Burnley’s Road to the Cup
Burnley will be backed by a sizeable away following when they take on Bradford City in the Carabao Cup second round on Wednesday night. The Clarets earned a dramatic first-round win over Notts County, a 1-1 draw after normal time that was decided by a penalty shootout. Their next opponent, Bradford City, will host them at Valley Parade.
Bradford City’s Strong Start
Graham Alexander’s Bantams eased past Rochdale 2-0 before beginning their League One campaign with back-to-back victories over Peterborough United and Sheffield Wednesday. The club has yet to concede a goal in their opening three games, a defensive record that has drawn attention from the media and fans alike.
Fan Support and Ticket Sales
Tickets for the match are priced at £5, and the club has already sold 13,000 home tickets, according to a post on Bradford’s official X account. Burnley boss Nicky Hayen said during a pre-West Brom press conference that the Clarets are expected to be backed by over 4,000 fans in the away end. “We really want the fans to be able to identify themselves with us,” Hayen said. He added, “I think we sold 4,000 tickets, which is a huge number for a cup game.”
Managerial Comments
Hayen also noted that the match will be the first meeting between the two sides since 2004. He stressed the importance of fan collaboration, saying, “If we deliver these performances and you have such support from the fans, then it's always nice to have that collaboration.” He concluded by emphasising the team's commitment to full-time play, stating, “We go for 95 minutes full now in the West Brom game, but also against Bradford and even all the games after that.”
The match promises to be a showcase of Bradford City’s defensive solidity and Burnley’s determination to make a strong cup run, with a potentially record-breaking away crowd in attendance.
