The battles between United and City began 1908 when the Bantams won promotion to the First Division, at that time it was the highest domestic league in England. United began their campaigns against the West Yorkshire club with a 3-0 win at Bramall Lane on 3 October 1908 and later on in the season went onto lost 3-1 at Valley Parade.
This fixture became a regular calendar event in the top flight until 1922 when City was relegated and has yet to see this fixture in the top flight since. Iit wasn’t until the Blades demise when they too were relegated to the Second tier. In August 1934, in only the second game into the new season United won 5-2 at Bradford, but City exacted revenge later on the season with a 2-1 win in S2.
In March 1912, just months before Barnsley lifted the FA Cup at Bramall Lane (and the Titanic sunk) the Blades recorded their biggest victory over the Bantams when at Bramall Lane the United won by seven goals to three.
This is a fixture which has been played out in all four of the leagues. Along with United, City were promoted from the old Fourth Division during the 1981/82 seasons campaign – the Blades claimed a 2-0 victory away from home but drew 1-1 at the Lane as the Sheffield side were crowned Champions of the league.
Our last league meetings came during the 2003-04 Division One season saw the Blades complete the double over a much troubled Bradford City who like many teams (including United) had seen themselves dwindle down the leagues after an inspiring Premier League campaign.
Played on the 27 September the Blades won 2-1 at Valley Parade and it was a day of former players to score against their former employees. Firstly, Dean Windass (28 minutes) smashed the ball home from the edge of the box but United bounced back and within moments were level. Zimbabwean international Peter Ndlovu (30) curled the ball home past Marlon Beresford.
The game went into half-time all square, but in the second half United sprung a winner through veteran Stuart McCall (54) who had been a long servant with the Bantams, a scramble in the box saw the midfielder slip the ball home; 2-1. There was another moment to note in the final minute when Windass was dismissed for a rash challenge on Michael Brown but United held on and the victory put them top of the league.
By the time the two teams met again on 20 March the Blades were third in the table whilst Bradford were 23rd and looked to have little hope of scrambling out of the bottom three. Prevailing wind was making this Yorkshire Derby seem impossible to play, and with City lacking in points this could have proved to their advantage, but somehow (on the hour mark) the Blades took the lead and was a long time coming. Defender Chris Morgan was in attack and he evaded his marked, turned home with a crisp header and two minutes later Jack Lester when a Mark Bower error allowed the former Forest striker to take full advantage and fire past Davies in the Bantams net.
This wasn’t the last time the pair met professionally; the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy brought the two together in November 2011 and after a hard-fought 90 minutes the game was drawn 1-1 and the game went straight to penalties. United had taken the lead through Matt Phillips (27) but Michael Flynn (40) levelled before the break and they went onto win the game (no extra-time) 6-5 on penalties.
|
At Sheff. Utd. (28) |
At Bradford City (27) |
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|
Results |
Total |
% |
Results |
Total |
% |
|
|
Sheff. Utd. |
15 |
53.57 |
Bradford City |
11 |
40.74 |
|
|
Bradford City |
4 |
14.29 |
Sheff. Utd. |
11 |
40.74 |
|
|
Draws |
9 |
32.14 |
Draws |
5 |
18.52 |
|
|
Goals |
Total |
Av.pg |
Goals |
Total |
Av.pg |
|
|
Sheff. Utd. |
58 |
2.07 |
Bradford City |
41 |
1.52 |
|
|
Bradford City |
28 |
1.00 |
Sheff. Utd. |
44 |
1.63 |
|
|
On Neutral Ground (0) |
Overall (55 matches) |
|||||
|
Results |
Total |
% |
Results |
Total |
% |
|
|
Sheff. Utd. |
0 |
0.00 |
Sheff. Utd. |
26 |
47.27 |
|
|
Bradford City |
0 |
0.00 |
Bradford City |
15 |
27.27 |
|
|
Draws |
0 |
0.00 |
Draws |
14 |
25.45 |
|
|
Goals |
Total |
Av.pg |
Goals |
Total |
Av.pg |
|
|
Sheff. Utd. |
0 |
0.00 |
Sheff. Utd. |
102 |
1.85 |
|
|
Bradford City |
0 |
0.00 |
Bradford City |
69 |
1.25 |
|
|
Records |
|||||
|
Highest Aggregate |
10 |
Sheff. Utd. |
7 - 3 |
Bradford City |
1911/1912 |
|
Highest Sheff. Utd. score: |
7 |
Sheff. Utd. |
7 - 3 |
Bradford City |
1911/1912 |
|
Highest Bradford City score: |
4 |
Bradford City |
4 - 0 |
Sheff. Utd. |
1920/1921 |
|
Season |
Date |
Home |
Score |
Away |
|
|
2011/2012 |
Tue 08 Nov |
Sheff. Utd. |
1 - 1 |
Bradford City |
(Associate Members) |
|
Bradford City won 6-5 on penalties |
|||||
|
2003/2004 |
Sat 20 Mar |
Sheff. Utd. |
2 - 0 |
Bradford City |
League Division One |
|
Sat 27 Sep |
Bradford City |
1 - 2 |
Sheff. Utd. |
League Division One |
|
|
2002/2003 |
Tue 29 Apr |
Sheff. Utd. |
3 - 0 |
Bradford City |
League Division One |
|
Sat 23 Nov |
Bradford City |
0 - 5 |
Sheff. Utd. |
League Division One |
|
|
2001/2002 |
Wed 26 Dec |
Bradford City |
1 - 2 |
Sheff. Utd. |
League Division One |
|
Sat 08 Sep |
Sheff. Utd. |
2 - 2 |
Bradford City |
League Division One |
|
|
1998/1999 |
Fri 19 Feb |
Sheff. Utd. |
2 - 2 |
Bradford City |
League Division One |
|
Sat 12 Sep |
Bradford City |
2 - 2 |
Sheff. Utd. |
League Division One |
|
|
1997/1998 |
Sat 28 Feb |
Sheff. Utd. |
2 - 1 |
Bradford City |
League Division One |
|
Tue 18 Nov |
Bradford City |
1 - 1 |
Sheff. Utd. |
League Division One |
|
|
1996/1997 |
Thu 26 Dec |
Bradford City |
1 - 2 |
Sheff. Utd. |
League Division One |
|
Tue 10 Sep |
Sheff. Utd. |
3 - 0 |
Bradford City |
League Division One |
|
|
Tue 03 Sep |
Bradford City |
1 - 2 |
Sheff. Utd. |
League Cup |
|
|
Sheffield United won 5-1 on aggregate |
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|
Tue 20 Aug |
Sheff. Utd. |
3 - 0 |
Bradford City |
League Cup |
|
|
1989/1990 |
Sat 03 Mar |
Bradford City |
1 - 4 |
Sheff. Utd. |
Second Division |
|
Sat 18 Nov |
Sheff. Utd. |
1 - 1 |
Bradford City |
Second Division |
|
|
1987/1988 |
Mon 04 Apr |
Sheff. Utd. |
1 - 2 |
Bradford City |
Second Division |
|
Sat 14 Nov |
Bradford City |
2 - 0 |
Sheff. Utd. |
Second Division |
|
|
1986/1987 |
Sat 28 Mar |
Sheff. Utd. |
2 - 2 |
Bradford City |
Second Division |
|
Sat 04 Oct |
Bradford City |
1 - 1 |
Sheff. Utd. |
Second Division |
|
|
1985/1986 |
Tue 11 Mar |
Sheff. Utd. |
3 - 1 |
Bradford City |
Second Division |
|
Sat 26 Oct |
Bradford City |
1 - 4 |
Sheff. Utd. |
Second Division |
|
|
1983/1984 |
Sat 07 Apr |
Bradford City |
2 - 1 |
Sheff. Utd. |
Third Division |
|
Tue 27 Sep |
Sheff. Utd. |
2 - 0 |
Bradford City |
Third Division |
|
|
1982/1983 |
Sun 08 May |
Bradford City |
2 - 0 |
Sheff. Utd. |
Third Division |
|
Sat 23 Apr |
Sheff. Utd. |
2 - 1 |
Bradford City |
Third Division |
|
|
1981/1982 |
Tue 30 Mar |
Sheff. Utd. |
1 - 1 |
Bradford City |
Fourth Division |
|
Sat 24 Oct |
Bradford City |
0 - 2 |
Sheff. Utd. |
Fourth Division |
|
|
1936/1937 |
Sat 27 Feb |
Sheff. Utd. |
3 - 1 |
Bradford City |
Second Division |
|
Sat 24 Oct |
Bradford City |
3 - 2 |
Sheff. Utd. |
Second Division |
|
|
1935/1936 |
Sat 18 Apr |
Sheff. Utd. |
3 - 0 |
Bradford City |
Second Division |
|
Sat 14 Dec |
Bradford City |
2 - 1 |
Sheff. Utd. |
Second Division |
|
|
1934/1935 |
Mon 10 Sep |
Sheff. Utd. |
1 - 2 |
Bradford City |
Second Division |
|
Mon 27 Aug |
Bradford City |
2 - 5 |
Sheff. Utd. |
Second Division |
|
|
1921/1922 |
Sat 29 Oct |
Sheff. Utd. |
1 - 0 |
Bradford City |
First Division |
|
Sat 22 Oct |
Bradford City |
1 - 1 |
Sheff. Utd. |
First Division |
|
|
1920/1921 |
Mon 06 Sep |
Sheff. Utd. |
4 - 1 |
Bradford City |
First Division |
|
Mon 30 Aug |
Bradford City |
4 - 0 |
Sheff. Utd. |
First Division |
|
|
1919/1920 |
Sat 10 Apr |
Bradford City |
1 - 2 |
Sheff. Utd. |
First Division |
|
Sat 03 Apr |
Sheff. Utd. |
0 - 0 |
Bradford City |
First Division |
|
|
1914/1915 |
Sat 06 Feb |
Bradford City |
1 - 1 |
Sheff. Utd. |
First Division |
|
Sat 03 Oct |
Sheff. Utd. |
1 - 1 |
Bradford City |
First Division |
|
|
1913/1914 |
Sat 17 Jan |
Sheff. Utd. |
1 - 1 |
Bradford City |
First Division |
|
Sat 20 Sep |
Bradford City |
2 - 1 |
Sheff. Utd. |
First Division |
|
|
1912/1913 |
Sat 25 Jan |
Sheff. Utd. |
3 - 2 |
Bradford City |
First Division |
|
Sat 28 Sep |
Bradford City |
3 - 1 |
Sheff. Utd. |
First Division |
|
|
1911/1912 |
Mon 04 Mar |
Sheff. Utd. |
7 - 3 |
Bradford City |
First Division |
|
Sat 16 Sep |
Bradford City |
1 - 0 |
Sheff. Utd. |
First Division |
|
|
1910/1911 |
Sat 21 Jan |
Bradford City |
0 - 1 |
Sheff. Utd. |
First Division |
|
Sat 17 Sep |
Sheff. Utd. |
0 - 1 |
Bradford City |
First Division |
|
|
1909/1910 |
Sat 12 Mar |
Sheff. Utd. |
1 - 2 |
Bradford City |
First Division |
|
Sat 30 Oct |
Bradford City |
2 - 0 |
Sheff. Utd. |
First Division |
|
|
1908/1909 |
Sat 27 Mar |
Bradford City |
3 - 1 |
Sheff. Utd. |
First Division |
|
Sat 03 Oct |
Sheff. Utd. |
3 - 0 |
Bradford City |
First Division |
|