NUDRAT Mirza grew up in the shadow of Valley Parade but never took much notice of the claret and amber crowds making their way to football matches each week.

"Coming from a South Asian background, cricket was the sport I grew up with," she says. "Football meant nothing to me."

Then, in May, 2013, Nudrat had her first taste of Bradford City, at what turned out to be one of the club's finest hours, when the Bantams

made it to Wembley for the League Two play-off final.

"My friends invited my daughter, Khadijah, to the match. She has a life-threatening condition and, as her carer, I had to accompany her - so I went to my first football match," says Nudrat, who recalls a sense of belonging walking towards the ground.

"It felt like a magnet was pulling me," she says. "There was something moving about the fans' uniformity and passion.

"Khadijah took my hand and led me up the steps to our seats, saying: 'Stick with me and you'll be fine'. She was confident, with a sense of purpose. Our usual roles were reversed.

"The atmosphere was amazing, everyone was so friendly and the supporters' chants sounded like hymns."

Once inside, Nudrat was struck by the women and girls in the crowd. "I'd expected it to be nearly all men but there were these fantastic, committed females cheering their team. I was taken aback by their enthusiasm and energy," she says. "I sat with my hands crossed because I didn't know what to do and one woman leaned over and said: 'You don't know what's going on do you?' There were women getting up on seats, chanting, with no inhibitions and I remember thinking: 'I wish I could do that'."

Nudrat, a keen photographer, was so inspired by City's female supporters she decided to capture them on camera. Earlier this year she took photographs of female fans, from little girls to older women, and has now produced a striking calendar, City Girls, which is on sale at the club, with some proceeds going to one of its charities.

The photographs were taken between January, from the Bantams' giant-killing match against Chelsea, and April. In the calendar are mothers, daughters and grandmothers wearing City hats and scarves, clutching match tickets and grinning in the cold waiting to enter the stadium.

On the cover is a young girl proudly wearing her City shirt, standing outside the ground. Other images include a woman holding up a "Chelsea v Bradford" scarf; a teenage girl looking a little nervous prior to kick-off; a little girl in claret and amber stripes sitting cross-legged, waiting for the gates to open; two friends rising from their seats, cheering on a player who, from the looks on their faces, is about to score; three women beaming with pride, clapping their team; and twin sisters holding up four and two fingers - City's score against Chelsea in January's thrilling FA Cup fourth-round tie.

Also featured is die-hard Bantams fan Mary Thornton, 85, of Eccleshill who shot to fame after being pictured wildly celebrating the win in the front row of the stand at Stamford Bridge.

One particularly poignant image is a mother and daughter looking at flowers laid at the Bradford City Fire Memorial. "I couldn't have done this calendar without a reference to the fire, especially in this 30th anniversary year," says Nudrat. "I couldn't go to the memorial service so I visited the memorial that evening and took this picture. People were leaving flowers and I captured this moment of two people reading messages. I work with negatives so light is an issue, it was about 7pm and the light was fading so I wasn't sure how the picture would look, but I like the way it captures them looking away from the camera."

Nudrat's daughter, 27-year-old Khadijah, has a serious liver condition and is awaiting a transplant. City has become a big part of her life.

"She's a season ticket holder, she loves to wear the claret and amber colours," says Nudrat. "She's very much a part of this calendar, I wouldn't have done it if it wasn't for her. She's been with me at all stages. She's been so positive, even when she couldn't come with me to get the calendars from the printers because she was in hospital."

Nudrat's calendar has caught the attention of Oscar-winning screenwriter Simon Beaufoy, from Glusburn, who praised its 'tender look at supporters, fans, believers'.

"He loves the pictures and wants to watch a City match with me. I said: 'No, not me - you should be with the City Girls!' I'm just a starter," smiles Nudrat. "The calendar captures a range of ages and emotions - the women are excited, nervous, relieved, confident and united."

"Football is still a game dominated by men at every level - on the ground, in management, in the media - and I think girls feel invisible sometimes. But I was struck by all the wonderful females who are every bit as involved as the men, it was great to put the focus on them.

"When they wave their scarves and sing the football songs I find it so moving. It make my hairs stand on end."

She adds: "I'm struck by how dedicated and supportive all the fans are - the way they applaud the players and the manager, and how even if the team isn't doing well they just take it."

A self taught photographer, Nudrat started taking pictures after picking up a camera by chance. "Someone exhibited some of my pictures and it went from there," she says. "I have two children, and two grandchildren, and haven't had time to do a course. I still use negatives, I haven't moved on to the digital age. Maybe one day!"

Now she's planning a second calendar. "Bradford City has kindly given me a pass to go inside the ground to take photos during home matches this season. I'm very excited," she says. "Eventually I'd like to exhibit the photographs in a gallery and produce a book."

Is she now a fully fledged Bantam?

"I'm a a proud season ticket holder," she smiles. "I got to know the women taking photographs and when I go to matches they recognise me. I love to be among the 'City Girls'."

* There are 500 copies of the City Girls calendar for sale at £12.50, available at the Coral Windows Stadium reception.