Valley Parade, Football stadium in Bradford, England
Valley Parade is a football and rugby league venue in Bradford, England, built entirely with seats across four separate stands. The main stand runs along one side of the pitch, while the Kop End behind one goal holds the largest single section of spectators.
The ground opened in 1886 for Manningham Rugby Football Club and hosted rugby matches until 1903. That year the club became Bradford City Association Football Club and began playing football on the site.
The ground takes its name from the valley where it sits, and locals often call it simply VP or the Bantams Nest in daily conversation. Supporters gather in nearby pubs before matches, passing down traditions and chants from one generation to the next.
Bradford Interchange and Bradford Forster Square are the nearest railway stations, both within walking distance of the ground. Several bus routes stop close to the entrance, making travel from different parts of the city straightforward.
The attendance record of 39,146 from a match against Burnley in March 1911 remains the oldest surviving figure of any Football League ground to this day. No other venue in the league has kept such an early record intact.
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