5:48 AM 5th May 2025
A Weekend To Remember As The Bantam’s Faithful Mark Poignant Anniversary
Photo: Neil Sherwood
The 50-strong choir sang an orchestral adaptation of the football anthem ‘Take Me Home, Midland Road’ on the pitch at the University of Bradford Stadium.
The choir, joined by operatic soprano singer Lesley Garrett and former Bradford City football player and manager Chris Kamara, were given a standing ovation from the crowd.
Bradford City won the game 1-0 against Fleetwood Town to seal promotion to League One in the final minute on the final day of the season.
It was also a poignant occasion for the club which was marking 40 years since the Valley Parade stadium fire that claimed the lives of 56 players in 1985 and injured hundreds more.
The choir, which champions the club’s nickname of ‘The Bantams’ in its title have been taught to sing opera to mark the Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture celebrations as part of a BBC Radio Leeds challenge.
From a 90-year-old match-day volunteer at the club, to an 18-year-old A-Level student, the choir is made up of fans from across Bradford who are passionate about the city they call home.
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Photo: Neil Sherwood
The campaign title is a play on Lord Lloyd Webber's 1986 musical The Phantom of the Opera, based on the novel by Gaston Leroux.
Being a small part of the Bantam of the Opera choir is something I am really proud of and today on the pitch at halftime, to coin a phrase, was ‘Unbelievable’.
I became involved as a mark of respect for the 56 fans who lost their lives 40 years ago in the fire at the Bradford City ground. We’ll never forgot them, or that day, and singing on the pitch with 50 Bradford supporters, who have never sung in public before, was something else. It was especially poignant since some of the choir were in the crowd on that fateful day, back in 1985. At the game we were able to pay our respects, and we also managed to raise a few pounds for the Bradford Burns Unit.
Today’s experience was different to walking out in front of a packed stadium of footy fans to play a match with my teammates. I was with my new team and realised fairly quickly that they would be looking to me and Lesley Garrett for confidence. I need not have worried, they were absolutely incredible and more relaxed than me. I hope we’ve made people smile and proud, uniting the fan base in song in a positive way.
“That was one of the most moving performances I’ve ever taken part in. There was so much emotion and love on that pitch. The choir sang brilliantly, and Kammy was amazing. James Sills our choral leader held everything together like he always does, he’s our hero.
“I’m glad we’ve done it because I don’t think I’ve been more nervous in my entire life. The fans just so appreciated everything we’ve been working so hard to achieve. It was an overwhelming experience and I feel honoured and privileged to have taken part in it.”
“That was one of the most memorable moments of my life. The atmosphere, the crowd, our fabulous choir and the privilege of singing for my dad and the 56 – amazing. I’m absolutely buzzing.”
Back in January the choir started off as fifty strangers with one thing in common, they were all Bradford City fans. On Saturday, they showed the world how far they’d come in such a short space of time, united in song and singing for their club.
“The choir’s half-time performance was heartwarming, emotional and made me incredibly proud. Many of the choir members have personal memories of the Valley Parade fire 40 years ago, and for some, the last time they were on the pitch was when they were helping others escape from the flames. This performance was for the 56 fans who lost their lives in 1985, and the hundreds more injured.”
The Bantam of the Opera performance boosted the club’s fundraising efforts, raising thousands of pounds for the Burns Unit in Bradford.