Jon Blakely's Canadian Chronicles
Wednesday 16 January, 2002
So no one else cared before Richmond?
I have just read an article on a well known website- well this one to be precise.
It stated that 'No one gave a toss until Richmond came along.' were the exact words.
If I could take someone to court (as Richmond frequently does) I would, young Roland.
We all know that Roland Harris is very pro everything City/Geoffrey Richmond does. We all know that Roland never says anything bad about the club but his time he has gone way over the top.
After all if you only have to pay the man a quid to get into your first games then why not support him even when he is wrong?
So no one cared about Bradford City before Geoffrey Richmond??
Rest in Peace Stafford Heginbotham, you went through things for Bradford City that Geoffrey Richmond has never had to go through, and thanks to you rebuilding Valley Parade and seeing off the people who wanted to relocate at Odsal, we saw the opening, the re-birth of Valley Parade.
Yes Valley Parade, not the Bradford and Bingley Stadium at Valley Parade, and any other sponsorship sell off that Richmond has done.
What about the fact that Stafford saved the club (twice) from going into extinction, then Roland, you wouldn't have ever had the chance to be a quid a kid, kid.
The people who gave their savings in 1983 to save the club. I remember my best friend in Ilkley giving everything out of his bank account to help raise the money to keep the club afloat.
And those people who, in May 1985 witnessed the tragedy of the Stand Fire, and that says nothing of the people who gave their lives so they could watch one of the greatest days of City's (until then) crappy existence, these people paid the ultimate price for caring about Bradford City that day (or should I say 'giving a toss' so that Roland understands?)
I put myself forward as someone who cares for Bradford City just as much if not more than Geoffrey Richmond. No I haven't put millions in, but I tell you Roland, when I was a kid and I had two quid, I would give it all to the club shop. When I was a teenager and had ten quid pocket money I would give it all to Bradford City, when i got a job I would spend all of my disposable income on going to see Bradford City (even traveling to every game home and away from London), and now as I sit here I read that no one has EVER cared about Bradford City as much as GR.
Anyone who wants the transcript from an e-mail I received from our friend Geoffrey Richmond about how he doesn't care what people who don't plough money into the club think, can have a copy any day of the week.
So Stafford Heginbotham, the club savers in 1983, all those people who witnessed 1985 and lost lives in the cause, and to myself, I apologise on behalf of Roland Harris.
Read the Roland Harris article: A home truth for you if you want Richmond out?