While a near-capacity crowd is expected at Valley Parade for the first leg of Bantams’ Capital One Cup semi final against Premier League Aston Villa tomorrow night, Bradford City fans around the world are making their own plans to cheer on Phil Parkinson’s men.

Supporters from the USA, South Africa and Kenya last night told the Telegraph & Argus how they will be following the match.

Life-long City fan Betty Jolley, 78, who lives in Venice, a suburb of Los Angeles, California, said she will either watch the game on television at home or visit her local British pub The King’s Head. The former Foxhill School and Wibsey School pupil, who lived in Greengates, moved to the US in 1961 after two years in New Zealand, but has continued to follow City by watching their games on an American sports channel.

Mrs Jolley said: “When Bradford were in the Premier League I was home on vacation and presented with a football by the club. My friend George Rothery, who is a staunch fan, made this possible by contacting the club to let them know I was a huge fan and would be coming to some matches whilst I was over.

“I am so excited at the possibility of them winning this match and heading to Wembley.”

Bradford-born Nigel Burgan, 35, a self-employed logistics manager who moved to South Africa in 1990, will be watching the match at The Keg and Lion in Johannesburg.

“I’ve been a City fan since I was a kid, but don’t get much chance to watch them over here as its only Premier League football that’s shown,” he said.

Patrick Noonan, a former soldier from Bradford, will be watching from Dadaad in Kenya, where he is working as a humanitarian for the World Food Programme.

The 49-year-old, who was brought up on the Buttershaw estate, said: “For the previous round I was surrounded by fanatic Arsenal supporters with me informing them that the Gooners would not beat the Bantams if it went to penalties.To my delight and their despair we won the penalty shoot-out with me dancing around like a crazed man even at 1am.”