This season Prostate Cancer UK is the official charity of The
Football League. To celebrate, we've asked bloggers from each of
the 72 clubs to count down their top five strikers to have worn the
No9 shirt, in recognition of the fact that prostate cancer
affects one in nine men.
Leading role: Lee Mills' goals helped Bradford to the top flight. Photo courtesy of Action Images
Here blogger Jason McKeown, of widthofapost.com, selects
Bradford's five best No9s… and one to forget!
5. Sean McCarthy
(1990-93)
As first impressions go, scoring a goal, missing a penalty and
getting sent off was some Bradford debut for Sean McCarthy. Signed
from Plymouth, McCarthy was the Bantams' top scorer in each of his
three full seasons at Valley Parade, averaging a goal every two
matches. He was eventually sold to Premier League Oldham for twice
the £250,000 City paid for him.
4. Lee Mills
(1998-2000)
A one-season wonder in some respects, but what a season! Lee Mills
became City's first ever £1m signing, becoming top scorer as the
club were memorably promoted to the Premier League. A total of 25
goals were netted by the powerful and athletic Mills en route to
the promised land, though he subsequently struggled to make an
impact at the highest level.
3. Joe Cooke (1971-79 &
1982-84)
One of the pioneering black players, Joe was born in Dominica and
raised in Bradford. He enjoyed two highly successful spells with
his adopted hometown club, for whom he made almost 300 appearances.
Cooke's presence also did much to shape the culture of the club
among supporters during a period of fast-changing race relations in
Britain.
2. Frank O'Rourke
(1907-14)
City's greatest era came more than 100 years ago - a time when
Scottish striker Frank O'Rourke led the line as City became one of
the top teams in the country, winning their only major honour, the
FA Cup, in 1911. O'Rourke's impressive tally of 88 goals from 192
appearances made him the club's all time-leading scorer for 69
years, until he was finally overtaken by…
1. Bobby Campbell (1979-83,
83-86)
Beyond just the goals (121 in 274 appearances, across two periods
for the club) and the glory (part of two promotion-winning sides),
Bobby Campbell's place in City's history books and enduring
affections of the supporters lies in his larger-than-life character
and fearless attitude. The stories of his off-field antics are
still celebrated today as much as his goals. The iconic Bradford
City No9.
And the
worst…
Ashley Ward
(2000-03)
Considering the outlay (£1.5m, the club's second highest transfer
fee of all time) and the wages (reputedly £18,000 a week), Ashley
Ward offered poor value. It took him 24 Premier League appearances
to score a goal (and that was a tap-in), and his goal returns of
six, 11 and three - over three seasons - can only be described as
woeful.
Follow Jason on Twitter @Jason_McKeown