1987–88 Bradford City A.F.C. season


The 1987–88 season was the 85th season in Bradford City A.F.C.'s history, and their 73rd in The Football League. They finished fourth in the Football League Second Division, having been six points clear at the top of the table at one point. City went into the play-offs and lost over two legs to a Middlesbrough side who City had beaten twice during the league campaign. Having won the first leg 2–1, Middlesbrough went ahead in the second game and after extra time finished 2–0 winners.
The club also reached the fifth round of the FA Cup, the quarter-finals of the League Cup, where they were defeated by eventual winners Luton Town and the semi-finals of the Simod Cup, where they were also knocked by the eventual winners, Reading.
Captain Stuart McCall and forward John Hendrie left at the end of the season. McCall went to an Everton side managed by Colin Harvey and Hendrie to Newcastle United.

Match results

Legend

Football League Division Two

GameDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersNotes
115 August 1987Swindon TownHome2–010,553Futcher, McCall
218 August 1987Oldham AthleticAway2–08,087Abbott, Hendrie
322 August 1987BournemouthAway0–27,025
429 August 1987Leeds UnitedHome0–011,428
55 September 1987MillwallHome3–18,658Futcher, Palin
612 September 1987Stoke CityAway2–19,571Ellis, Futcher
716 September 1987Plymouth ArgyleHome3–111,009Abbott
819 September 1987Blackburn RoversHome2–112,068Hendrie, Mitchell
926 September 1987Shrewsbury TownAway2–24,247Futcher, Ormondroyd
1029 September 1987Huddersfield TownAway2–111,671McCall, Mitchell
113 October 1987MiddlesbroughHome2–014,222Leonard, Palin
1210 October 1987West Bromwich AlbionAway1–012,241McCall
1317 October 1987Birmingham CityHome4–012,256Leonard, McCall, Palin
1421 October 1987Manchester CityHome2–414,819Evans, Mitchell
1524 October 1987ReadingAway1–15,920Hendrie
1631 October 1987Crystal PalaceHome2–013,021Leonard, McCall
173 November 1987Hull CityAway0–014,443
187 November 1987BarnsleyAway0–311,569
1914 November 1987Sheffield UnitedHome2–013,694Futcher, Mitchell
2021 November 1987Leicester CityAway2–011,543Futcher, Hendrie
2128 November 1987Aston VillaHome2–415,006Futcher
225 December 1987Ipswich TownAway0–413,707
2312 December 1987BournemouthHome2–010,763Leonard
2420 December 1987Plymouth ArgyleAway1–211,350McCall
2526 December 1987Shrewsbury TownHome1–112,474Ellis
2628 December 1987Blackburn RoversAway1–114,124Mitchell
271 January 1988Leeds UnitedAway0–236,004
282 January 1988Stoke CityHome1–412,223Ormondroyd
296 February 1988MillwallAway1–08,201Ormondroyd
3013 February 1988Oldham AthleticHome5–313,862Hendrie, Kennedy, McCall
3127 February 1988MiddlesbroughAway2–121,079Ormondroyd
321 March 1988Huddersfield TownHome0–112,782
335 March 1988Birmingham CityAway1–18,101Hendrie
3412 March 1988West Bromwich AlbionHome4–112,502Hendrie, Leonard, Sinnott
3519 March 1988Crystal PalaceAway1–19,801Ormondroyd
3630 March 1988Swindon TownAway2–28,203Futcher, Leonard
372 April 1988BarnsleyHome1–115,098Hendrie
384 April 1988Sheffield UnitedAway2–113,888Hendrie, Ormondroyd
399 April 1988Hull CityHome2–013,659Futcher, Ormondroyd
4020 April 1988ReadingHome3–013,608Futcher, Hendrie, McCall
4123 April 1988Manchester CityAway2–220,335Futcher, Leonard
4230 April 1988Leicester CityHome4–114,393Futcher, Hendrie, Mitchell, Ormondroyd
432 May 1988Aston VillaAway0–136,423
447 May 1988Ipswich TownHome2–316,017Abbott, McCall

Play-offs

Round DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersNotes
SF 15 May 1988MiddlesbroughHome2–116,017Goddard, McCall
SF 18 May 1988MiddlesbroughAway0–2 25,868

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersNotes
39 January 1987Wolverhampton WanderersHome2–113,334Ellis, Hendrie
430 January 1987Oxford UnitedHome4–213,653Evans, Hendrie, Kennedy, McCall
520 February 1988PortsmouthAway0–319,324

League Cup

Round DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersNotes
2 22 September 1987FulhamAway5–14,357Futcher, Mitchell, Oliver, Ormondroyd
2 7 October 1987FulhamHome2–16,408Hendrie, McCall
327 October 1987Charlton AthleticAway1–03,629Abbott
418 November 1987ReadingAway0–06,784
4R24 November 1987ReadingHome1–010,448Ormondroyd
519 January 1988Luton TownAway0–211,022

Full Members Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersNotes
111 November 1987Aston VillaAway5–04,357Futcher, Mitchell, Ormondroyd, O'Shaughnessy
22 December 1987Newcastle UnitedHome2–18,866Futcher, Abbott
325 January 1988SouthamptonHome1–07,844McCall
SF10 February 1988ReadingAway1–2 6,424Hendrie

Player details