BANTAMSPAST has sought to encourage interest in the history of Bradford City AFC and to make that history accessible to supporters. David Pendleton has been particularly involved in maintaining the memory of the Bradford Pals and the sacrifice made by the nine Bradford City players who were killed in service during World War One.
As a result of his lobbying, Bradford City will wear the Bradford Pals crest on team shirts from the 2015/16 season.
We recognise that whilst there is a close association between the Bradford Pals and Bradford City AFC, the football club does not - and should not - have the monopoly of Bradford Pals remembrance. However, the links were close and there is a strong military heritage in the history of Bradford City. Several City players served in the Bradford Pals, but it should not be forgotten that ordinary supporters served alongside and that the battalion organised recruitment campaigns on Valley Parade match days during the 1914/15 season. Not least, in
1884 Bradford City’s predecessors Manningham FC adopted the same claret and amber colours as the West Yorkshire Regiment.
To remember the links between the club and the Bradford Pals, BANTAMSPAST is organising a fund raising badge day on Saturday (21st March, 2015). We have chosen the spring of 2015 as the time of commemoration because it is the centenary of the second Bradford Pals battalion being raised, principally as a result of the recruitment campaigns that took place in the city. We have deliberately avoided linkage with the Armistice Day / Poppy commemorations because we want to draw attention to a specific event in history rather than all of the other conflicts which are remembered annually in November.
8,000 button badges are being produced, featuring the Bradford Pals / Bradford shield crest against a claret and amber background. The intention is that supporters can obtain a commemorative badge for a suggested £1.00 donation.
Volunteers will stand at key points around the ground with buckets to collect donations and distribute the badges.
Proceeds will be donated as follows:
- To erect a memorial at Valley Parade to those serving and former players of the club killed in armed conflict;
- Donate to the Telegraph & Argus’ Honour the Pals appeal which is raising money to erect a memorial to the Bradford Pals at Serre on the Somme.
BANTAMSPAST is committed to celebrating and sharing the history of BCAFC among supporters. We have assisted with the exhibitions at the Industrial Museum for the club’s centenary and then the centenary of winning the FA Cup. We also managed the museum at Valley Parade which closed in 2012 following the opening of the new school. BANTAMSPAST has also published a number of histories about the club, most recently A HISTORY OF BCAFC IN OBJECTS by John Dewhirst and in 2010 GLORIOUS 1911 by David Pendleton.