A chronicler of Bradford City’s legacy has released another volume documenting the club’s journey from its origins to contemporary times.
John Dewhirst, who has documented the football and sporting heritage of Bradford since the mid-1980s, established The City Gent fanzine alongside others in 1984.
Throughout his career, he has produced multiple publications examining the Bantams’ past alongside the rivalry shared with neighbours Bradford Park Avenue.
The latest addition to his bibliography is scheduled for release on September 15 under the title The Bantams of Valley Parade.
The work traces the club’s development beginning in 1903, when predecessor organisation Manningham FC made the switch away from rugby.
The narrative extends through to recent events, encompassing the celebrated 1911 FA Cup triumph and the catastrophic fire which engulfed Valley Parade in 1985.
Also addressed within the publication are the club’s tenure among the elite of English football, their remarkable cup runs which saw them overcome far higher-ranked opposition, and the dramatic final-day achievement which secured promotion from League Two in 2025.
Dewhirst holds the position of managing editor for the History Revisited collection produced by bantamspast.
This marks his first full-length work since the 2020 collaborative effort Wool City Rivals: A History in Colour, completed alongside George Chilvers.
Beyond book publishing, Dewhirst operates the Wool City Rivals website focusing on the histories of both Bradford City and Bradford Park Avenue.
Additionally, he serves as editor for VINCIT, an internet-based publication dedicated to the sporting history of the city.
Amberley Publishing, the house responsible for the new volume, has described it as an accessible account charting the club’s fascinating progression from establishment through to modern era, suggesting it would prove engaging for supporters of the Bantams across all locations.
The work incorporates photographic content and exists in digital editions compatible with Kindle, Kobo and iBook platforms.