Rory McArdle hoping to evoke spirit of famous Bradford City FA Cup run

Rory McArdle will be looking to create more special FA Cup memories today when he turns out for Exeter City in their second-round clash with Gillingham.
Rory McArdle of Bradford applauds the fans after victory in the FA Cup Fifth Round match between Bradford City and Sunderland at Coral Windows Stadium, Valley Parade on February 15, 2015.  (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images).Rory McArdle of Bradford applauds the fans after victory in the FA Cup Fifth Round match between Bradford City and Sunderland at Coral Windows Stadium, Valley Parade on February 15, 2015.  (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images).
Rory McArdle of Bradford applauds the fans after victory in the FA Cup Fifth Round match between Bradford City and Sunderland at Coral Windows Stadium, Valley Parade on February 15, 2015. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images).

The 33-year-old, who represented Northern Ireland on seven occasions, was part of the Bradford City side that famously made it to the quarter-finals in the 2014/15 competition, with the highlight being a 4-2 triumph over Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

They also navigated their way past the likes of Millwall and Sunderland, and McArdle admits there is always an excitement ahead of a big cup clash.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“If you’ve had success in a competition it sparks all those memories when you play in it again,” he said.

“There are a couple of games in that cup run at Bradford that when you look back on it now makes you realise how big of an achievement it was.

“At the time, we were in the bubble and enjoying it but when you look back you can see it doesn’t happen too often.

“They were probably the best team in England at the time and the score was a bit of a shock but it’s one that we thoroughly deserved.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“It’s important when you have those moments that you enjoy them,” added McArdle.

“When you’re in a successful period you probably take it for granted a little bit and get used to it.

“To have that amount of success in such a short period of time is something I will never forget and I’m sure that’s what everyone who was involved would say as well.

“The support from the fans during that time was incredible and I’m sure the journeys they had they will still speak to with their friends and talk about the memories they had too.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Centre-half McArdle had the job of marking Didier Drogba on that January afternoon in London while Mohamed Salah and Eden Hazard were also present in the Chelsea squad.

Drogba finished his career with 104 Premier League goals and is widely regarded as one of the finest strikers to play in the competition, but McArdle helped keep him quiet with Bradford coming back from 2-0 down and victory this weekend could potentially set up another top-flight clash.

“He was a little bit older than when he first came to the Premier League when he was unstoppable,” he added. “He had a good three or four-year spell where no one seemed to be able to handle him.

“Even then you could tell how good he was. He had a real physical presence and was so clever.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“You see him and think he’s just going to be a big powerhouse, but he picks up good positions, has a great touch and we were fortunate to catch him on a slight off day.”

McArdle, who started his professional career with Sheffield Wednesday, moved to League Two outfit Exeter from Scunthorpe United ahead of the current season.

He still hasn’t got the opportunity to play in front of his new club’s supporters due to current restrictions, but with the news that up to 4,000 fans could be allowed back into stadiums from next weekend, McArdle mightn’t have too much longer to wait for that experience.

“It’s been strange,” he admits.

“It’s something that we have had to get used to but with recent news it looks like things might start moving forward soon.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Not just in football but in general it has had a massive impact on people so fingers crossed we can start moving forward because football needs the fans.

“As a spectacle, it isn’t great playing without fans. You see lads score some really great goals and no one is really celebrating which is a shame.

“Hopefully the fans will start coming back. It’s well-known that teams towards the lower end of the spectrum are starting to feel the brunt now and the last thing we want to see is teams starting to struggle.”

McArdle received his first international cap in May 2010 after coming on as a substitute in a 2-0 friendly loss to Turkey.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He was involved in 14 international squads and started twice, including alongside Craig Cathcart in a 1-1 World Cup qualifying draw with Israel in 2013, while his last call-up came during the heart-breaking 2018 World Cup play-off double-header against Switzerland.

Although he would have loved more opportunities, McArdle says just being involved in the group was an experience he won’t forget.

“The opportunity to be involved with some of the senior players who play at the pinnacle of football with Jonny Evans, Gareth McAuley, Steven Davis – I was lucky that there was a good crop of senior figures there.

“You look at how they conduct themselves in training, the standards that they set and then in a game situation how confident they are.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“They always make good decisions and that leads to their great performances.

“If you look at their success over the last 8-10 years now that everybody has had, it shows the quality of player they were.

“Jonny and Davo are still there and hopefully the younger players in the squad look at that and try to learn as much as possible off them.

“I think you have to be realistic sometimes (when it comes to playing).

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“When the squad is announced you know what the team is going to be so it’s just about being part of that squad and getting as much out of it as possible.

“That’s what I was trying to do and on the occasions that I did get on the pitch I thoroughly enjoyed it.

“I look back on the trips we had and the experiences you get travelling around and it’s something not everyone gets.”

* A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers - and consequently the revenue we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.

Subscribe to newsletter.co.uk and enjoy unlimited access to the best Northern Irish and UK news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than five articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. To subscribe, click here.

Our journalism costs money and we rely on advertising, print and digital revenues to help to support them. By supporting us, we are able to support you in providing trusted, fact-checked content for this website.

Thank you,

Alistair Bushe

Editor

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.