Bradford City Association Football Club is a professional football club in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. The team compete in League Two, the fourth tier of the English football league system. They are the only professional football club in England to wear claret and amber, and have worn these colours throughout their history. They have though been known by various nicknames, with the "Bantams" being the most commonly used nickname as it appears on the current club crest. Supporters hold West Yorkshire derby rivalries with Huddersfield Town and Leeds United, as well as an historic Bradford derby rivalry with the now non-league side Bradford. The club's home ground is the 25,136-capacity Valley Parade, which was the site of the Bradford City stadium fire on 11 May 1985, which took the lives of 56 supporters.
Hartlepool United Football Club is a professional association football club based in Hartlepool, County Durham, England. The club currently competes in the National League, the fifth tier of English football,. They were founded in 1908 as Hartlepools United Football Athletic Company. One of English football's most famous managers Brian Clough began his managerial career at the club in 1965. Hartlepool play their home games at Victoria Park.
Leonard Francis Shackleton was an English footballer. Known as the "Clown Prince of Soccer", he is generally regarded as one of English football's finest ever entertainers. He also played cricket in the Minor Counties for Northumberland.
George Hedley Swindin was an English football player and manager.
David James Webb is an English former professional footballer who made 555 appearances in the Football League playing for Leyton Orient, Southampton, Chelsea, Queens Park Rangers, Leicester City, Derby County, A.F.C. Bournemouth and Torquay United. He became a manager, taking charge of A.F.C. Bournemouth, Torquay United, Southend United, Chelsea, Brentford and Yeovil Town.
Norman Bullock was an English professional footballer, who played as both a forward and a defender, and manager.
Albert Henry Gibbons was an English professional footballer and manager who played in the Football League for Tottenham Hotspur, Brentford and Bradford Park Avenue. After his retirement as a player, he managed in England, Israel, South Africa and at international level.
Gregory Stephen Abbott is an English football coach and former player.
Richard Ray was a professional footballer and manager.
Southampton Football Club is a professional football club that was formed in 1885.
David Morton Steele was a Scottish professional footballer and manager.
Bob Brocklebank was an English footballer and manager.
John "Jack" Milburn was an English footballer who played 408 games for Leeds United. He was also a football manager.
William Charles Harris was a Welsh footballer, who played for his national side and Middlesbrough and later became a manager.
James Wheeler was an English footballer. He played as striker for Reading where he played 406 league games, scoring 147 goals. He later became a coach at Reading and then manager of Bradford City.
Bradford City Association Football Club—also known informally as Bradford City—are an English football club founded in Bradford in 1903 to introduce the sport to the West Riding of Yorkshire, which until then had been almost entirely inclined towards rugby league. Before they had even played their first game, City were elected to the Football League to replace Doncaster Rovers in Division Two, and took over the Valley Parade stadium, which has been their permanent home ground ever since. The club won the Division Two title in 1908 and the FA Cup in 1911, both under the management of Peter O'Rourke, before they were relegated from Division One in 1921–22.
The history of Port Vale Football Club, an English association football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, began with the formation of the club, which is officially dated at 1876, though later research has shown this event probably took place in 1879. In 1884, the club moved to the town of Burslem, changing their name to Burslem Port Vale in the process. The club joined the Football League Second Division upon its formation in 1892, and spent 13 non-consecutive seasons in the division, punctuated by two seasons in the Midland League. A financial crisis resulted in the club's liquidation in 1907, though the name of Port Vale F.C. survived as North Staffordshire Federation League side Cobridge Church took on the name and moved into the Old Recreation Ground in Hanley, before progressing through the divisions to win re-election to the Football League in October 1919.
The 1903–04 season was the first season in Bradford City A.F.C.'s history, having been founded on 29 May 1903 and then elected into the Football League to replace Doncaster Rovers in the Second Division. They finished in 10th position in the league and reached the fourth qualifying round of the FA Cup.
The 1967–68 season was Port Vale's 56th season of football in the English Football League, and their third successive season in the Fourth Division. A poor season saw them battle to mid-table in order to avoid the re-election zone. Yet it would be off-the-field developments that would worry Vale supporters the most. An FA/Football League Joint-Inquiry investigated the club as club officials were forced to admit several breaches of the rules in regard to payment of players. The result was expulsion from the League, however before the start of the following season a vote of 39 to 9 allowed the club to be immediately readmitted to the competition. The whole saga was rather ironic, as the club re-entered the League in 1919 after Leeds City were expelled over illegal payments to their players. On the playing front it was the final season of both Harry Poole and Terry Miles' careers.