The 2006/2007 season

David Wetherall
Player who turned manager when needed and while he will go down in history as the guy who got City relegated he deserves the credit for stepping up when the call was made and never once shirking his hard to balance duties.
Mark Bower
Ascended to City’s skipper before the likely summer exit after relegation and continues to be one of the best nuts and bolts players City have had. Reliable and capable Mark Bower plays football the say it needs to be played.
Dean Windass
Out at Hull and scoring the goal that put Leeds down Dean Windass had a troubled last few months at City with death threats and a horrible red card for a nasty lunge but the goals – such goals – were impressive and his success in the Championship goes to show what we always said. Dean Windass was the best striker in League One.
Jermaine Johnson
Another early exit – this time to Sheffield Wednesday – JJ impressed with his running. Far too selfish but exciting to watch and very profitable.
Donovan Ricketts
Yes he dropped a couple of huge clangers in the final few weeks of the season but Ricketts makes saves that a goalkeeper has no right to make every game and in a season where the shots have been flying in Donovan has been pushing them away.

Lee Holmes
So when did City start to go from top six to bottom four? When loan left winger from Derby Lee Holmes stopped featuring. A smart, tricky winger who’s cross to chance ratio was second only to Peter Beagrie and showed a similar effectiveness.
Nathan Doyle
Impressed all with his play, his attitude and his skills. Not impressive with his exit to be a Hull City bench sitter.
Kelly Youga
A late signing from Charlton who started shakily but soon improved into a versatile full back with pace and presence. Injury before his exit was upsetting.
Ben Parker
Leeds left back who showed some untapped potential. Could be a future Mark Bower for someone and – if rumours are right – that someone could be us.
Billy Paynter
Line leader who scored a vital goal or two and looked very capable. Would be welcome back with open arms.

Until we have someone else’s cold hard cash in hand the only person in Bradford who can put money where mouth is and back City is Julian Rhodes. The likes of Peter Etherington remain wind and ghosts in comparison.
Sacking the manager is a failure, ot a route to success.
Marc Bridge-Wilkinson and Steven Schumacher really, really cannot play together and holding midfielders are important – in fact we should get one to be the next manager.
Loan players make you team up to eleven from nine but they do not make a team when half the starting XI belong to someone else.
We need to change the atmosphere at Valley Parade or this club will be gone.

Julian Rhodes’s plan for £138 season tickets raising attendances and hopefully mood.
Luke Sharry – Remember the name.
The new manager bringing new ideas to a club that has played the same style of football for years.
More homegrown talent in the team. Time for Tom Penford, for Simon Ainge, for Joe Colbeck, for John Swift and eventually for Sharry and Leon Osbourne over the host of loanees.
No more relegation! Hopefully.

Better atmosphere times weaker opposition equals more home wins than in the past few season combined.
Stuart McCall comes in as manager and goes to Southend for Simon Francis to play holding midfield.
Promotion, please. This season the bottom four from League One were the top four in League Two.
Leeds United in the first round of the FA Cup…
…and in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy. Away. At Rochdale. Or Halifax.

BfB