I’ll fly round the world for the final, says Bradford City fan from Australia (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)
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I’ll fly round the world for the final, says Bradford City fan from Australia
7:00am Tuesday 22nd January 2013 in Bantams
By Hannah Postles, T&A Reporter
The North Family at Valley Parade in 2006 (from left) John North (uncle), Mick North (Dad), Brett North (brother) and Scott.
An Australian Bantams’ fan told how he has flight tickets on standby if Bradford reach the Capital One Cup final at Wembley – and hopes to bring former City player Bruce Stowell on his 20,000-mile round trip.
Queensland-born Scott North, 36, has started plans for a £3,200 stay in the UK if Bradford beat Aston Villa in the second-leg of the semi-final at Villa Park tonight, including an invite for the 72-year-old former midfielder, who now lives in Brisbane.
Speaking from his home in Australia, the senior sports and recreational officer, who met Mr Stowell during his time working as a coach in Queensland, said he had plane seats on hold and had been in touch with the club about tickets.
“We are all ready to go, just waiting, and hoping,” he said.
“I really hope Bruce comes, because it will just make my trip absolutely perfect, regardless of the score. I am feeling confident about the game, 3-1 was a great score in the first-leg. I was following it on Twitter as we didn’t have access to the game at the time and I just couldn’t believe what I was reading.
“I should put a bet on them winning the next match, then it can help pay for my trip!”
Although Scott has never lived in Bradford, his City fan dad Mick North, 66, who will make the trip to the UK with him, grew up in Leeds and lived in Bradford for a few years.
Father-of-one Scott said: “My first memories of Bradford City were back in the early 80s, sitting in a parked car in Australia with dad and my younger brother Brett every Sunday afternoon listening to the radio for the football results after the 6pm news during our summer.
“We lived in a farmhouse about three hours drive from Brisbane and radio reception was poor in the house. It was always a long, patient wait for the news to finish and then they would start reading the results from the former Division One down to Division Four, where City were.
“We would hold our breath as they would reach our league. It would go ‘Division Four, Bradford City 2, Stockport County 0’ and we would erupt.
“Luckily our neighbours were 10km away.”
Scott had hoped to visit Bradford while he was younger and his dad had promised him and his brother that if City ever made the top flight, they would watch them play at Valley Parade.
He said: “When they won promotion at the end of 98-99, I was ecstatic, finally my dream was realised and thought I'd better get a passport. But when I called dad to start the planning, he reneged, claiming he never said that. My brother and I were so angry, we've never let him forget it and never will.”
He finally visited Bradford during the World Cup in 2006 and was able to walk on the pitch at Valley Parade with his wife Riss, 38.
Scott will be watching the Villa game, which kicks off at 5am his time, in an English-themed pub or his Brisbane home.
The morning also coincides with his daughter Charlotte’s first birthday on Wednesday, January 23.
“Hopefully I get the present that day,” he said.
Comments(12)
pommieguy
says...
10:16pm Tue 22 Jan 13
txbantam
says...
10:26pm Tue 22 Jan 13
Chilebilly
says...
11:30pm Tue 22 Jan 13
genuine fans deserve a ticket before you jump on the glory bandwagon.
you havent been to a game in years,we don't need you stealing tickets from REAL fans.Didn't see you clammering to be at the Barnet away game.
Chilebilly
says...
11:33pm Tue 22 Jan 13
pommieguy wrote:Its called football not soccer.
well make that 2 Australia city fan that will be going to the final in feb , i been in Australia for 35 years and been a city fan since i was 8 when i use to go and watch city with my dad every home game and when i turn 14 i went to all the away games up till i was 17 when i moved to Australia and have never stop being a fan people here say who u like in the english soccer i say Bradford City they say whoooooo lol now they know who we are hahahahaha bring it on WELLLLLL DONE lads
When was the last time you put any money into the club.Stay in Oz and do us all a favour
richbar62
says...
12:08am Wed 23 Jan 13
Chilebilly wrote:My son and i just booked flights from Melbourne to be there for Cup Final.
pommieguy wrote:Its called football not soccer.
well make that 2 Australia city fan that will be going to the final in feb , i been in Australia for 35 years and been a city fan since i was 8 when i use to go and watch city with my dad every home game and when i turn 14 i went to all the away games up till i was 17 when i moved to Australia and have never stop being a fan people here say who u like in the english soccer i say Bradford City they say whoooooo lol now they know who we are hahahahaha bring it on WELLLLLL DONE lads
When was the last time you put any money into the club.Stay in Oz and do us all a favour
And before chillybilly adds any more comments, have spent thousands buying from online shop, and nothing wrong with having fans from overseas.
Be great if all the overseas fans can get together at some point
pommieguy
says...
12:31am Wed 23 Jan 13
Chilebilly wrote:chilebilly i was born in bradford i watch my first game in league 4 1968 my dad still go to the games and he 87 ,i watch every home game from 68 till 77 and went to every away games from 74 till 77 when i left to come to Australia and still watch the news and papers about every games, i wear the shirts around the place and a tatto on my arm so who u to say stay here mmmmmm .
pommieguy wrote:Its called football not soccer.
well make that 2 Australia city fan that will be going to the final in feb , i been in Australia for 35 years and been a city fan since i was 8 when i use to go and watch city with my dad every home game and when i turn 14 i went to all the away games up till i was 17 when i moved to Australia and have never stop being a fan people here say who u like in the english soccer i say Bradford City they say whoooooo lol now they know who we are hahahahaha bring it on WELLLLLL DONE lads
When was the last time you put any money into the club.Stay in Oz and do us all a favour
richbar62
says...
12:39am Wed 23 Jan 13
pommieguy wrote:Well said pommieguy
Chilebilly wrote:chilebilly i was born in bradford i watch my first game in league 4 1968 my dad still go to the games and he 87 ,i watch every home game from 68 till 77 and went to every away games from 74 till 77 when i left to come to Australia and still watch the news and papers about every games, i wear the shirts around the place and a tatto on my arm so who u to say stay here mmmmmm .
pommieguy wrote:Its called football not soccer.
well make that 2 Australia city fan that will be going to the final in feb , i been in Australia for 35 years and been a city fan since i was 8 when i use to go and watch city with my dad every home game and when i turn 14 i went to all the away games up till i was 17 when i moved to Australia and have never stop being a fan people here say who u like in the english soccer i say Bradford City they say whoooooo lol now they know who we are hahahahaha bring it on WELLLLLL DONE lads
When was the last time you put any money into the club.Stay in Oz and do us all a favour
My famly is mostly in Bradford / Yorkshire area, parents moved to Australia in 60's but i have always followed the team.
idlebones
says...
1:07am Wed 23 Jan 13
HongKong
says...
12:59pm Wed 23 Jan 13
There's always one idiot though who wants to have a moan eh Chilebily?
Chilebilly
says...
6:40pm Wed 23 Jan 13
pommieguy wrote:So you haven't been to a game since 1977!!!!!
Chilebilly wrote:chilebilly i was born in bradford i watch my first game in league 4 1968 my dad still go to the games and he 87 ,i watch every home game from 68 till 77 and went to every away games from 74 till 77 when i left to come to Australia and still watch the news and papers about every games, i wear the shirts around the place and a tatto on my arm so who u to say stay here mmmmmm .pommieguy wrote: well make that 2 Australia city fan that will be going to the final in feb , i been in Australia for 35 years and been a city fan since i was 8 when i use to go and watch city with my dad every home game and when i turn 14 i went to all the away games up till i was 17 when i moved to Australia and have never stop being a fan people here say who u like in the english soccer i say Bradford City they say whoooooo lol now they know who we are hahahahaha bring it on WELLLLLL DONE ladsIts called football not soccer. When was the last time you put any money into the club.Stay in Oz and do us all a favour
that makes you a REAL fan then does it.
Not in my book it doesn't.
Oh sorry,you have a tattoo as well.
Is it spelt correctly!!!!!
Chilebilly
says...
6:43pm Wed 23 Jan 13
HongKong wrote:Billy has 2 "L's" if you want to spell it correctly Hong Kong Phooey!!!
Will be flying back from Tokyo for the final. Born and bred in Bradford and been to hundreds of games when I lived in the UK. I think its great City have got an international following. There's always one idiot though who wants to have a moan eh Chilebily?
Maybe you more of an idiot than me
Albion. says...
11:15am Tue 22 Jan 13