# 1907–08 Bradford City A.F.C. season

The 1907–08 season was the fifth season in Bradford City A.F.C.'s history and the fifth successive in the Second Division since their election to the league in 1903.

## Background

Bradford City had been elected to the Football League in 1903, since when they had played in the Second Division. They finished 10th in their first season in the league, and followed it with two further mid-table positions. Their best position in the first four seasons came in 1906–07, manager Peter O'Rourke's first full campaign having replaced Robert Campbell in November 1905. He led City to fifth position in 1906–07, helped by a record of 10 victories from their final 14 games of the campaign.

## Review
### Pre-season

O'Rourke added to his squad which finished the previous season with a string of victories by signing Scottish national goalkeeper Willie Muir from Dundee, centre forward Sam Higginson from Reading and left half Harry Hanger from Kettering Town.

### September

Bradford started the season by winning 8–1 at home against Chesterfield, the first time the club had scored more than six goals in a league game. Wally Smith's four goals in the match was also the first time any City player had managed the feat. Despite losing the second game of the season at Burnley, Bradford responded with 1–0 and 3–0 successes against Oldham Athletic and Clapton Orient.

## Match results
### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Football League Second Division

    Source: Frost
| Game | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| 1 | 7 September 1907 | Chesterfield | Home | 8–1 | 14,000 | Handley (2), McDonald, O'Rourke, Smith (4, 1 pen) |
| 2 | 14 September 1907 | Burnley | Away | 1–2 | 8,000 | O'Rourke |
| 3 | 21 September 1907 | Oldham Athletic | Home | 1–0 | 17,000 | McDonald |
| 4 | 28 September 1907 | Clapton Orient | Away | 3–0 | 10,000 | Bartlett, Higginson, O'Rourke |
| 5 | 5 October 1907 | Leeds City | Home | 5–0 | 27,000 | Bartlett, Hanger, McDonald, Smith (2, 1 pen) |
| 6 | 12 October 1907 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Away | 0–0 | 8,000 | |
| 7 | 19 October 1907 | Gainsborough Trinity | Home | 7–1 | 15,000 | Hanger, McDonald, O'Rourke (4), Smith |
| 8 | 26 October 1907 | Stockport County | Away | 1–1 | 4,000 | Smith |
| 9 | 2 November 1907 | Glossop | Home | 2–1 | 12,000 | Bartlett, Clarke |
| 10 | 9 November 1907 | Leicester Fosse | Away | 1–2 | 15,000 | Handley |
| 11 | 16 November 1907 | Blackpool | Home | 3–0 | 11,000 | McDonald, O'Rourke, Robinson |
| 12 | 23 November 1907 | Stoke | Away | 0–3 | 5,000 | |
| 13 | 30 November 1907 | West Bromwich Albion | Home | 0–0 | 18,000 | |
| 14 | 7 December 1907 | Grimsby Town | Away | 1–0 | 2,000 | Handley |
| 15 | 14 December 1907 | Hull City | Away | 2–0 | 9,000 | Bartlett, Smith |
| 16 | 21 December 1907 | Derby County | Home | 3–1 | 17,000 | Bartlett, Handley (2) |
| 17 | 25 December 1907 | Barnsley | Home | 2–0 | 18,000 | O'Rourke (2) |
| 18 | 26 December 1907 | Fulham | Home | 1–3 | 25,000 | Smith (pen) |
| 19 | 28 December 1907 | Lincoln City | Away | 4–2 | 2,000 | Bartlett, Handley, McDonald, Smith |
| 20 | 1 January 1908 | Barnsley | Away | 2–1 | 8,000 | Handley (2, 1 pen) |
| 21 | 4 January 1908 | Chesterfield | Away | 1–1 | 2,000 | O'Rourke |
| 22 | 18 January 1908 | Oldham Athletic | Away | 0–4 | 18,000 | |
| 23 | 25 January 1908 | Clapton Orient | Home | 1–0 | 10,000 | Smith |
| 24 | 1 February 1908 | Leeds City | Away | 1–0 | 25,600 | McDonald |
| 25 | 8 February 1908 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Home | 6–2 | 16,000 | Higginson (2), McDonald, Smith (3) |
| 26 | 15 February 1908 | Gainsborough Trinity | Away | 5–1 | 4,000 | Handley (3), O'Rourke (2) |
| 27 | 22 February 1908 | Stockport County | Home | 5–0 | 8,000 | Clarke, Handley, Higginson, McDonald, Smith |
| 28 | 29 February 1908 | Glossop | Away | 2–2 | 2,000 | O'Rourke (2) |
| 29 | 7 March 1908 | Leicester Fosse | Home | 1–5 | 17,000 | McDonald |
| 30 | 14 March 1908 | Blackpool | Away | 1–2 | 3,000 | McDonald |
| 31 | 21 March 1908 | Stoke | Home | 6–0 | 14,000 | Clarke, Handley, O'Rourke (3), Smith |
| 32 | 28 March 1908 | West Bromwich Albion | Away | 2–3 | 7,000 | O'Rourke, Smith |
| 33 | 4 April 1908 | Grimsby Town | Home | 1–1 | 16,000 | Bartlett |
| 34 | 11 April 1908 | Hull City | Home | 2–1 | 16,000 | Smith (2) |
| 35 | 17 April 1908 | Fulham | Away | 2–0 | 40,000 | Handley, O'Rourke |
| 36 | 18 April 1908 | Derby County | Away | 3–2 | 14,000 | Hanger, Higginson, McDermott |
| 37 | 20 April 1908 | Burnley | Home | 2–0 | 27,000 | Handley, McDonald |
| 38 | 25 April 1908 | Lincoln City | Home | 2–0 | 12,000 | McDonald, O'Rourke |

### FA Cup

    Source:Frost
| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| 1 | 11 January 1908 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Home | 1–1 | 15,100 | Handley |
| 1R | 15 January 1908 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Away | 0–1 | 16,000 | |
    A. $^a$ $^b$ All attendances are approximate.

## League table

| Pos | Team v t e | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 1 | Bradford City | 38 | 24 | 6 | 8 | 90 | 42 | 2.143 | 54 | Division champions |
| 2 | Leicester Fosse | 38 | 21 | 10 | 7 | 72 | 47 | 1.532 | 52 | Promoted |
| 3 | Oldham Athletic | 38 | 22 | 6 | 10 | 76 | 42 | 1.810 | 50 | |
| 4 | Fulham | 38 | 22 | 5 | 11 | 82 | 49 | 1.673 | 49 | |
| 5 | West Bromwich Albion | 38 | 19 | 9 | 10 | 61 | 39 | 1.564 | 47 | |
* 1 2 New club in the league

## Player details

    Source: Frost
| Pos. | Name | League | League | FA Cup | FA Cup | Total | Total |
| Pos. | Name | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| FW | Albert Bartlett | 18 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 7 |
| RB | Robert Campbell | 30 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 31 | 0 |
| OR | Willie Clarke | 22 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 3 |
| LB | Fred Farren | 30 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 32 | 0 |
| OL | George Handley | 37 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 39 | 17 |
| CH | Harry Hanger | 34 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 36 | 3 |
| CH | Sam Higginson | 35 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 37 | 5 |
| CH | Gerald Kirk | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| GK | Herbert Kneeshaw | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| IF | Tommy McDermott | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| FW | Jimmy McDonald | 36 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 38 | 13 |
| DF | Jimmy McLean | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| DF | David Melville | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| HB | Jimmy Millar | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| GK | Willie Muir | 28 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 30 | 0 |
| CF | Frank O'Rourke | 36 | 21 | 2 | 0 | 38 | 21 |
| FB | James Roberts | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| HB | George Robinson | 37 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 39 | 1 |
| FW | Wally Smith | 34 | 20 | 2 | 0 | 36 | 20 |
| GK | Martin Spendiff | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| FW | James Vallance | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| GK | Albert Wise | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |