The 2020–21 Bradford City A.F.C. season was the 118th edition of Bradford City A.F.C. and the second consecutive season in EFL League Two, Along with League Two, the club contested in the FA Cup, EFL Cup and EFL Trophy.
The season covers the period from 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021.
Pre-season
On 18 August 2020, Bradford faced Doncaster Rovers in a behind closed doors friendly, the Bantams lost the match 4–3 with Kurtis Guthrie scoring a brace of goals with another one added by Billy Clarke. Two days later it was announced that Bradford would face local rivals Huddersfield Town in a behind closed doors friendly at the Terriers training ground. Later on that week the match against Huddersfield was given the green light to play at Kirklees Stadium. Bradford's final pre-season match ended in a 3–2 defeat at the hands of Wigan Athletic.
DateOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance18 August 2020Doncaster RoversH 3–4 Clarke 49', Guthrie (2) 59', 70' 026 August 2020Huddersfield TownA 1–2 Mottley-Henry 2' 029 August 2020Wigan AthleticH 2–3 Scales 19', Pritchard 81' 0
Competitions EFL League Two
League table
Results summary
Results by matchday
Matches
The 2020–21 season fixtures were released on 21 August.
DateOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance12 September 2020 Colchester UnitedH 0–0 019 September 2020 Forest Green RoversA 2–2 Novak 49', Watt 66' 1,00026 September 2020 StevenageH 2–1 Novak (2) 61', 81' 03 October 2020 Grimsby TownA P–P 12 October 2020 Harrogate TownH 0–1 017 October 2020 Mansfield TownA 3–1 Štěch 8' (o.g.), Wood 14', Donaldson 69' 020 October 2020 WalsallH 1–1 Clarke 76' (pen.) 024 October 2020 Newport CountyH 0–3 027 October 2020 Bolton WanderersA 0–1 031 October 2020 BarrowA 0–1 03 November 2020 Southend UnitedH 3–0 Cooke 5', Watt 33', Pritchard 43' 014 November 2020 Exeter CityH 2–2 Clarke 10', Staunton 45+1' 021 November 2020 Salford CityA 0–3 024 November 2020 Leyton OrientA 0–1 01 December 2020 Cheltenham TownH 1–2 Donaldson 23’ 05 December 2020 Carlisle UnitedH 0–1 012 December 2020 Oldham AthleticA 1–3 P.O'Connor 85' 015 December 2020 Crawley TownA 1–1 Novak 11' 019 December 2020 Cambridge UnitedH 1–0 Pritchard 42' 022 December 2020 Grimsby TownA 2–1 Novak 21', Sutton 45' 026 December 2020 Tranmere RoversA 1–0 Novak 62' 2,00029 December 2020 Port ValeH 0–0 02 January 2021 MorecambeH P–P 9 January 2021 Scunthorpe UnitedA P–P 16 January 2021 Crawley TownH P–P 23 January 2021 Cambridge UnitedA 0–0 026 January 2021 Southend UnitedA 3–1 Evans (2) 23', 74', Rowe 57' 030 January 2021 BarrowH 2–1 Rowe 5', Cooke 49' 06 February 2021 Exeter CityA 2–3 Vernam 17', Crankshaw 45' 09 February 2021 Scunthorpe United A P–P 13 February 2021 Salford CityH P–P 16 February 2021 MorecambeH 2–1 A.O'Connor 28', Vernam 63' 020 February 2021 Cheltenham TownA 2–0 Cook (2) 12', 51' 023 February 2021 Leyton OrientH 1–0 Cooke 81' (pen.) 027 February 2021 WalsallA 2–1 Sutton 43', Cook 66' 02 March 2021 Mansfield TownH 1–0 Rowe 32' 06 March 2021 Bolton WanderersH 1−1 Rowe 90+3' 09 March 2021 Newport CountyA 1−2 Cook 46’ 013 March 2021 Carlisle UnitedA 1–3 Evans 64' 020 March 2021 Oldham AthleticH 0–0 023 March 2021 Scunthorpe UnitedA 0–2 027 March 2021 Colchester UnitedA 2–1 Scales 10', Cook 58' 02 April 2021 Forest Green RoversH 4–1 Watt 11', Cook (2) 47', 76', Rowe 90+4' 05 April 2021 StevenageA 1–1 Donaldson 27' 010 April 2021 Grimsby TownH 1–0 A.O'Connor 42' 013 April 2021 Crawley TownH 0–2 017 April 2021 Harrogate TownA 1–2 Cook 72' 020 April 2021 Tranmere RoversH 0–1 024 April 2021 Port ValeA 1–2 Donaldson 14' 027 April 2021 Salford CityH 0–1 01 May 2021 Scunthorpe UnitedH 0–0 08 May 2021 MorecambeA 0–2 0
FA Cup
The draw for the first round was made on Monday 26, October. The second round draw was revealed on Monday, 9 November by Danny Cowley.
DateRoundOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance7 November 2020First Round Tonbridge Angels A 7–0 A.O'Connor 6', Clarke (2) 14', 45', Donaldson 55', Samuels 69', Pritchard 83', Wood 90+1' 028 November 2020Second Round Oldham Athletic H 1–2 Donaldson 11' (pen.) 0
EFL Cup
The first round draw was made on 18 August, live on Sky Sports, by Paul Merson. The draw for both the second and third round were confirmed on September 6, live on Sky Sports by Phil Babb.
DateRoundOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance5 September 2020Round 1 Bolton Wanderers A 2–1 Novak 26', Pritchard 75' 015 September 2020Round 2 Lincoln CityH 0–5 0
EFL Trophy
The regional group stage draw was confirmed on 18 August.
DateRoundOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance8 September 2020Group Stage Doncaster Rovers A 0–0 06 October 2020Group Stage Wolverhampton Wanderers U21'sH 1–1 Donaldson 83' 010 November 2020Group Stage Oldham AthleticH 1–3 Sutton 60' (o.g.) 0
Squad statistics
No.Pos.NameLeagueFA CupEFL CupEFL TrophyTotal Discipline AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals1GK Richard O'Donnell280202000320002DF Bryce Hosannah80200010110104DF Paudie O'Connor41(1)120202047(1)11115DF Niall Canavan15(1)000000015(1)0106DF Anthony O'Connor452212000493617MF Harry Pritchard11(5)2111(1)12015(6)4208MF Callum Cooke30(4)31(1)0200033(5)3309FW Lee Novak15(2)600110016(2)72010FW Clayton Donaldson19(16)4221(1)02124(17)73011MF Zeli Ismail1(2)01000103(2)00012MF Jordan Stevens1(15)00000001(15)00013GK Sam Hornby1800000302101014DF Matty Foulds0(3)00000000(3)00015MF Charles Vernam15(6)200000015(6)20016FW Billy Clarke20(9)222200024(9)42017MF Gareth Evans19(8)30(1)0000019(9)31018MF Elliot Watt44(2)320100047(2)38019FW Rumarn Burrell0(2)00000000(2)00020GK Will Huffer00000000000021DF Reece Staunton81101(1)00(2)010(3)13022DF Levi Sutton30(4)200002034(4)27123DF Connor Wood4612120005024024DF Finn Cousin-Dawson20(3)000003023(3)05025DF Jorge Sikora10000030400026MF Kian Scales6(14)10000309(14)11027MF Connor Shanks0000002(1)02(1)01029FW Andy Cook16(5)800000016(5)81031MF Ollie Crankshaw11(8)100000011(8)12033FW Charlie Wood0000000(1)00(1)00034MF Olivier Sukiennicki0000000(1)00(1)000Players out on loan for rest of the seasonPlayers left during the season-DF Tyler French7(7)00(1)0201(1)010(9)020-FW Kurtis Guthrie4(4)000200(1)06(5)000-DF Jackson Longridge0(2)00000303(2)000-MF Dylan Mottley-Henry4(7)00(2)00(1)0307(10)000-DF Ben Richards-Everton9(1)010102013(1)010-FW Danny Rowe8(10)50000008(10)540-FW Austin Samuels6(6)01(1)100007(7)100-–Own goals–1–0–0–1–2––
As of 11 May 2021.
Transfers Transfers in Date Position Nationality Name From Fee 11 July 2020 RB Levi Sutton Scunthorpe United Free transfer 17 July 2020 AM Billy Clarke Grimsby Town Free transfer 25 July 2020 AM Callum Cooke Peterborough United Free transfer 27 July 2020 CM Elliot Watt Wolverhampton Wanderers Undisclosed 25 September 2020 AM Gareth Evans Portsmouth Free transfer 7 January 2021 GK Will Huffer Bradford (Park Avenue) Free transfer 12 January 2021 CB Niall Canavan Plymouth Argyle Undisclosed 16 January 2021 LB Matty Foulds Como 1907 Free transfer 20 January 2021 CF Danny Rowe Oldham Athletic Undisclosed 1 February 2021 AM Charles Vernam Burton Albion Undisclosed 1 February 2021 AM Ollie Crankshaw Wigan Athletic Undisclosed
Loans in Date from Position Nationality Name From Date until 29 September 2020 RB Bryce Hosannah Leeds United End of season 10 October 2020 CF Austin Samuels Wolverhampton Wanderers January 2021 8 January 2021 RW Jordan Stevens Leeds United End of season 14 January 2021 CF Rumarn Burrell Middlesbrough End of season 27 January 2021 CF Andy Cook Mansfield Town End of season
Transfers out Date Position Nationality Name To Fee 1 July 2020 CM Hope Akpan SJK Seinäjoki Released 1 July 2020 CM Jermaine Anderson Aldershot Town Released 1 July 2020 CM Danny Devine Carlisle United Released 1 July 2020 LW Jordan Gibson St Patrick's Athletic Released 1 July 2020 RB Adam Henley Chorley Released 1 July 2020 SS Shay McCartan Ballymena United Released 1 July 2020 RB Kelvin Mellor Morecambe Released 1 July 2020 CM Jake Reeves Notts County Released 1 July 2020 RB Joe Riley Carlisle United Released 1 July 2020 GK George Sykes-Kenworthy Derby County Released 1 July 2020 LM Chris Taylor Barrow FC Released 11 August 2020 CF James Vaughan Tranmere Rovers Mutual consent 17 October 2020 CM Eliot Goldthorp Frickley Athletic Free transfer 11 January 2021 CB Ben Richards-Everton Barnet FC Mutual consent 15 January 2021 CF Kurtis Guthrie Port Vale Free transfer 19 January 2021 LB Jackson Longridge Livingston FC Mutual consent 31 January 2021 CB Tyler French Wrexham A.F.C. Mutual consent 31 January 2021 MF Dylan Mottley-Henry Larne FC Mutual consent 22 April 2021 CF Danny Rowe Chesterfield F.C. Undisclosed
References