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| Dalai Lama blesses Bradford City ahead of League Cup final | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| League Cup finalists Bradford City have received an unexpected boost ahead of their Wembley showdown - a message of support from the Dalai Lama. | League Cup finalists Bradford City have received an unexpected boost ahead of their Wembley showdown - a message of support from the Dalai Lama. |
| The Tibetan spiritual leader was made aware of the Bantams when he received a club shirt at a conference last year. | The Tibetan spiritual leader was made aware of the Bantams when he received a club shirt at a conference last year. |
| Now his representative has sent the League Two club a letter hailing their "tremendous achievement". | Now his representative has sent the League Two club a letter hailing their "tremendous achievement". |
| The writer, Thubten Samdup, also wished the team "every success in the big match" from "his holiness". | The writer, Thubten Samdup, also wished the team "every success in the big match" from "his holiness". |
| Claret and gold | Claret and gold |
| Last month Phil Parkinson's side became the first team from the fourth tier of English football to reach a League Cup final in more than 50 years. | |
| Their route to Wembley saw them cast aside a trio of Premier League teams: Arsenal, Aston Villa and Wigan. | Their route to Wembley saw them cast aside a trio of Premier League teams: Arsenal, Aston Villa and Wigan. |
| Mark Neal, of fundraising group Friends of Bradford City, explained that the group had been looking for a high-profile supporter when the Dalai Lama visited Leeds for a business convention last June. | Mark Neal, of fundraising group Friends of Bradford City, explained that the group had been looking for a high-profile supporter when the Dalai Lama visited Leeds for a business convention last June. |
| The group was struck by the similarities between the claret and gold colours of Bradford City and the traditional robes of Tibetan Buddhist monks. | The group was struck by the similarities between the claret and gold colours of Bradford City and the traditional robes of Tibetan Buddhist monks. |
| Scarves and programmes | Scarves and programmes |
| The group managed to present him with a personalised number 14 club shirt - he is the 14th Dalai Lama - and also appointed the spiritual leader as its honorary president. | The group managed to present him with a personalised number 14 club shirt - he is the 14th Dalai Lama - and also appointed the spiritual leader as its honorary president. |
| Mr Neale said: "We thought we'd never hear another thing." | Mr Neale said: "We thought we'd never hear another thing." |
| But he has now received the letter from the Office of Tibet sending good wishes to the team. | But he has now received the letter from the Office of Tibet sending good wishes to the team. |
| The letter says: "He remembers his time in Yorkshire with great affection and wishes you every success in the big match." | The letter says: "He remembers his time in Yorkshire with great affection and wishes you every success in the big match." |
| The group will be sending Bradford City scarves and programmes to the Dalai Lama, Mr Neal said. | The group will be sending Bradford City scarves and programmes to the Dalai Lama, Mr Neal said. |
| The League Cup final between Bradford and Swansea City is on 24 February. | The League Cup final between Bradford and Swansea City is on 24 February. |