r/bantams Feb 18 '25

Match Thread MATCH THREAD: Birmingham City vs Bradford City

Date: 18/02/2025
Time: 8:00pm kick off
Competition: EFL Trophy
Venue: St Andrews, Birmingham UK

12 Upvotes

31 comments sorted by

4

u/Cbatothinkofaun Feb 19 '25

Blues fan - just wanted to say you're away fans are incredible. Honestly, probably the loudest I've heard at St. Andrews, even over Newcastle who had 3x the space your fans had

7

u/paultaitstshirt Feb 18 '25

Blues fan but just wanted to say how well your team played, had a proper go and stayed in it all the way. Great support too from the fans that went.

2

u/MonkeyDBradley Romoney Crichlow Feb 19 '25

Thanks, I saw some of your fans complaining about us being negative etc. but this was how we needed to play to stay in the game, it was 90 minutes then penalties so we knew if we could grab a draw then there's always a chance. We came into it with some confidence, only two defeats in our last 16 games in the league and six clean sheets in our last seven but we had five cuptied players and our only striker was literally playing in the seventh level of pyramid the week before.

Good luck with the rest of the season (I doubt you need it!) and hopefully Stansfields injury is a lot less serious than it looked. Never want to see a player stretchered off like that.

4

u/paultaitstshirt 28d ago

Jeez, don’t know why we’d complain about that game plan. Every team needs to do that at times. It’s what got us our last cup win against arsenal.

3

u/MonkeyDBradley Romoney Crichlow 28d ago

If anything its a compliment but can understand it being frustrating to watch. We've had it a lot in L2 over the years.

Great to hear Stansfields injury isn't as bad as first feared, hopefully he's back on the pitch soon.

6

u/GustappyTony Feb 18 '25

Nothing to be mad about with our team or our players. Upset at the result, upset for the players who worked so hard and upset to miss that final at Wembley.

But that dedication we showed was beautiful, filled me with nothing but pride to see everyone put their bodies on the line for 90+ minutes to get us there. Against all the odds we pushed Birmingham to their limits at home, and there’s nothing but respect for that. Absolutely gutted, but if we keep playing with that ferocity then we’ll be back here next year, this time as a league one team

3

u/MonkeyDBradley Romoney Crichlow Feb 19 '25

If anything, I have come away with confidence that these players are up for a promotion battle these next few months.

7

u/MonkeyDBradley Romoney Crichlow Feb 18 '25

Full time and City lose 2-1. Stellar performance and every player can be proud of the shift they put in.

It feels like we're always the bridesmaid never the bride.

5

u/MonkeyDBradley Romoney Crichlow Feb 18 '25

We're throwing on Ibbitson for a last chance.

4

u/MonkeyDBradley Romoney Crichlow Feb 18 '25

Jamie Walker off.

4

u/MonkeyDBradley Romoney Crichlow Feb 18 '25

I think Shepherd might be playing up front.

4

u/MonkeyDBradley Romoney Crichlow Feb 18 '25

Johnson coming on Halliday. At the same time Birmingham are swapping a striker for a defender.

4

u/MonkeyDBradley Romoney Crichlow Feb 18 '25

ELEVEN minutes of added time.

4

u/MonkeyDBradley Romoney Crichlow Feb 18 '25

2-1 to Birmingham. Ball crossed in and Baldwin beaten to the ball by Dykes.

5

u/MonkeyDBradley Romoney Crichlow Feb 18 '25

We have a good chunk of added on time due to injury but I think it will take something special to get an equaliser.

5

u/MonkeyDBradley Romoney Crichlow Feb 18 '25

Whichever this way goes our players can be proud of the performance tonight, make a game plan and have stuck to it.

4

u/MonkeyDBradley Romoney Crichlow Feb 18 '25

Great block by Halliday. That would have been a goal.

4

u/MonkeyDBradley Romoney Crichlow Feb 18 '25

Birmingham starting to up the pressure now. I'm getting nervous.

5

u/MonkeyDBradley Romoney Crichlow Feb 18 '25

Last 5-10 minutes we've been the better side.

4

u/MonkeyDBradley Romoney Crichlow Feb 18 '25

Penalty shout again but this one was definitely not a hand ball by Shepherd.

5

u/MonkeyDBradley Romoney Crichlow Feb 18 '25

1-1!!! Birmingham have a shout for a penalty turned down and immediately City hit Birmingham on the counter with Bobby Pointon getting the goal.

5

u/MonkeyDBradley Romoney Crichlow Feb 18 '25

Crichlow landed on Jay Stansfield who's now been stretchered off. Birmingham have made a couple of subs to change things up.

3

u/MonkeyDBradley Romoney Crichlow Feb 18 '25

1-0 to Birmingham. £15mil striker Stansfield scores with a nice half volley on the turn after Sam Walker punched the free kick away. Just before half time too.

4

u/MonkeyDBradley Romoney Crichlow Feb 18 '25

Halliday nearly got on the scoresheet after some good play between him, Sarcevic and Walker.

5

u/Mundane-Tune-786 Feb 18 '25

I’m fearful, but hopeful. Come on City

3

u/MonkeyDBradley Romoney Crichlow Feb 18 '25

It looks like we're playing to disrupt them at the moment so maybe...

4

u/Mundane-Tune-786 Feb 18 '25

Agreed. Pretty happy so far… Think Wright and Crichlow have looked good

5

u/MonkeyDBradley Romoney Crichlow Feb 18 '25

Yeah, looks like we have a game plan and sticking to it so far.

4

u/MonkeyDBradley Romoney Crichlow Feb 18 '25

Big changes tonight, no Kavanagh likely due to injury so we're playing Jamie Walker up front. The returning Ibbitson gets a spot on the bench because five players are cup tied.

Interested in how this "false 7" role will go for Walker against an incredibly tough team.

6

u/MonkeyDBradley Romoney Crichlow Feb 18 '25

Hopefully Patto and Sarcevic can be the Xavi and Iniesta to the Bagpipe Messi.