Bradford City’s Team of the Decade
As the decade is behind us (well, not really, but too many people hopped on board, so might as well join) Bradford City has finally unveiled their team of the decade. This has been as eagerly anticipated among fans as the 22Bet Bonus among punters. So, who are the players that made the team shine brightly?
The Process
It was not easy to choose among the many players and the team did not feel that they could be entirely objective on the choice themselves. So, what to do? As it turns out, Bradford City unleashed its dilemma upon the netizens. In other words, over 35,000 votes were cast in online polls on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. That means that the fans of the team got to decide who the greatest players were and cast their votes. It is because of this that we can come up with 11 players that were the best in the 10s.
Goalkeeper
For a while, it was a close call between Ben Williams, Jon McLaughlin, and Matt Duke, with the lead going to Colin Doyle. Ultimately, however, Matt Duke was chosen as the goalie of the decade with 1795 votes. For a time, it seemed McLaughlin would win the poll, as he held nearly 30% of the votes in December.
Defenders
This was hardly a surprise, but the title of the best defenders of the team went to Rory McArdle and Andrew Davies, who played for the team for 5 and 4 years, respectively. McArdle is often credited for being one of the assets of the team that led to its resurgence, as he was, overall, among the highest-ranking defenders. Davies was originally meant to be only a loan, but we can say that the team was very glad to see him join on a permanent basis.
Left Back
James Meredith was the clear winner here, with 2,603 votes. He was so good that there were no other contenders, really, when it came to playing this position. Unfortunately for the team, he moved on to other things in 2017, which wasn’t surprising, as he planned on leaving back in 2014. Still, he was a key player in a key position.
Right Back
While many people voted for Tony McMahon, it was clear that this title would go to non-other than Stephen Darby. Another star under Phil Parkinson, he pulled in 3,393 votes. We are very sad to say that Darby’s career is over, as he is currently fighting the motor neurone disease. He was diagnosed in 2018 and the prognosis is far from promising.
Midfielders
Gary Jones and Josh Cullen received most votes for this position – 2,447 and 904, respectively. Jones is, arguably, one of the best players the team has ever seen. Adored by the crowds and the team alike, the two years he spent at the club were enough for him to leave a permanent mark. Cullen was an 18-month loan, but in that time he achieved more than most players did during their entire career at the club.
Wingers
Mark Marshal pulled in 1,445 votes, while the left-winger, Kyel Reid, managed 2,169. Marshall nearly beat Garry Thompson, and, while he was truly remarkable, he did not make any historic plays. Kyel Reid, on the other hand, was beyond amazing and the fans’ favorite for the position.
Strikers
Hand down, the best striking duo in the 10s, Nahki Wells and James Hanson played an instrumental role in helping the team reach League One. There is still some resentment towards Wells for going to play for Huddersfield Town, but his achievements in the club cannot be denied.