WHEN ardent Bradford City fan John Dewhirst was out in the Middle East a few years ago, to fill in time between jobs he wrote 60,000 words for a book about his favourite club.

At first he thought of calling it The History of Bradford City in 100 Objects - after the popular BBC Radio 4 weekly programme A History of the World in 100 Objects.

But as he looked through all the boxes of match day programmes, souvenirs and other memorabilia in the cellar of his house the number of objects grew to 1,050.

They have now been reproduced in an unusual book, A History of Bradford City AFC in Objects, which goes on sale tomorrow in the One in a Million Cafe at Valley Parade, before the 5.15pm kick-off against Sheffield United.

"Most football books are about players or statistics. They don't tell you about the fans. I'm hoping people will flick through this book and find something makes them say, 'Yes, I remember that'," said Mr Dewhirst, a 51-year-old accountant.

"My favourite object in the book would probably be the City Gent badge I got at Easter in 1972.

"The book has taken two years to compile and I couldn't have done it without John Ashton, from the Industrial Museum, and Steve Waddington, from the printers Hart & Clough in Cleckheaton. They did all the art work."

The book also contains objects associated with Bradford Park Avenue which, until 1970, was the city's other fully-professional football club.

Mr Dewhirst said: "There's quite a bit in about Park Avenue because I believe you can't tell the story of Bradford City without mentioning them."

The 344-page book costs £30, but the size of the book matches Mr Dewhirst's expanding ambition to include as many interesting items as possible.

Any profit from the book is likely to go to Bradford University's Burns Unit next May - the 30th anniversary of the Bradford City Fire Disaster.

This year also marks the 30th anniversary of the City Gent fanzine that Mr Dewhirst started. Current editor Mike Harrison is planning a celebration later this year at Keith Wildman's Record Cafe.

This is a new shop selling food, drink and vinyl records that will be opening towards the end of November on North Parade - opposite the City Gent pub.