Good Morning Robins, Bradford City fan here in peace
I thought, and hope, you might welcome a view from a fair minded opposition fan about Saturdays game.
First of all, well done on your victory at Valley Parade.
I thought we dominated the first twenty minutes or so, and were well worth our goal lead. Sat behind the goal on the kop at the other end, it was difficult for me to determine whether the penalty decision was a correct one, even the tv coverage I have seen seems inconclusive. However, no matter, we didn't put the spot kick away anyhow.
After that opening period, where you barely got out of our half, our insecurities about defending set pieces without our injured star defender Andrew Davies, came to the fore and we conceded two more goals from set pieces, following on from the two in our last home game against Yeovil.
After you took the lead, I thought you played some terrific football and were well worth your half time lead. The second half started where the first half ended, with your team outclassing our pedestrian midfield, and were carving us open with ease. It wasn't until we brought on our sub Filipe Morais, that we started to get back into the game, as we abandoned the diamond formation and started to play with more width. Then for some inexplicable reason your team resorted to gamesmanship to attempt to stop us in our tracks.
Now, along with most Bradford City fans, I think I am fair minded where the opposition are concerned, and our message board, 'Claret and Banter', was full of gushing praise for Yeovil last week, who played us off the park. What sullied your performance for me was the antics of Thompson and Branco with their despicable gamesmanship. Branco, quite frankly was a complete embarrassment to the profession, flinging himself to the ground feigning injury on a few occasions in the last 15 minutes or so. One incident as we lined up to take a corner when he had hold of Billy Clarke,and Clarke managed to free himself and Branco fell to the ground screeching like a baby holding his face, was one of the worst cases of cheating I have ever seen.
I am not here to condone Sheehan, by the way, who deservedly got his marching orders, but I can understand why he lost it with this blatant cheat.
Its a shame my report ends on that note, as I thought your team played some terrific football, and were gaining praise from fans around me. However, Cooper needs to have a word with Thompson, and especially Branco. Now I am sure Swindon fans who were at the game may say its sour grapes on my part and that I have exaggerated, but sat at the other end of the ground, your fans would not have appreciated this blatant cheating from them, and could not possibly for example have seen Thompson winking and laughing at our fans on the kop after feigning an injury. I can assure you its not sour grapes, I just for the life of me cannot understand why a good footballing side as yours had to resort to these ugly tactics
All the best for the rest of the season
Cheers Geoff.