Please excuse the plug about a planned new book telling the story of the origins of professional football in Bradford and the rivalry of Bradford FC & Manningham FC...
ROOM AT THE TOP by John Dewhirst
A planned new book, ROOM AT THE TOP examines the origins of the rivalry of the two clubs in the nineteenth century. It is a story of how each club took advantage of opportunities to undermine the other. The book will cover the origins of rugby football clubs in Bradford in the 1870s, the development of the Park Avenue arena in 1880 and how – and why – Manningham FC emerged as the challenger to Bradford FC. The circumstances that led to both clubs becoming founder members of the Northern Union in 1895 and their conversion to soccer in 1903 and 1907 are examined.
The book is due for publication in November, 2015 and promises a number of surprises for followers of both rugby and soccer. It uncovers previously forgotten detail about the history of both Park Avenue and Valley Parade as well as other early rugby grounds in Bradford. And ROOM AT THE TOP will also tell the likely origins of the colours worn by both clubs and subsequently inherited by City and Bulls.
ROOM AT THE TOP goes up to 1908 and another title, WOOL CITY RIVALS (planned for publication in 2017) will cover the period from 1908 to 1974 and the rivalry of Bradford City and Bradford (PA) in the Football League.
Further information on the progress of the project at
https://johndewhirst.wordpress.com/ or Twitter @woolcityrivals and if you would like to be put on the mailing list please contact
glorious1911@paraders.co.uk
If you can help with nineteenth century Bradford rugby artefacts to illustrate the book please contact the author at the email address above or on 07834 757 677
The book will be available to pre-order as a subscriber edition in hardback and softback and details will be circulated in the September.
