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. 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. 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. 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.

Seasons SeasonLeagueFA CupEFL CupEurope / OtherTop scorer Division P W D L F A Pts Pos 1903–04Div 2341271545593110th4Q Johnny McMillan16 1904–05Div 234128144549328thIR Jack Forrest17 1905–06Div 2381381746603411thR3 Wallace Smith24 1906–07Div 238215127053475thR3 Wallace Smith14 1907–08Div 23824689042541stR1 Frank O'Rourke21 1908–09Div 13812101647473418thR3 Frank O'Rourke19 1909–10Div 138178136447427thR2 Frank O'Rourke23 1910–11Div 138205135142455thW Frank O'Rourke14 1911–12Div 1381581546503811thQF Harold Walden14 1912–13Div 13812111550603513thR1 Oscar Fox13 1913–14Div 1381214124040389thR2 Dicky Bond10 1914–15Div 13813141155494010thQF Oscar Fox17 1915–19 No competitive football was played between 1915 and 1919 because of the First World War. 1919–20Div 14214111754633915thQF Dicky BondJimmy McIlvenny13 1920–21Div 14212151561633915thR2 Billy Hibbert13 1921–22Div 14211102148723221stR2 Billy Hibbert15 1922–23Div 24212131741453715thR1 Cecil KilbornFred RhodesArthur Rigby5 1923–24Div 24211151635483718thR1 Fred Rhodes7 1924–25Div 24213121737503816thR3 Reuben Butler15 1925–26Div 24213101947663616thR3 Norman Winn8 1926–27Div 242792650882322ndR3 Ralph BurkinshawCharlie Moore8 1927–28Div 3N421812128560486thR2 Charlie Moore17 1928–29Div 3N42279612843631stR4 Albert Whitehurst24 1929–30Div 24212121860773618thR5 Sandy Cochrane21 1930–31Div 24217101561634410thR4 John Hallows19 1931–32Div 2421613138061457thR3 John Hallows21 1932–33Div 24214131565614111thR3 Stan Alexander16 1933–34Div 242206167367466thR3 Joe Spence24 1934–35Div 2421282250683220thR4 Harry Adamson10 1935–36Div 24215131455654312thR5 Harry Travis18 1936–37Div 2429122154943021stR3 George Murphy11 1937–38Div 3N4214101866693814thR3Third Division North Challenge CupRU Jack Deakin27 1938–39Div 3N42228128956523rdR1Third Division North Challenge CupW Jack Deakin29 1939–40Div 3N301236121st 1939–45 No competitive football was played between 1939 and 1945 because of the Second World War. 1945–46R1 George Murphy2 1946–47Div 3N422010126247505thR1 George Murphy15 1947–48Div 3N4215101765664014thR2 John Neilson12 1948–49Div 3N421092348772922ndR2 Jimmy Brown12 1949–50Div 3N421282261763219thR2 Billy Price16 1950–51Div 3N462110159063527thR1 Billy Price16 1951–52Div 3N4616102061684215thR2 Whelan Ward12 1952–53Div 3N4614181475804616thR2 Eddie Carr20 1953–54Div 3N46229156055535thR1 Abe Rosenthal15 1954–55Div 3N4613102347553621stR3 Billy Tunnicliffe7 1955–56Div 3N461813157864498thR2 Bobby Webb19 1956–57Div 3N46228167868529thR1 Les Samuels19 1957–58Div 3N462115107349573rdR3 David Jackson14 1958–59Div 34618111784764711thR4 John McCole34 1959–60Div 34615121966744219thR5 Derek Stokes35 1960–61Div 34611142165873622ndR2R3 David Layne10 1961–62Div 444219149486515thR3R1 David Layne36 1962–63Div 44611102564933223rdR3R1 Peter BircumshawStan Harland11 1963–64Div 446256157662565thR1R1 Rodney Green31 1964–65Div 4461282670883219thR1QF Tom Brownlee14 1965–66Div 44612132163943723rdR1R1 Ken Leek11 1966–67Div 44619101774624811thR1R1 John Hall18 1967–68Div 4462311127251575thR2R1 Bruce Bannister16 1968–69Div 446182086546564thR1R2 Bobby Ham20 1969–70Div 34617121757504610thR3R4 Bobby Ham19 1970–71Div 34613141949624019thR2R1 Bruce Bannister19 1971–72Div 34611102545773224thR1R1 Peter Middleton11 1972–73Div 44616111961654316thR4R1 Allan Gilliver20 1973–74Div 4461714155852488thR4R1 Gerry Ingram18 1974–75Div 44617131656514710thR1R2 Bobby Ham14 1975–76Div 44612171763654117thQFR1 Joe Cooke24 1976–77Div 4462313107851594thR1R2 Joe Cooke18 1977–78Div 34612102456863422ndR1R1 Don HutchinsBernie Wright10 1978–79Div 4461792062684315thR2R2 David McNiven15 1979–80Div 4462412107750605thR3R2 David McNiven18 1980–81Div 44614161653604414thR1R2 Bobby Campbell22 1981–82Div 446261378845912ndR1R3Football League Group CupQF Bobby Campbell29 1982–83Div 34616131768696112thR3R3Football League Group CupQF Bobby Campbell33 1983–84Div 3462011157365717thR1R1Football League TrophyR2 John Hawley23 1984–85Div 346281087745941stR3R2Football League TrophyR2 Bobby Campbell26 1985–86Div 2461662051635413thR3R2Full Members CupR1 Greg AbbottJohn Hendrie13 1986–87Div 24615101762625510thR4R4Full Members CupQF John Hendrie17 1987–88Div 2462211117454774thR5QFFull Members CupSF Ron Futcher19 1988–89Div 24613171652595614thR4QFFull Members CupR2 Mark Leonard12 1989–90Div 2469142344684123rdR3R2Full Members CupR1 Mark LeonardJimmy Quinn7 1990–91Div 3462010166254708thR1R3Football League TrophyQF Sean McCarthy16 1991–92Div 34613191462615816thR2R2Football League TrophyPR Sean McCarthy17 1992–93Div 24618141469676810thR2R1Football League TrophyQF/N Sean McCarthy25 1993–94Div 2461913146153707thR1R2Football League TrophyR2 Sean McCarthy21 1994–95Div 24616121857646014thR1R2Football League TrophyR2 Paul Jewell14 1995–96Div 246227177169736thR3R3Football League TrophyR1 Paul Showler14 1996–97Div 14612122247724821stR5R1 Ole Bjørn SundgotChris Waddle6 1997–98Div 14614151746595713thR3R1 EdinhoRobert Steiner11 1998–99Div 146269118247872ndR4R3 Lee Mills24 1999–2000Prem38992038683617thR4R3 Dean Windass10 2000–01Prem385112230702620thR3R3UEFA Intertoto CupSF Dean Windass8 2001–02Div 14615102169765515thR3R3 Eoin Jess14 2002–03Div 14614102251735219thR3R1 Andy Gray15 2003–04Div 1461063038693623rdR3R1 Michael BranchAndy GrayDean Windass6 2004–05Lge 14617141564626511thR1R1Football League TrophyR1 Dean Windass28 2005–06Lge 14614191351496111thR2R2Football League TrophyR3 Dean Windass20 2006–07Lge 14611142147654722ndR2R1Football League TrophyR1 Dean Windass12 2007–08Lge 24617111863616210thR2R1Football League TrophyR1 Peter Thorne15 2008–09Lge 2461813156655679thR2R1Football League TrophyR1 Peter Thorne17 2009–10Lge 24616141659626214thR1R1Football League TrophySF/N James Hanson13 2010–11Lge 2461572443685218thR1R2Football League TrophyR2 Dave Syers10 2011–12Lge 24612142054595018thR3R1Football League TrophySF/N James Hanson14 2012–13Lge 2461815136352697thR2RUFootball League TrophySF/N Nahki Wells18 2013–14Lge 14614171557545911thR1R1Football League TrophyR1 Nahki Wells15 2014–15Lge 1461714155555657thQFR3Football League TrophyR1 Billy Clarke14 2015–16Lge 1 46 23 11 12 55 40 805th R3 R1Football League Trophy R2James Hanson 13 2016–17Lge 1 46 20 19 7 62 43 79 5th R1 R1EFL Trophy QFJordy Hiwula12 2017–18Lge 1 46 18 9 19 57 67 6311th R3 R1EFL Trophy R2Charlie Wyke 15 2018–19Lge 1 46 11 8 27 49 77 4124th R2 R1EFL Trophy GSEoin Doyle 112019–20Lge 2371412114440549thR1R1EFL TrophyGSJames Vaughan112020–21Lge 24616111948535915thR2R2EFL TrophyGSAndy Cook82021–22Lge 24614161653555814thR1R1EFL TrophyGSAndy Cook122022–23Lge 2462016106143766th R1R2EFL TrophyR32Andy Cook312023–24Lge 2461912156159699thR1R3EFL TrophySFAndy Cook192024–25Lge 2462212126445783rdR2R1EFL TrophySFAndy Cook15

Key

P = Played W = Games won D = Games drawn L = Games lost F = Goals for A = Goals against Pts = Points Pos = Final position

Div 1 = Football League First Division Div 2 = Football League Second Division Div 3 = Football League Third Division Div 3N = Football League Third Division North Div 4 = Football League Fourth Division Prem = Premier League Champ = Football League Championship Lge 1 = Football League One Lge 2 = Football League Two

PR = Preliminary Round 4Q = Fourth Qualifying Round IR = Intermediate Round R1 = Round 1 R2 = Round 2 R3 = Round 3 R4 = Round 4 R5 = Round 5 R32 = Round of 32 QF = Quarter-finals QF/N = Quarter-finals – Northern Section SF = Semi-finals SF/N = Semi-finals – Northern Section RU = Runners-up W = Winners

ChampionsRunners-upPromotedRelegated 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. : 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. V. : Lost in play-off semi-finals to Millwall. W. : Lost in play-off final to Millwall. X. : Lost in play-off semi-finals to Carlisle United.

References

Sources Soccerbase Football Club History Database Football Site