Stat pack: Bradford City v SAFC Published: 12 February, 2015 by Oscar Chamberlain All the stats ahead of Sunday's game. Name: Bradford City Founded: 1903 Ground: Valley Parade Capacity: 25,136 Manager: Phil Parkinson Current position: 8th (League Two) What the stats say Sunday’s game is the 41st meeting between the two sides, but only the second encounter in the FA Cup. The Black Cats hold the upper hand in previous meetings winning on 17 occasions to the Bantams’ 12, with 11 ending level. Sunderland claimed a 1-0 win in the only previous FA Cup meeting, with George Holley scoring the only goal at Valley Parade in February 1909. Sunderland have scored four times in three of their last four meetings at Valley Parade. The Black Cats’ biggest win away to Bradford came in November 1912 when the club were crowned as the champions of England for the sixth time. Goals from Charlie Buchan, Henry Low and a George Holley hat-trick sealed a 5-1 win for Robert Kyle’s men. The last meeting in North Yorkshire was in August 2003 as goals from Gary Breen, Marcus Stewart, Julio Arca and Sean Thornton sealed a 4-0 win for Mick McCarthy’s men. Later that campaign, Sunderland also recorded a 3-0 home win over the Bantams in a season when the Black Cats reached the Championship play-offs, losing to Crystal Palace in the semi-final, whilst Bradford suffered relegation to League One, finishing in 23rd place. The Black Cats will be backed by a sell-out away following for the 12th time this season. With 4,200 fans making the trip to Yorkshire. Man in the middle Kevin Friend will be the man in the middle when Sunderland travel to Valley Parade on Sunday. The 43-year-old began refereeing at the age of 14 in his home county of Leicestershire, officiating in the Leicestershire Senior League and Midland Football Alliance before being promotion to the National List of Referees. He was promoted to the Select Group of Referees ahead of the 2009-10 season, before taking charge of his first top-flight fixture in September 2009 when Wolverhampton Wanderers beat Fulham 2-1. Friend issued his first red card in the Barclays Premier League on 15th December 2009, when he dismissed Sunderland captain Lorik Cana for a second bookable defence against Aston Villa. His most notable appointments came in the 2012 FA Community Shield and the 2013 Capital One Cup final. Last meeting Sunderland 3-0 Bradford – 26th December 2003 Sunderland ended 2013 on a high with a 3-0 win over Bradford City at the Stadium of Light. Jason McAteer opened the scoring before the break with goals from Tommy Smith and Kevin Kyle rounding off a fine victory. Form guide: Sunderland 3-0 Bradford - 26/12/2003 Bradford 0-4 Sunderland - 30/08/2003 Sunderland 0-0 Bradford - 21/01/2001 Bradford 1-4 Sunderland - 26/12/2000 Sunderland 0-1 Bradford - 24/04/2000 Bradford 0-4 Sunderland - 02/10/1999 Overall record: W 17 D 11 L 12 #daretodream x2
Despite the pitch condition, and without being cocky, I expect a win on Sunday to gather pace for WBA next week.
The last meeting in "North Yorkshire" must have been on a neutral ground, as neither city is in North Yorkshire!
Funnily enough, the FA Cup is the only honour Bradford have won. They beat Newcastle in a replay at Old Trafford in 1911, only months after the new cup had been made by jewellers Fanntonni of ... Bradford!
