So I was four days late for the real
drama – still that was for the true Bantams fan and not the odd
92er. So a cold January in Bradford, would it play host to more
drama? Well, yes just not of sort the locals were after.
For me this was also a family visit
day. We started at the National Media Museum with some elevenses
(actually lunch for the others) in their café having parked in
a public car park behind it. They went off to see 'The Hobbit in IMAX
3D loveliness while I went around the photography galleries. I've
been before but nevertheless it was an entertaining couple of hours.
I walked up to the ground in twenty
minutes. Nestled on the valley side the ground looks an impressive
stadium. Ticket bought from the office for the main stand I entered
down into a cavernous hall of food stands, TVs and fans standing
around talking in the warmth. Tea and giant sausage roll later I took
my seat,again going down the hillside to row 'O'.
Inside the ground you see how
unbalanced it really is. Two sides have stands worthy of any Premier
League club. A third side boasts a stand typical of league one while
the fourth has a two tiered stand maybe of a modest championship
club. Between the three structures are gaps. Opposite me I could see
out to the other side of the valley and over into the city centre.
While around to my right I saw the nearby streets and into what
looked the media centre with many lit up TV screens.
The football was pretty good though the
Bradford goal was born of comical error by their defence. The United
equaliser was a pearler of a shot and from on they looked the more
likely to win. The Bradford keeper made several excellent saves. He
was however unable to stop the penalty that ultimately won the match
for the visitors.
The fans around me were disgruntled
with their team's display and keen on the club getting a few more
points on the board. The crowd itself was very large for this league
and I imagine may surprise if not intimidate some visiting teams.
But equally if may motivate others. It certainly did nothing to
dampen Oxford's endeavours and they were worthy winners.
Bradford and its football club are both
worth a visit.
