Bradford City get cup final wishes - from the Dalai Lama! (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)
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Bradford City get cup final wishes - from the Dalai Lama!
7:00am Saturday 2nd February 2013 in Sport
By Jim Greenhalf, T&A Reporter
The Dalai Lama with a Bradford City shirt
Who said miracles don’t happen? Certainly not the exiled spiritual head of Buddhist Tibet.
Last summer fans’ group Friends of Bradford City presented the 14th Dalai Lama, Tensin Gyatso, with a personalised claret and amber City shirt and made him their honorary president.
Since that June day City have shot up the Division Two table, reached the quarter- final of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy and defeated three Premier League clubs in the Capital One Cup – winning four penalty shoot-outs in the process.
Now, of course, City are heading for a Wembley final against Premier League Swansea and a place in next season’s Europa Cup.
The Dalai Lama received his shirt at the Yorkshire International Business Forum in Leeds. He was also given a copy of Dave Pendleton’s book Glorious 1911, about City’s FA Cup Final victory in Manchester more than a century ago.
Now the Dalai Lama has sent City his best wishes for the Wembley match on Saturday, February 24.
The message comes in a short letter from the London-based Office of Tibet signed by his representative. It reads:- “On behalf of His Holiness The Dalai Lama, may I offer you, and indeed the whole team of players for Bradford City, huge congratulations on your incredible success.
“If His Holiness' blessing has helped in any way towards your wonderful efforts, I hope that blessing will continue to bring you good fortune.
“He would hope that this tremendous achievement can be turned into an opportunity to help others, demonstrating the power of sport to bring happiness to others on and off the pitch.
“He remembers his time in Yorkshire with great affection and wishes you every success in the big match. Of course, we at the Office of Tibet also wish you the best of luck in the final!”
Friends of Bradford City’s chairman Mark Neale said: “When I opened the letter you could have blown me over with a feather. FIrst I get the shock of reaching a major Cup final, then receive a letter from the Dalai Lama. The heart can’t take much more.”
Mr Neale, a lifelong City fan, hopes making the Dalai Lama president is a wise move, because he is “infinite”.
He said the Friends will embrace the Dalai Lama even more and will be sending scarves, and programmes out to him in the near future.
“I have this vision of him sitting on a mountain listening for City’s results. I Know we have a great manager in Phil Parkinson, but any help we can get is great, and maybe the Dalai Lama has played his part in City’s amazing success.
"My wife Julie, who is a season ticket holder, says she might become a Buddhist!"
The next challenge is to find someone to make Bradford City Dalai Lama lapel badges. The Chinese firm that manufactures them has refused to make these.
Comments(46)
Hund01
says...
9:37am Sat 2 Feb 13
BigFigure
says...
10:20am Sat 2 Feb 13
webess
says...
11:09am Sat 2 Feb 13
The Hoffster
says...
11:25am Sat 2 Feb 13
nowt fresh
says...
11:42am Sat 2 Feb 13
silverbantam
says...
12:38pm Sat 2 Feb 13
bantam85
says...
12:52pm Sat 2 Feb 13
silverbantam wrote:Awesome! Nice to see a City fan get their sense of humour back after last weeks events
@michaelwood: Dalai Lama wants 55 Tickets for Wembley: "I've been following since Watford" says his infinite Holiness
bcfc1903
says...
1:05pm Sat 2 Feb 13
nowt fresh
says...
1:42pm Sat 2 Feb 13
bantam85 wrote:Think most Bradford City fans always had a sense of humour bantam85, can't honestly see how any Bradford City fan or otherwise could not laugh at the"Second West" artical in Wednesday nights T&A talk about being naive..!!
silverbantam wrote: @michaelwood: Dalai Lama wants 55 Tickets for Wembley: "I've been following since Watford" says his infinite HolinessAwesome! Nice to see a City fan get their sense of humour back after last weeks events
Freddy
says...
3:50pm Sat 2 Feb 13
Quote--" The next challenge is to find someone to make Bradford City Dalai Lama lapel badges. The Chinese firm that manufactures them has refused to make these."
*
At the top ofValet Parade. There is or used to be a man with a large board of various City Lapel Badges.Perhaps a word with him as to the Supplier??
*
There must be several manufacturers who can produce these badges ASAP--and prior to Wembley. Plus to sell them on Wembley Way ??.
*
queenyfan
says...
4:16pm Sat 2 Feb 13
Mark Neale here. Freddy. All enamel badges are made in China these days, so the gut outside the ground will be sourcing from the same place.
Big figure. FoBC will try and get the Dalai Lama to visit the Second West to sort out the 55!
Hundo01. What a great idea, maybe City fans dressed as Dalai Lamas at Wembley may be the nearest we can get.
Seriously, its great to have such a great name as our adopted celebrity fan
bantam85
says...
4:29pm Sat 2 Feb 13
nowt fresh wrote:I was talking about the bickering but yeah you're right, that was the best comedy I've seen in a while
bantam85 wrote:Think most Bradford City fans always had a sense of humour bantam85, can't honestly see how any Bradford City fan or otherwise could not laugh at the"Second West" artical in Wednesday nights T&A talk about being naive..!!silverbantam wrote: @michaelwood: Dalai Lama wants 55 Tickets for Wembley: "I've been following since Watford" says his infinite HolinessAwesome! Nice to see a City fan get their sense of humour back after last weeks events
Not so simple
says...
4:34pm Sat 2 Feb 13
The Hoffster wrote:Maybe he's bringing some of these peace loving murdering monks to the pre match and post match entertainment.
Has he said anything about Buddhist terrorists in Burma slaughtering men, women, and children over there?
City don't need the support of people who encourage peace and do not speak out against atrocities committed by his followers.
What a waste of an article...then again it would have been some other non sense in its place
bingleybantam-ms54
says...
5:40pm Sat 2 Feb 13
********************
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**
Dear God Is there NOTHING we Can't "Not Smile" or Get Arsie about in the Run up to Wembley in these columns???
Whether you are "Of faith" (Any Faith) Or Not I dont think anyone would argue with the fact that "Its a complete Bloody Miracle" we're there ........Yeah ?
For Gods sake - Lets enjoy EVERYminute of EVERYthing to do with the Run Up to this FANTASTIC OCCASION
This is "OUR" 1911 Cup Final Moment
So as I said - Lets just enjoy the ride Good People and with the right "Bantam Karma" both ON & OFF the Pitch???????? Who knows?? - We just might see this "Miracle" get EVEN BETTER!
"Come on Yoooo Lama's" - (er Sorry) I meant City x ........c-:=
queenyfan
says...
5:48pm Sat 2 Feb 13
LETS ALL REALLY ENJOY THE NEXT THREE WEEKS. WE DESERVE IT.
Not so simple
says...
6:02pm Sat 2 Feb 13
bingleybantam-ms54 wrote:enjoy the blessings of a man and his group who are killing hundreds of people? No thanks I don't want any part of that.
Maybe he's bringing some of these peace loving murdering monks to the pre match and post match entertainment. ...........Not so simple said
********************
********************
**
Dear God Is there NOTHING we Can't "Not Smile" or Get Arsie about in the Run up to Wembley in these columns???
Whether you are "Of faith" (Any Faith) Or Not I dont think anyone would argue with the fact that "Its a complete Bloody Miracle" we're there ........Yeah ?
For Gods sake - Lets enjoy EVERYminute of EVERYthing to do with the Run Up to this FANTASTIC OCCASION
This is "OUR" 1911 Cup Final Moment
So as I said - Lets just enjoy the ride Good People and with the right "Bantam Karma" both ON & OFF the Pitch???????? Who knows?? - We just might see this "Miracle" get EVEN BETTER!
"Come on Yoooo Lama's" - (er Sorry) I meant City x ........c-:=
Just read up on the monks,Buddhists going around killing,raping and torturing men,women and children.....you'll soon want nothing to do with these guys.
Not so simple
says...
6:02pm Sat 2 Feb 13
queenyfan wrote:enjoy the blessings of a man and his group who are killing hundreds of people? No thanks I don't want any part of that.
Bingley Bantam. You are spot on. ALL City fans should enjoy every minute of this. Remember the last City fans who saw a Cup Final are all dead! It was over a hundred years ago. WE might not see another. If you have got a ticket then you are one of the lucky ones. A lot of `City fans` (Not everybody can go every week for a lot of reasons) would love to be going.
LETS ALL REALLY ENJOY THE NEXT THREE WEEKS. WE DESERVE IT.
Just read up on the monks,Buddhists going around killing,raping and torturing men,women and children.....you'll soon want nothing to do with these guys.
bingleybantam-ms54
says...
6:21pm Sat 2 Feb 13
- Genuine Peace & Respect towards you
- But if you wanna get really upset about Tibet and that part of the world - arent we turning a "Blind Eye" to what the Communist Chinese Government and the Peoples Republican Army have been doing - Like for Decades now ?
Thats "Why" the Dalai Lama is on a permanent "Tour of the World" - Yes ??
And "NO" I'm not a Buddhist -
The D L Story is just (for the majority) an "eccentric side story" to the build up to the main event -
You know - like that Octopus that predicted the last World Cup Type thing - A daft connection
So Let it go pal & keep smiling C-:=
Lets ALL keep our "eyes on the prize" and as I have said and queenyfan agrees - Lets REALLY enjoy the build up to "Our 1911" & better still Lets hope a similar score sees us win the bl**dy thing after ALL these comments about almost "Everything" !
Wishing you well. bb-ms54
bingleybantam-ms54
says...
6:24pm Sat 2 Feb 13
silverbantam
says...
6:45pm Sat 2 Feb 13
”
Steve30d
says...
8:02pm Sat 2 Feb 13
bcfc1903
says...
8:33pm Sat 2 Feb 13
**
We shout with pride....we'll never hide.....Claret and Amber.
Boing-Boing
says...
10:13pm Sat 2 Feb 13
Sorry to go on......but don't forget were trying to pack more colour into wembley than ever before....and all claret and amber!! Hats,scarves. Shirts and flags! Anything that's in our clubs colours
CTID
Wallybantam
says...
1:09am Sun 3 Feb 13
it...
wembley bound
says...
2:23am Sun 3 Feb 13
Freddy
says...
7:08am Sun 3 Feb 13
10:13pm Sat 2 Feb 1
Sorry to go on......but don't forget were trying to pack more colour into Wembley than ever before....and all claret and amber!! Hats,scarves. Shirts and flags! Anything that's in our clubs colours.
*
Both me and my Son do not have the latest ' Hooped' Shirts.
*
But we have got several shirts from the past. Including the Shitrs that City had when we went to The Old Wembley--to gain promotion in the 'Play-Offs'.
*
We feel that we would like to wear the previous Seasons Shirts. But not sure what the overall reactions would be.
*
But I agree the more Claret and Amber on display --The Better.
*
Also--" Flags "--Tens of Thousands of Flags ( A bit Like the Villa Crowd-- Were They Free???) ).
*
tyker2
says...
9:27am Sun 3 Feb 13
Hund01 wrote:fantastic idea:come on Baldwin and co~:get on with it
The club should invite him as guest of honour for the Wembley final. Imagine the pictures shooting around the world as the Dalai Lama appears in the royal box wearing City's colours? The rest would be left to destiny.
bcfc1903
says...
10:25am Sun 3 Feb 13
tyker2 wrote:Great Idea. Doubt it would happen but it would be a really nice touch if the club invited him to the game.
Hund01 wrote:fantastic idea:come on Baldwin and co~:get on with it
The club should invite him as guest of honour for the Wembley final. Imagine the pictures shooting around the world as the Dalai Lama appears in the royal box wearing City's colours? The rest would be left to destiny.
Cityman23
says...
11:32am Sun 3 Feb 13
nowt fresh
says...
1:58pm Sun 3 Feb 13
Cityman23 wrote::-))
Guess the Chinese....are 'supporting' the 'Swans' then!!
OzBantam
says...
2:15pm Sun 3 Feb 13
We are visiting from Australia (sadly, for a funeral) and having been a City fan till we left and listening to their games on Internet radio it would be a dream come true to see them at Wembley before we go back to Sydney on the 26th.
Got my fingers crossed we might get some when they go on general release but its going to be touch and go I think.
Will be in London anyway so cheering them on at the Pub will be better than the radio at 5am in Oz
Boing-Boing
says...
4:12pm Sun 3 Feb 13
Freddy wrote:Any claret and amber will do, the more retro the better as far ad I'm concerned, I wish I could afford a new shirt every year too
Boing-Boing says... 10:13pm Sat 2 Feb 1 Sorry to go on......but don't forget were trying to pack more colour into Wembley than ever before....and all claret and amber!! Hats,scarves. Shirts and flags! Anything that's in our clubs colours. * Both me and my Son do not have the latest ' Hooped' Shirts. * But we have got several shirts from the past. Including the Shitrs that City had when we went to The Old Wembley--to gain promotion in the 'Play-Offs'. * We feel that we would like to wear the previous Seasons Shirts. But not sure what the overall reactions would be. * But I agree the more Claret and Amber on display --The Better. * Also--" Flags "--Tens of Thousands of Flags ( A bit Like the Villa Crowd-- Were They Free???) ). *
it would be great for the club to supply flags like villa did!!!!! but I guess its not financial sense, we can't thro money away just because were in the final
audal
says...
5:00pm Sun 3 Feb 13
wembley bound
says...
8:38pm Sun 3 Feb 13
macca1969
says...
9:40pm Sun 3 Feb 13
Boing-Boing wrote:Agree Freddy a city shirt is a city shirt, doesn't matter how old it is. If it still fits after the beer and pies wear it with pride. Enjoy the day mate its going to be immense
Freddy wrote:Any claret and amber will do, the more retro the better as far ad I'm concerned, I wish I could afford a new shirt every year too
Boing-Boing says... 10:13pm Sat 2 Feb 1 Sorry to go on......but don't forget were trying to pack more colour into Wembley than ever before....and all claret and amber!! Hats,scarves. Shirts and flags! Anything that's in our clubs colours. * Both me and my Son do not have the latest ' Hooped' Shirts. * But we have got several shirts from the past. Including the Shitrs that City had when we went to The Old Wembley--to gain promotion in the 'Play-Offs'. * We feel that we would like to wear the previous Seasons Shirts. But not sure what the overall reactions would be. * But I agree the more Claret and Amber on display --The Better. * Also--" Flags "--Tens of Thousands of Flags ( A bit Like the Villa Crowd-- Were They Free???) ). *
it would be great for the club to supply flags like villa did!!!!! but I guess its not financial sense, we can't thro money away just because were in the final
Cityman23
says...
10:16pm Sun 3 Feb 13
nowt fresh wrote:Buddhists don't believe in god!
With fans like the Dalai Lama need Swansea turn upon the 24th,it's a done deal him and God on our side :-)).
bcfc1903
says...
12:13am Mon 4 Feb 13
macca1969 wrote:Yeah....we'll be wearing a selection of new and old Claret and Amber shirts....love the retro hooped but will also have the stripes on show...basically anything loud and proud in the Claret and Amber colour scheme. Hopefully the club will also be selling flags on a stick like before Wembley 96.
Boing-Boing wrote:Agree Freddy a city shirt is a city shirt, doesn't matter how old it is. If it still fits after the beer and pies wear it with pride. Enjoy the day mate its going to be immense
Freddy wrote:Any claret and amber will do, the more retro the better as far ad I'm concerned, I wish I could afford a new shirt every year too
Boing-Boing says... 10:13pm Sat 2 Feb 1 Sorry to go on......but don't forget were trying to pack more colour into Wembley than ever before....and all claret and amber!! Hats,scarves. Shirts and flags! Anything that's in our clubs colours. * Both me and my Son do not have the latest ' Hooped' Shirts. * But we have got several shirts from the past. Including the Shitrs that City had when we went to The Old Wembley--to gain promotion in the 'Play-Offs'. * We feel that we would like to wear the previous Seasons Shirts. But not sure what the overall reactions would be. * But I agree the more Claret and Amber on display --The Better. * Also--" Flags "--Tens of Thousands of Flags ( A bit Like the Villa Crowd-- Were They Free???) ). *
it would be great for the club to supply flags like villa did!!!!! but I guess its not financial sense, we can't thro money away just because were in the final
*
We shout with pride...we'll never hide....Claret and Amber.
nowt fresh
says...
8:32am Mon 4 Feb 13
Cityman23 wrote:Where did I say Buddhist's believed in God ? I said "him" the Dalai Lama, and God on our side no mention of Buddhist's beliefs..!!
nowt fresh wrote: With fans like the Dalai Lama need Swansea turn upon the 24th,it's a done deal him and God on our side :-)).Buddhists don't believe in god!
audal
says...
10:23am Mon 4 Feb 13
Midgeley
says...
10:29am Mon 4 Feb 13
bcfc1903
says...
1:24pm Mon 4 Feb 13
Midgeley wrote:Absolutely...well said!!!!!
While we cannot expect too much awareness and knowledge of world events in comments about football, some posters' ignorance beggars belief. The Dalai Lama is a religious leader of the TIBETAN people. The violence in Burma is not being carried out by 'his' followers in any sense. The sectarian problems in that country are appalling and rightly to be condemned but please point the finger in the right direction. Holding the Dalai Lama to account is as ridiculous as blaming the Archbishop of Canterbury for the atrocities that Christians committed in the former Yugoslavia.
bcfc1903
says...
1:29pm Mon 4 Feb 13
audal wrote:In 96..they were waved as the teams came out and after each goal scored ...think you'll be all right regarding the Wembley view lol...
Sorry but i do not fancy sitting behind hundreds of flags, i would like to see the match.
bingleybantam-ms54
says...
6:42pm Mon 4 Feb 13
10:29am Mon 4 Feb 13
While we cannot expect too much awareness and knowledge of world events in comments about football, some posters' ignorance beggars belief. The Dalai Lama is a religious leader of the TIBETAN people. The violence in Burma is not being carried out by 'his' followers in any sense. The sectarian problems in that country are appalling and rightly to be condemned but please point the finger in the right direction. Holding the Dalai Lama to account is as ridiculous as blaming the Archbishop of Canterbury for the atrocities that Christians committed in the former Yugoslavia.”
"Cheers Midgeley" - I thought I was right on this one - Its "Burmah" not Tibet - ...."One Dali Lama ...... Theres ONLY ONE Dali Lama ... etc etc c-:=
searogue
says...
3:16pm Tue 5 Feb 13
A message from His Holiness?
Eeh Bah Gum!
GABRIEL.NORDE
says...
6:13pm Fri 8 Feb 13
Hund01 wrote:Ttha's a GREAT IDEA! It MUST HAPPEN...AMEN! LOL
The club should invite him as guest of honour for the Wembley final. Imagine the pictures shooting around the world as the Dalai Lama appears in the royal box wearing City's colours? The rest would be left to destiny.
bantam85 says...
9:34am Sat 2 Feb 13