List of Bradford City A.F.C. seasons

For information on Bradford City's current season, see 2023–24 Bradford City A.F.C. season.

The Bradford City side that won the 1911 FA Cup—the only major honour to be won by the club

Bradford City Association Football Club were formed in 1903 and were elected into the Second Division before they had even played a game. Bradford City and Chelsea, in 1905, remain the only teams to be elected into the league before playing a competitive fixture.[1] The club were promoted to the First Division when they won the Second Division title in 1907–08. In 1910–11 the club recorded their highest league position of fifth and also won their only major honour when captain Jimmy Speirs lifted the FA Cup after he scored the only goal to defeat Newcastle United 1–0 in the final replay.[2] Bradford City's honours also include the Third Division North title in 1928–29 and the Third Division crown in 1984–85, as well as the Third Division North Challenge Cup in 1938–39.

Bradford City have spent two seasons in the Premier League. In 1999–2000, they avoided relegation with just 36 points, then a record low to stay up, after defeating Liverpool 1–0 in the final game with a headed goal from David Wetherall.[3] The club have won promotion in a total of eight seasons and been relegated on ten occasions; three relegations in the previous seven seasons meant the 2007–08 season was their first in the fourth tier in 26 years. Bradford City have also played in European competition when they took one of England's two places in the Intertoto Cup in 2000. They defeated FK Atlantas and RKC Waalwijk before being knocked out by FC Zenit Saint Petersburg in the semi-finals.[4]

Seasons

Season League FA Cup EFL Cup[A] Europe / Other Top scorer[B]
Division P W D L F A Pts Pos
1903–04 Div 2[C] 34 12 7 15 45 59 31 10th 4Q Johnny McMillan† 16
1904–05 Div 2 34 12 8 14 45 49 32 8th IR Jack Forrest† 17
1905–06 Div 2 38 13 8 17 46 60 34 11th R3 Wallace Smith† 24
1906–07 Div 2 38 21 5 12 70 53 47 5th R3 Wallace Smith 14
1907–08 Div 2 38 24 6 8 90 42 54 1st R1 Frank O'Rourke 21
1908–09 Div 1 38 12 10 16 47 47 34 18th R3 Frank O'Rourke 19
1909–10 Div 1 38 17 8 13 64 47 42 7th R2 Frank O'Rourke 23
1910–11 Div 1 38 20 5 13 51 42 45 5th W Frank O'Rourke 14
1911–12 Div 1 38 15 8 15 46 50 38 11th QF Harold Walden 14
1912–13 Div 1 38 12 11 15 50 60 35 13th R1 Oscar Fox 13
1913–14 Div 1 38 12 14 12 40 40 38 9th R2 Dicky Bond 10
1914–15 Div 1 38 13 14 11 55 49 40 10th QF Oscar Fox 17
1915–19 No competitive football was played between 1915 and 1919 because of the First World War.
1919–20 Div 1 42 14 11 17 54 63 39 15th QF Dicky Bond
Jimmy McIlvenny 		13
1920–21 Div 1 42 12 15 15 61 63 39 15th R2 Billy Hibbert 13
1921–22 Div 1 42 11 10 21 48 72 32 21st R2 Billy Hibbert 15
1922–23 Div 2 42 12 13 17 41 45 37 15th R1 Cecil Kilborn
Fred Rhodes
Arthur Rigby 		5
1923–24 Div 2 42 11 15 16 35 48 37 18th R1 Fred Rhodes 7
1924–25 Div 2 42 13 12 17 37 50 38 16th R3 Reuben Butler 15
1925–26 Div 2 42 13 10 19 47 66 36 16th R3 Norman Winn 8
1926–27 Div 2 42 7 9 26 50 88 23 22nd R3 Ralph Burkinshaw
Charlie Moore 		8
1927–28 Div 3N 42 18 12 12 85 60 48 6th R2 Charlie Moore 17
1928–29 Div 3N 42 27 9 6 128 43 63 1st R4 Albert Whitehurst† 24
1929–30 Div 2 42 12 12 18 60 77 36 18th R5 Sandy Cochrane 21
1930–31 Div 2 42 17 10 15 61 63 44 10th R4 John Hallows 19
1931–32 Div 2 42 16 13 13 80 61 45 7th R3 John Hallows 21
1932–33 Div 2 42 14 13 15 65 61 41 11th R3 Stan Alexander 16
1933–34 Div 2 42 20 6 16 73 67 46 6th R3 Joe Spence† 24
1934–35 Div 2 42 12 8 22 50 68 32 20th R4 Harry Adamson 10
1935–36 Div 2 42 15 13 14 55 65 43 12th R5 Harry Travis 18
1936–37 Div 2 42 9 12 21 54 94 30 21st R3 George Murphy 11
1937–38 Div 3N 42 14 10 18 66 69 38 14th R3 Third Division North Challenge Cup[D] RU Jack Deakin† 27
1938–39 Div 3N 42 22 8 12 89 56 52 3rd R1 Third Division North Challenge Cup W Jack Deakin† 29
1939–40[E] Div 3N 3 0 1 2 3 6 1 21st
1939–45 No competitive football was played between 1939 and 1945 because of the Second World War.
1945–46 R1[F] George Murphy 2
1946–47 Div 3N 42 20 10 12 62 47 50 5th R1 George Murphy 15
1947–48 Div 3N 42 15 10 17 65 66 40 14th R2 John Neilson 12
1948–49 Div 3N 42 10 9 23 48 77 29 22nd[G] R2 Jimmy Brown 12
1949–50 Div 3N 42 12 8 22 61 76 32 19th R2 Billy Price 16
1950–51 Div 3N 46 21 10 15 90 63 52 7th R1 Billy Price 16
1951–52 Div 3N 46 16 10 20 61 68 42 15th R2 Whelan Ward 12
1952–53 Div 3N 46 14 18 14 75 80 46 16th R2 Eddie Carr 20
1953–54 Div 3N 46 22 9 15 60 55 53 5th R1 Abe Rosenthal 15
1954–55 Div 3N 46 13 10 23 47 55 36 21st R3 Billy Tunnicliffe 7
1955–56 Div 3N 46 18 13 15 78 64 49 8th R2 Bobby Webb 19
1956–57 Div 3N 46 22 8 16 78 68 52 9th R1 Les Samuels 19
1957–58 Div 3N 46 21 15 10 73 49 57 3rd R3 David Jackson 14
1958–59 Div 3[H] 46 18 11 17 84 76 47 11th R4 John McCole† 34
1959–60 Div 3 46 15 12 19 66 74 42 19th R5 Derek Stokes† 35
1960–61 Div 3 46 11 14 21 65 87 36 22nd R2 R3 David Layne 10
1961–62[I] Div 4 44 21 9 14 94 86 51 5th R3 R1 David Layne† 36[J]
1962–63 Div 4 46 11 10 25 64 93 32 23rd[G] R3 R1 Peter Bircumshaw
Stan Harland 		11
1963–64 Div 4 46 25 6 15 76 62 56 5th R1 R1 Rodney Green 31
1964–65 Div 4 46 12 8 26 70 88 32 19th R1 QF Tom Brownlee 14
1965–66 Div 4 46 12 13 21 63 94 37 23rd[G] R1 R1 Ken Leek 11
1966–67 Div 4 46 19 10 17 74 62 48 11th R1 R1 John Hall 18
1967–68 Div 4 46 23 11 12 72 51 57 5th R2 R1 Bruce Bannister 16
1968–69 Div 4 46 18 20 8 65 46 56 4th R1 R2 Bobby Ham 20
1969–70 Div 3 46 17 12 17 57 50 46 10th R3 R4 Bobby Ham 19
1970–71 Div 3 46 13 14 19 49 62 40 19th R2 R1 Bruce Bannister 19
1971–72 Div 3 46 11 10 25 45 77 32 24th R1 R1 Peter Middleton 11
1972–73 Div 4 46 16 11 19 61 65 43 16th R4 R1 Allan Gilliver 20
1973–74 Div 4 46 17 14 15 58 52 48 8th R4 R1 Gerry Ingram 18
1974–75 Div 4 46 17 13 16 56 51 47 10th R1 R2 Bobby Ham 14
1975–76 Div 4 46 12 17 17 63 65 41 17th QF R1 Joe Cooke 24
1976–77 Div 4 46 23 13 10 78 51 59 4th R1 R2 Joe Cooke 18
1977–78 Div 3 46 12 10 24 56 86 34 22nd R1 R1 Don Hutchins
Bernie Wright 		10
1978–79 Div 4 46 17 9 20 62 68 43 15th R2 R2 David McNiven 15
1979–80 Div 4 46 24 12 10 77 50 60 5th R3 R2 David McNiven 18
1980–81 Div 4 46 14 16 16 53 60 44 14th R1 R2 Bobby Campbell 22
1981–82 Div 4 46 26 13 7 88 45 91[K] 2nd R1 R3 Football League Group Cup[L] QF Bobby Campbell 29
1982–83 Div 3 46 16 13 17 68 69 61 12th R3 R3 Football League Group Cup QF Bobby Campbell 33
1983–84 Div 3 46 20 11 15 73 65 71 7th R1 R1 Football League Trophy[M] R2 John Hawley 23
1984–85 Div 3[N] 46 28 10 8 77 45 94 1st R3 R2 Football League Trophy R2 Bobby Campbell 26
1985–86 Div 2 46 16 6 20 51 63 54 13th R3 R2 Full Members Cup[O] R1 Greg Abbott
John Hendrie 		13
1986–87 Div 2 46 15 10 17 62 62 55 10th R4 R4 Full Members Cup QF John Hendrie 17
1987–88 Div 2 46 22 11 11 74 54 77 4th[P] R5 QF Full Members Cup SF Ron Futcher 19
1988–89 Div 2 46 13 17 16 52 59 56 14th R4 QF Full Members Cup R2 Mark Leonard 12
1989–90 Div 2 46 9 14 23 44 68 41 23rd R3 R2 Full Members Cup R1 Mark Leonard
Jimmy Quinn 		7
1990–91 Div 3 46 20 10 16 62 54 70 8th R1 R3 Football League Trophy QF Sean McCarthy 16
1991–92 Div 3 46 13 19 14 62 61 58 16th R2 R2 Football League Trophy PR Sean McCarthy 17
1992–93 Div 2[Q] 46 18 14 14 69 67 68 10th R2 R1 Football League Trophy QF/N Sean McCarthy 25
1993–94 Div 2 46 19 13 14 61 53 70 7th R1 R2 Football League Trophy R2 Sean McCarthy 21
1994–95 Div 2 46 16 12 18 57 64 60 14th R1 R2 Football League Trophy R2 Paul Jewell 14
1995–96 Div 2 46 22 7 17 71 69 73 6th[R] R3 R3 Football League Trophy R1 Paul Showler 14
1996–97 Div 1 46 12 12 22 47 72 48 21st R5 R1 Ole Bjørn Sundgot
Chris Waddle 		6
1997–98 Div 1 46 14 15 17 46 59 57 13th R3 R1 Edinho
Robert Steiner 		11
1998–99 Div 1 46 26 9 11 82 47 87 2nd R4 R3 Lee Mills 24
1999–2000 Prem 38 9 9 20 38 68 36 17th R4 R3 Dean Windass 10
2000–01 Prem 38 5 11 22 30 70 26 20th R3 R3 UEFA Intertoto Cup SF Dean Windass 8
2001–02 Div 1 46 15 10 21 69 76 55 15th R3 R3 Eoin Jess 14
2002–03 Div 1 46 14 10 22 51 73 52 19th R3 R1 Andy Gray 15
2003–04 Div 1 46 10 6 30 38 69 36 23rd R3 R1 Michael Branch
Andy Gray
Dean Windass 		6
2004–05 Lge 1[S] 46 17 14 15 64 62 65 11th R1 R1 Football League Trophy R1 Dean Windass 28
2005–06 Lge 1 46 14 19 13 51 49 61 11th R2 R2 Football League Trophy R3 Dean Windass 20
2006–07 Lge 1 46 11 14 21 47 65 47 22nd R2 R1 Football League Trophy R1 Dean Windass 12
2007–08 Lge 2 46 17 11 18 63 61 62 10th R2 R1 Football League Trophy R1 Peter Thorne 15
2008–09 Lge 2 46 18 13 15 66 55 67 9th R2 R1 Football League Trophy R1 Peter Thorne 17
2009–10 Lge 2 46 16 14 16 59 62 62 14th R1 R1 Football League Trophy SF/N James Hanson 13
2010–11 Lge 2 46 15 7 24 43 68 52 18th R1 R2 Football League Trophy R2 Dave Syers 10
2011–12 Lge 2 46 12 14 20 54 59 50 18th R3 R1 Football League Trophy SF/N James Hanson 14
2012–13 Lge 2 46 18 15 13 63 52 69 7th[T] R2 RU[U] Football League Trophy SF/N Nahki Wells 18
2013–14 Lge 1 46 14 17 15 57 54 59 11th R1 R1 Football League Trophy R1 Nahki Wells 15
2014–15 Lge 1 46 17 14 15 55 55 65 7th QF R3 Football League Trophy R1 Billy Clarke 14
2015–16 Lge 1 46 23 11 12 55 40 80 5th[V] R3 R1 Football League Trophy R2 James Hanson 13
2016–17 Lge 1 46 20 19 7 62 43 79 5th[W] R1 R1 EFL Trophy QF Jordy Hiwula 12
2017–18 Lge 1 46 18 9 19 57 67 63 11th R3 R1 EFL Trophy R2 Charlie Wyke 15
2018–19 Lge 1 46 11 8 27 49 77 41 24th R2 R1 EFL Trophy GS Eoin Doyle 11
2019–20 Lge 2 37 14 12 11 44 40 54 9th R1 R1 EFL Trophy GS James Vaughan 11
2020–21 Lge 2 46 16 11 19 48 53 59 15th R2 R2 EFL Trophy GS Andy Cook 8
2021–22 Lge 2 46 14 16 16 53 55 58 14th R1 R1 EFL Trophy GS Andy Cook 12
2022–23 Lge 2 46 20 16 10 61 43 76 6th [X] R1 R2 EFL Trophy R32 Andy Cook 30
2023–24 Lge 2 46 19 12 15 61 59 69 9th R1 R3 EFL Trophy SF

Key

Champions Runners-up Promoted Relegated

Division shown in bold when it changes due to promotion or relegation. Top scorer shown in bold with † when he set or equalled a club record.

Footnotes

A. ^ : The League Cup was founded in the 1960–61 season.
B. ^ : Figures include goals in the Football and Premier Leagues, FA Cup, League Cup, European competitions, playoffs, Full Members Cup, Football League Trophy, Football League Group Cup and the Football League Third Division North Challenge Cup.
C. ^ : Bradford City were elected to the Second Division for the 1903–04 season.
D. ^ : The Football League Third Division North Cup ran from the 1933–34 season until 1945–46 season.
E. ^ : The 1939–40 season was abandoned in early September and all results annulled, after only three matches had been played.
F. ^ : All FA Cup ties in 1945–46 were played on a two legged basis.
G. a b c : The club successfully applied for re-election to the Football League.
H. ^ : Bradford City were placed in the Third Division on league reorganization.
I. ^ : Accrington Stanley resigned from the league after playing 33 matches. Their results were declared void, omitted from the calculation of the final league table and their league record expunged.
J. ^ : David Layne's 36 goals, 34 in the league and two in the FA Cup, remain a club record.
K. ^ : The 1981–82 season saw the introduction of three points for a win.
L. ^ : The Football League Group Cup was founded in the 1981–82 season and lasted just two seasons.
M. ^ : The Football League Trophy was founded in the 1983–84 season.
N. ^ : Record includes a 0–0 draw against Lincoln City which was abandoned after 40 minutes due to a fire in the main stand. The result at the time was ordered to stand by the Football League.
O. ^ : The Full Members Cup was founded in the 1985–86 season and lasted until the 1991–92 season.
P. ^ : Lost in play-off semi-finals to Middlesbrough.
Q. ^ : The Third Division was renamed the Second Division following the advent of the Premier League.
R. ^ : Promoted via play-offs after defeating Notts County 2–0 in the final.
S. ^ : The Second Division was renamed League One following the advent of the Championship.
T. ^ : Promoted via play-offs after defeating Northampton 3–0 in the final.
U. ^ : Lost to Swansea City in the Final.
W. ^ : Lost in play-off final to Millwall.
X. ^ : Lost in play-off semi-finals to Carlisle United.

References

  1. ^ Frost, Terry (1988). Bradford City A Complete Record 1903–1988. Breedon Books Sport. p. 13. ISBN 0-907969-38-0.
  2. ^ "Leader on the pitch and the battlefield". Telegraph & Argus. 13 August 2007. Archived from the original on 17 December 2019. Retrieved 4 December 2007.
  3. ^ "Bradford pull off great escape". BBC Sport. 29 June 2000. Archived from the original on 13 January 2016. Retrieved 4 December 2007.
  4. ^ "Bantams Euro dream over". BBC Sport. 2 August 2000. Retrieved 4 December 2007.

Sources