Editing Valley Parade (section)

{{short description|Football stadium in Bradford, home to Bradford City A.F.C.}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2014}}
{{Infobox venue
| stadium_name = Valley Parade
| image = [[File:Valley Parade, Bradford.jpg|240px]]
| caption = 
| fullname = University of Bradford Stadium
| location = Valley Parade <br> [[Bradford]] <br> [[West Yorkshire]] <br> BD8 7DY <br> England
| coordinates = {{coord|53|48|15|N|001|45|32|W|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline,title}}
| surface = Grass
| opened = 1886<ref name="f53">{{cite book |last=Frost |first=Terry |title=Bradford City A Complete Record 1903–1988 |publisher=Breedon Books Sport |year=1988 |page=53 |isbn=0-907969-38-0}}</ref>
| record_attendance = {{formatnum: 39146}} ([[Bradford City F.C.|Bradford City]]–[[Burnley F.C.|Burnley]], 11 March 1911)
| seating_capacity = 24,840<ref name="official website">{{cite web |url=https://www.bradfordcityafc.com/supporters/First-Time-Visitors/ |title=First Time Visitors |access-date=5 May 2024 |publisher=Bradford City official website |archive-date=5 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240505064201/https://www.bradfordcityafc.com/supporters/First-Time-Visitors/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
| owner = [[Gordon Gibb|Gordon Gibb pension fund]]<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/sportbcfc/sportbcfcheadlines/display.var.2158741.0.city_back_on_an_even_keel.php |title=City back on an even keel |date=1 April 2008 |access-date=2 April 2008 |work=[[Telegraph & Argus]] |first=Simon |last=Parker}}</ref>
| tenants = Football<br>[[Bradford City A.F.C.|Bradford City]] (1903–1985, 1986-present)<ref name="official history"/><br>[[Bradford Park Avenue A.F.C.|Bradford (Park Avenue)]] (1973–1974)<ref name="f62"/><br>Rugby League<br>[[Manningham F.C.|Manningham RFC]] (1886–1903)<br>[[Bradford Bulls]] (2001–2002)<ref name="bulls"/>
| dimensions = {{convert|113|x|70|yards|m|abbr=on}}<ref name="official website"/>
}}

'''Valley Parade''', currently known as '''University of Bradford Stadium''' for sponsorship reasons, is an [[all-seater]] [[association football|football]] stadium in [[Bradford]], [[West Yorkshire]], England. The stadium was built in 1886 as the home of [[Manningham F.C.|Manningham Rugby Football Club]]; it remained so until 1903, when the club changed code from [[rugby league]] to association football, and became [[Bradford City A.F.C.]]. Valley Parade has since been Bradford City's home ground, and is now owned by the pension fund of the club's former chairman [[Gordon Gibb]]. The stadium has also hosted [[Bradford (Park Avenue) A.F.C.|Bradford (Park Avenue)]] for one season and the rugby-league side [[Bradford Bulls]] for two seasons, and has accommodated a number of [[England national youth football team|England youth team]] fixtures. In 1908, the football architect [[Archibald Leitch]] was commissioned to redevelop the ground when Bradford City were promoted to the [[Football League Division One|First Division]]. 

Few changes were made until a [[Bradford City stadium fire|fatal fire]] on 11 May 1985, when 56&nbsp;supporters were killed and at least 265 were injured. The stand had been officially condemned and was due to be replaced with a [[Structural steel|steel structure]] after the season ended. [[Oliver Popplewell]] published his [[Public inquiry|inquiry]] into the fire, which led to the introduction of new safety legislation for sports grounds across England. Following the fire, the stadium underwent a £2.6-million redevelopment and was re-opened in December 1986. 

The ground underwent significant changes in the 1990s and the early 2000s, and now has a capacity of 25,136. The attendance record of 39,146 was set in 1911 at an [[FA Cup]] tie against [[Burnley F.C.|Burnley]], making it the oldest-surviving attendance record at a [[The Football League|Football League]] ground in England. The highest attendance at Valley Parade, as it is now, is 24,343, was set at a pre-season friendly against [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]] in 2019.<ref name="Club facts">{{cite web |title=Club facts |url=https://www.bradfordcityafc.com/club/bradford-city---club-facts/ |website=Bradford City AFC |access-date=27 January 2023 |archive-date=27 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230127114004/https://www.bradfordcityafc.com/club/bradford-city---club-facts/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2022, the stadium's name was changed because of sponsorship from the [[University of Bradford]].