Skip to content
University of Bradford logo
Site navigation Search

Staff and students take over Bradford City AFC clash

Published:

Bradford City AFC received extra support from the University of Bradford at one of the club’s home matches.

A child is sat dowm wearing a virtual reality helmet while a TV screen plays next to them

The ‘University of Bradford Takeover Day’, at Bradford City AFC’s 1-0 win over Doncaster Rovers in Sky Bet League One, saw the club’s supporters find out more on what the University has to offer.

Davide Longo, Bradford City’s General Manager, said: “We were delighted to welcome staff, students and their families from the University of Bradford for our match against Doncaster Rovers.

“The day highlighted the success of the club’s partnership with the University, and we hope to build on its success in the future.”

A football club chicken club mascot tries on an arm sling while two people take photos on their mobile phone

What happened at the Takeover Day?

Before the lunchtime kick-off and during half-time in the stadium’s Morrisons Family Stand’s concourse, fans discovered if they had the skills to be a great football manager and more on the courses available at the University’s School of Management.

Dr Rachel Shrimpton, the University’s MBA Director, said: “We had a wide variety of people coming to our stand from different generations, and it was a great event to build awareness of the University.”

A young child wearing a university branded T-shirt waves a flag on a football pitch

Visitors also learned more about the Plastic Surgery and Burns Research Unit (PSBRU), based at the University, and participants, including club mascot Billy Bantam, were invited to put on a Bradford Sling, an arm elevation sling to offer support and immobilisation for injured arms, developed by Unit founder, Professor David Sharpe, in the quickest time.

Dr Kirsten Riches-Suman, Associate Professor of Biomedical Science, said: “It was really good to talk to the fans and show them the work we do at the Burns Unit.”

An innovative virtual reality (VR)-inspired project featuring Bradford City AFC supporters’ memories was showcased.

‘Stories from Valley Parade’, a digital copy of the University of Bradford Stadium, traditionally known as Valley Parade, created for people to explore through virtual reality, was presented to the club’s supporters at the match.

Professor Chris Gaffney, Professor of Archaeological Science at the University of Bradford, said: “We’ve been doing this project with the public for nearly a year, and days like today are fantastic for us to get an understanding of what makes the club’s supporters tick.”

Two university staff members wearing T-shirts stand next to one another on the touchline of a football pitch

Welcoming players

Wearing orange University-branded T-shirts, a group of 20 flagbearers, aged between six and 16 and children of University staff and students, helped welcome both sets of players onto the pitch before kick-off on Saturday 31 January.

The University’s 60th anniversary, celebrated this year, was showcased, by highlighting the impact the University has made since 1966.

Two University staff members, Amy Moore, Programme Officer, and Wahid Hamaway, Teaching Technician, took part in an on-pitch half-time penalty shoot-out challenge, where they had 60 seconds to score as many goals as possible, with Amy crowned winner.

A student holding a video camera tripod stands on the touchline of a football stadium with two stands behind them

University students participated, including Vusumuzi Sibanda, studying Film and Media Studies, who was content creator.

The University of Bradford signed a four-year sponsorship deal with Bradford City AFC, nicknamed the Bantams, in 2022. This includes the University’s logo appearing on the back of the team’s home, away and alternative kits and Valley Parade being re-named as the University of Bradford Stadium.