Church leaders have warned that many Bradford City fans could face a moral dilemma about attending the Bantams' crunch Good Friday clash with Derby.

The club has already agreed to put back the original 3pm kick-off time by an hour after outcry that it clashed with the most sacred times in the Christian calendar.

But Leeds Roman Catholic diocese spokesman John Grady said City's decision to play on Good Friday had forced its Christian supporters into a dilemma.

"Maybe it's an indication of how far removed from Christianity we are. The majority of Catholics will go to church but the club is entitled to play when it wants."

He said he believed the Bantams' decision to start the game at 4pm was also an insensitive one for other religions, too, which had their holy day on Friday."

The club had shifted its clash with Derby from Easter Saturday to Good Friday so players had more time to recover before an away match against Sunderland on Easter Monday.

The Reverend Bob Hill, a Bantams fan and team vicar of St Paul's, Manningham, had also expressed his disappointment that the club had originally chosen 3pm as the start time - the traditional time marked as the hour of Jesus Christ's crucifixion.

But he said he was delighted that the club had decided to change the time.

"In an era when soccer is afflicted by player petulance, ruinous wage structure and ludicrous transfer fees, how refreshing to see a club which is tuned to the religious and cultural needs of its fans and is prepared to work hard to accommodate them where possible."

Bradford City chairman Geoffrey Richmond said the match had been brought forward to Friday from Saturday on purely footballing grounds. The club had hoped for an evening kick-off but Derby felt it was too late for its young supporters and the afternoon was agreed.

"Almost immediately it was announced, we received a number of complaints. It was pointed out that 3pm was the holy hour. The last thing we want to do as a football club is to upset or offend." he said.

"It's very unusual to reschedule a match twice but Derby and the Premier League were very good and agreed to a 4pm kick-off."

Season ticket holder and vicar of Burley-in-Wharfedale the Reverend Peter Sutcliffe said: "Good Friday is still a very significant day for many people, and it felt wrong for the club to be playing a game at that time. I still won't be there because for me it still feels too close to 3pm but I'm glad that the club has shifted the time."

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