David Bradford (footballer)
Encyclopedia
David Bradford is a retired professional football midfielder
from England.
In 1968, Bradford began his career as a fifteen year old apprentice with Blackburn Rovers. In 1971, he moved up to the first team. In 1974, they sent him to Sheffield United for £10,000 where he played for Ken Furphy
. In 1978, Furphy, now coach of the Detroit Express
of the North American Soccer League
, brought Bradford to the United States. He returned to England at the end of the NASL seasons and played for Coventry City in 1978-1979 before returning to the Detroit Express
in 1979. In 1981, he signed with the Washington Diplomats
, then played the 1982 season with the Tulsa Roughnecks
. Bradford played for the Baltimore Blast in the Major Indoor Soccer League
in 1982-1983. In 1983, he played for the Seattle Sounders. The team folded at the end of the season and Bradford returned to the Roughnecks for the last season of the NASL.
After his retirement, he managed the Brownhill
post office for over a decade. He now coaches in the Tulsa Soccer Academy.
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
from England.
In 1968, Bradford began his career as a fifteen year old apprentice with Blackburn Rovers. In 1971, he moved up to the first team. In 1974, they sent him to Sheffield United for £10,000 where he played for Ken Furphy
Ken Furphy
Ken Furphy is an English former football player and manager.Despite being on the books at Everton between 1950–1951, Furphy was a lower league player with Runcorn Darlington and then Workington...
. In 1978, Furphy, now coach of the Detroit Express
Detroit Express
The Detroit Express was a soccer team based in suburban Detroit that played in the now defunct North American Soccer League from 1978 to 1980. Its home field was the Pontiac Silverdome. The Express were co-owned and directed by famous English soccer pundit Jimmy Hill who was also the managing...
of the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
, brought Bradford to the United States. He returned to England at the end of the NASL seasons and played for Coventry City in 1978-1979 before returning to the Detroit Express
Detroit Express
The Detroit Express was a soccer team based in suburban Detroit that played in the now defunct North American Soccer League from 1978 to 1980. Its home field was the Pontiac Silverdome. The Express were co-owned and directed by famous English soccer pundit Jimmy Hill who was also the managing...
in 1979. In 1981, he signed with the Washington Diplomats
Washington Diplomats
The Washington Diplomats were an American soccer club based in Washington, D.C.. Throughout their existence, the club played their home games at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium...
, then played the 1982 season with the Tulsa Roughnecks
Tulsa Roughnecks
-NASL:The Tulsa Roughnecks were a North American Soccer League team from Tulsa, Oklahoma. They played at Skelly Stadium on the campus of the University of Tulsa. The Roughnecks were a regular in the NASL playoffs, and won the NASL Soccer Bowl in 1983, defeating the Toronto Blizzard at B.C. Place...
. Bradford played for the Baltimore Blast in the Major Indoor Soccer League
Major Soccer League
The Major Indoor Soccer League, known in its final two seasons as the Major Soccer League, was an indoor soccer league in the USA from 1978 to 1992. After the folding of the North American Soccer League in 1984, the MISL was the Division I soccer league for the United States...
in 1982-1983. In 1983, he played for the Seattle Sounders. The team folded at the end of the season and Bradford returned to the Roughnecks for the last season of the NASL.
After his retirement, he managed the Brownhill
Brownhill
Brownhill is a suburb of Blackburn, in the unitary borough of Blackburn with Darwen, in Lancashire, England. It is situated to the north-east of the town centre, in the Roe Lee ward which has an estimated population of around 5948...
post office for over a decade. He now coaches in the Tulsa Soccer Academy.