Bradford City v Bury: Cup history can spur City towards home tie with the Hull City
Millwall were the visitors to Valley Parade on a cold January night, but all the talk among the 11,859 crowd was of Chelsea and the prize of a trip to Stamford Bridge.
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Hide AdNo one knew, of course, just what glory lay ahead for the Bantams as the Lions were tamed 4-0. Just booking that trip to West London was sufficient reward in itself.
Twelve months on and Bradford are again on home turf and looking to book a place in the fourth round, something that has not happened in back-to-back seasons for the West Yorkshire club since the turn of the Millennium.
Hull City lie in wait for the winners of tonight’s tie between Phil Parkinson’s men and Bury.
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Hide AdWhile even the most fervent supporter of the Tigers would find it hard to claim the prospect of taking on the East Riding club was akin to that of a trip to Chelsea, Rory McArdle admits the prize at stake is one that the City squad are desperate to claim.
“If you look at the squad Hull have,” said the 28-year-old defender to The Yorkshire Post, “it is quality.
“I don’t think they lost too many (players) over the summer after relegation and the squad is full of Premier League players.
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Hide Ad“Just look at the result they had over the weekend; scoring six shows they are going to be in good form.
“The FA Cup is a competition Hull will be looking to push on in, I am sure of that. It is only a couple of seasons since they got to the final.
“That recent history will have shown them what the Cup can be like, as it does ourselves. The carrot is a home tie for us and I am sure Hull would bring a good crowd with them.
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Hide Ad“But, at the minute, it is just a carrot. Bury will not be a walk in the park. We have to take care of that first and only then be able to look at Hull.”
For manager Parkinson, victory tonight would bring a reunion with a club where he had a short spell as manager in 2006.
Succeeding Peter Taylor that summer, Parkinson had high hopes of building on the club’s rise up the Football League, but lasted just five months before being sacked following a poor run of results.
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Hide AdIt remains the only blot on an otherwise impressive CV, though in mitigation he did bring in players such as Michael Turner and Sam Ricketts who went on to be an integral part of the Hull side promoted to the Premier League in 2008.
On the prospect of taking on the East Riding club in round four, the Bradford manager said: “A home tie against one of the top teams in the Championship is a great prize.
“They had a great win at the weekend, but they have got good players, so you would expect that.
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Hide Ad“It makes it more appealing that it would be a Yorkshire derby as well if we could get there.”
Parkinson has twice been involved in matches against the Tigers since leaving the KC, both coming as Alan Pardew’s assistant at Charlton Athletic.
Tonight, though, is all about trying to repeat November’s league win over Bury.
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Hide Ad“I haven’t really thought about Hull,” said Parkinson. “I just want to focus on trying to get there first. I will only cast my mind to Hull if we can do that.”
James Hanson is a major doubt for City after suffering a kick to the leg during the weekend victory over Oldham Athletic, while Billy Clarke has a dead leg.
Steven Davies is back in the squad after almost three months out but will not be risked from the start, meaning Devante Cole could come in.
Last six games: Bradford City WWLLDW, Bury WLLLLDL.
Referee: G Eltringham (County Durham).
Last time: Bradford City 2 Bury 1; November 20, 2015; League One.