h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

OK, that's it. I've seen everything now.
Bradford City will be playing in Europe in a few weeks' time.
Via an extraordinary set of circumstances that I don't yet fully understand, it has emerged today that my beloved Bantams have somehow contrived to qualify for the Intertoto Cup. I had expected my 2000-01 season to begin with one of City's traditional pre-season kickabouts against a local non-league side.
But no. Instead, it'll start with a team from either Lithuania or (rather ominously, given recent events) Turkey visiting Valley Parade in early July. We are but four two-legged ties away from a place in the UEFA Cup.
Words fail me. Can life get any more amazing?

Only if paul jewel ask you to play!!!!!
"IM CITY TILL I DIE IM CITY TILL I DIE I KNOW I AM IM SURE I AM IM CITY TILL I DIE...(you think thats bad you should hear me sing it)
its great news the tv money will be great for the club and when we win it we will be in the uefa cup
A friend of mine is a leeds fan he kept saying the only way bradford could get into europe is in the song contest.

Well, once we've won the InterToto and L***s have been knocked out of the Champions-and-rich-friends' League, perhaps we'll knock them out of the UEFA Cup! It might sound like wild fantasy, but so did the idea of City in Europe until yesterday...

So it's true, some people on the Arsenal NG said as much but I still find it surreal. Have you qualified as being the luckiest team in Europe?

We got in to it because we were the only team that said we would play in round two all the rest only wanted to play from round 3.
P.S. you know why they say city till we die none of them ever retier.

By the way, what's the thinking behind your mascot....I mean most club's are ashamed of any child-molesters they may have, but you lot give him a job as the mascot. What's the thinking behind that then?

Huh!? Beware the laws of libel (and the h2g2 Terms And Conditions), androyd!
If you mean Lenny the City Gent, his outfit is based on a cartoon character who always appeared on the front cover of City programmes in the Sixties and Seventies.
I've never seen him do anything to the kids in the crowd other than throw them sweets from a safe distance. If you see anything sinister in that, I can only assume that you've been hanging around with that well-known ex-Gunner Graham Rix!

How is it that song goes....with a bag of sweets and a cheery smile....?

Just read in the T&A that channel 4 want to buy the rights to citys inter toto cup.
P.S. have you been in bradford this week i used the computer at the library and entered under your name.

Not only am I in Bradford this week, but I'm staying there! I've moved back to Bradford and now live within easy walking distance of the Valley Parade Field Of Dreams!

When's the first european game then? West Ham played theirs sometime around the end of June beginning of July.

The mighty Bradford boys will commence their European endeavours next Sunday (July 2) away to FK Atalantas of Lithuania - kick-off 4pm UK time. The return leg takes place at Valley Parade on July 9. And of course I'll be there.

What's been happening with Jewell leaving? Give us the fan's eye view.

Well, it was a nasty shock. Reading between the lines of what's been said, my guess is that PJ fell out with our Chairman, Geoffrey Richmond, probably because GR interfered too much with all aspects of the team. Richmond has admitted that the City manager's job is made more difficult by the fact that he is at the ground every day.
The new incumbent, Chris Hutchings a familiar face to BCFC fans but an unknown quantity as a leader. He was previously our assistant manager - but does anyone know exactly what an assistant manager actually does?
We shall just have to wait and see what the new season brings (apart from another struggle, which is pretty much inevitable). Hutchings has £7 million to spend, so perhaps there is some hope.

An assistant manager is either:
1. The fall guy
2. The guy who is actually the manager
3. A great coach but unable to speak in public
4. An old mate the manager owed a favour to.

If it's 1,3 or 4 then he won't last. the real key to success at this level is a manager who can spot a bargain and then persuade them to come to your club - this applies to the top as well as the bottom clubs - the difference is top clubs can afford a couple of 'gambles' per season, the others can't.

Well that leeds fan that said city would never play in europe in is life time is starting to get worred(4 hour 35 mins)to go.

3-1 not a bad start for an away match and we seemed to play well from what little i heared on the radio(i fell a sleep at half time well i worked last night)now for the home match.

3-1 away isn't at all bad, especially given that we only fielded three of the 11 that started that epic victory over Liverpool last May. Roll on Sunday - I can't wait to be back in the glorious Valley!

Congratulations, you are clearly not the worst team in Europe.

Actually, something even better has just happened! Remember how Rodney Marsh said that he'd have his head shaved in public if we avoided relegation last season? Well, his haircut has been booked for August 26, when he'll be shorn on the Valley Parade pitch before our first home game of the season.
But despite that, he hasn't learned his lesson! Rodney's tipping us to go down this season! Our good luck charm is staying with us!