▁Why te , ▁a ▁sub - editor ▁of ▁the ▁Brad ford ▁Ob server , ▁met ▁with ▁Football ▁Association ▁representative ▁John ▁Br unt ▁at ▁Valley ▁Par ade , ▁the ▁home ▁of ▁the ▁city ' s ▁rugby ▁league ▁side ▁Mann ingham ▁Football ▁Club , ▁to ▁discuss ▁establish ing ▁a ▁Football ▁League ▁club ▁within ▁Brad ford . ▁In ▁May , ▁Mann ingham ' s ▁committee ▁decided ▁to ▁swap ▁codes ▁from ▁rugby ▁to ▁association ▁football ▁and ▁so ▁the ▁Football ▁League ▁decided ▁to ▁inv ite ▁Brad ford ▁City ▁to ▁join ▁their ▁league ▁in ▁a ▁bid ▁to ▁introduce ▁association ▁football ▁to ▁the ▁West ▁R iding , ▁the ▁main ▁sport ▁in ▁which ▁was ▁rugby ▁league . ▁The ▁League ▁voted ▁in ▁favour ▁of ▁replacing ▁Don c aster ▁Ro vers , ▁who ▁had ▁finished ▁the ▁ 1 9 0 2 – 0 3 ▁season ▁in ▁ 1 6 th ▁position ▁in ▁the ▁Second ▁Division , ▁with ▁Brad ford ▁City ▁even ▁though ▁Brad ford ▁had ▁yet ▁to ▁play ▁a ▁single ▁game . ▁ ▁Review ▁ ▁Pre - season ▁Even ▁before ▁Brad ford ▁City ▁were ▁guaranteed ▁a ▁place ▁in ▁the ▁Football ▁League , ▁the ▁club ▁made ▁its ▁first ▁ac quis itions ▁by ▁signing ▁Jack ▁For rest ▁and ▁Ben ▁Pro s ser ▁from ▁Sto ke ▁on ▁ 1 ▁May . ▁These ▁were ▁followed ▁by ▁four ▁more ▁players ▁joining ▁the ▁club ; ▁Sam ▁Bright , ▁George ▁Robinson , ▁Peter ▁O ' R our ke ▁and ▁Jimmy ▁Mill ar . ▁Despite ▁not ▁having ▁enough ▁players ▁to ▁field ▁a ▁full ▁side , ▁four ▁club ▁represent atives ▁travel led