern Trains and some East Coast services.
Bradford Interchange is slightly further away and is served by Northern Trains and Grand Central services, which leave from King’s Cross.
Getting to Bradford will normally involve changing at Leeds, which is served by East Coast trains from King’s Cross, but you can also change at Liverpool Lime Street, Manchester Piccadilly, Manchester Victoria, Warrington Bank Quay, Wigan North Western and Preston, all of which can be reached by getting a Virgin Trains service from Euston.
The Supporters’ Association will be running coaches to every game this season – details of times and prices will be announced in due course.
THE FIXTURES
Brentford will play away to Bradford City on Saturday September 7.
The Bees then welcome The Bantams to Griffin Park on Saturday March 8
THE RECENT HISTORY
Bradford City were promoted to League One in May by winning the League Two Play-Off Final, the culmination of a memorable year.
The Bantams made international headlines last year when they reached the Capital One Cup Final.
They beat Wigan Athletic and Arsenal before defeating Aston Villa over two legs to reach Wembley.
Swansea City won 5-0 in the final but Bradford had made their mark.
The Bantams also reached the Johnstone’s Paint trophy Northern Section Semi-Final and pushed Brentford all the way in an FA Cup with Budweiser Second Round Replay.
They then ended the season strongly, losing one of their last nine games, to reach the Play-Offs.
Burton Albion were beaten over two legs and Bradford had promotion sewn up when they took a 3-0 first half lead against Northampton Town at Wembley.
They saw the game out in the second half to win promotion back to their third tier for the first time since relegation in 2007.
That relegation marked the end of a rollercoaster period for The Bantams.
They won promotion from the third tier in 1996 and then won their way to the Premiership in 1999, surviving the following year but going down in 2001.
They were relegated again in 2003 and then in 2007 completed the trip from top to bottom in six years.
THE MANAGER
Phil Parkinson was appointed as Bradford City Manager in August 2011.
The 45-year-old Lancashire-born manager played more than 350 Football League games for Reading during an 18-year playing career that started at Southampton and took him to Bury.
He moved in to management and took over at Colchester United in 2003.
He won promotion with the Essex side in 2006 but resigned to take over at Hull City, where he lasted less than six months.
He moved to Charlton Athletic a few weeks later as Assistant Manager to Alan Pardew and took over at The Valley in November 2008.
The Addicks were relegated in 2009 and lost in the League One Play-Offs a year later.
Parkinson was sacked in January 2011, arriving at Bradford later in the year.
The Bantams finished 18th in his first season in charge but he got them up last season, becoming the first manager to take a fourth-tier team to a major Wembley final in the process.
THE TOP SCORER
Nahki Wells scored 26 goals in all competitions for Bradford last season.
He hit 18 goals in npower League Two and three in seven games as Bradford reached the Capital One Cup Final.
He then scored four goals in Bradford’s successful Play-Off campaign.
The 23-year-old Bermudian joined Bradford from Carlisle United in the summer of 2011 after six months in Cumbria.
He scored 12 goals in his first season at Valley Parade but more than doubled that last term.
THE KEY MEN
Bradford had a largely settled 4-4-2 system in their run to the Capital One Cup Final and promotion campaign with a few key players featuring in most games.
Central midfield player and captain Gary Jones played 54 games last term and was named Player of the Year at Valley Parade.
Striker James Hanson scored 15 goals in 57 games in all competitions, partnering Nahki Wells – who scored 26 in 54, while central defender Rory McArdle played 56 times.
Goalkeeping duties were shared by Matt Duke and Jon McLaughlin while Nathan Doyle played 52 games in the centre of midfield.
Bradford had the fourth best defence in League Two last season and look set to keep that largely together for their crack at League One.
McLaughlin, McArdle, Andrew Davies, Stephen Darby and James Meredith played in the Play-Off Final and are under contract for the new season.
THE FIRST MEETING
November 11 1933, Football League Division 2 – Brentford 2 Bradford City 1
Brentford line-up: Baker; Stevenson, Adamson; Watson, James, Burns; Hopkins, Scott, Holliday, Muttitt, Fletcher
Brentford goal scorers: Holliday, Muttitt
Ernie Muttitt scored the winning goal early in the second half as Brentford took the points.
THE LAST MEETING
December 18 2012, FA Cup with Budweiser Second Round Replay – Brentford 4 Bradford City 2 (After Extra Time)
Brentford line-up: Gounet; Logan, Legge, Craig, Bidwell; Dallas (sub Donaldson), Adeyemi (sub Diagouraga), Douglas, Saunders (sub Forrester); Hayes, Trotta
Subs (not used): Lee, Dean, Barron, Oyeleke
Brentford goal scorers: Trotta (2), Donaldson, Forrester
Brentford come from behind to win through after extra time.
Click here for a full match report.
THE MEMORABLE DAY
February 11 1995, Endsleigh League Two – Brentford 4 Bradford City 3
Brentford line-up: Dearden; Hutchings, Bates, Ashby, Grainger; Bailey, Mundee, Ratcliffe (sub Statham), Stephenson; Forster, Taylor
Sub (not used): McGhee
Brentford goal scorers: Mundee, Taylor, Grainger, Forster
Brentford come from behind three times to pick up a valuable three points as they pushed for promotion.