We never cease to be amazed by the support given by City fans to all things Bradford City. Phil Parkinson and Mark Lawn both said as much at the Player of the Year Awards event on Tuesday evening. This support, of course, includes the annual bucket collection for the Plastic Surgery and Burns Research Unit at the last home game each season against Barnsley last Saturday.
We know how incredibly generous our fans are in supporting this collection which is part of the DNA of being a Bradford City fan. We hardly need to publicise the collection; fans turn up expecting it to happen and are well prepared for it.
It helps no end to have such fantastic assistance with the collection from an army of willing volunteers who are happy to stand outside the ground when, on any other occasion, they would be making their way to their seats.
Our collectors this year included people from Friends of Bradford City, Bantams DO (the newly formed organisation for fans with disabilities), Bradford Disability Football Club, The Supporters Board and the Trust. Two fans made their way from Scotland to give their help before taking their place in the stadium for the one minute's silence (once again impeccably observed).And we were also supported this year by four Firemen from White Watch at the Bradford Station. Their buckets were so full, we could hardly carry them. Bradford University also helped by providing the buckets, tea-shirts and placards that were used to identify collectors at the FA Cup Semi-finals a week ago, giving our collectors a high profile in the throng outside the ground.
Together with our friends from Barnsley Football Club, whom we also thank from the bottom of our hearts, you have donated an incredible £8700.20 towards this year's appeal; more than three times the amount we normally expect to receive. Approaching £4,000 was raised in notes alone! Someone put in their personal cheque for £25. Others brought money from their own collections. What a response!
City fans, you are truly amazing. Thank you so much.