Following a pitch inspection at 9:30 this morning, today’s game will go ahead as planned.
Kick Off: 3pm
We hope to see you at the Horsfall.
Don’t Forget: You can keep out of the cold this afternoon with our match day hospitality package. Click the button below to find out more and book your place.
The club wishes Ben all the best in the future as he departs after his second spell at Horsfall having made 41 first team appearances.
The Spartans haven’t lost since early November, embarking on an impressive unbeaten run that included a Buildbase FA Trophy upset against Boreham Wood last week.
The run has taken them to within a point of the play-offs and Alun Armstrong’s side could break into the top seven with a win in Yorkshire on Saturday.
Bradford, however, have made a slow start to the year and haven’t tasted victory since Boxing Day. Despite consecutive defeats to Guiseley, Stockport County and F.C United of Manchester, Saturday’s hosts remain second and are just six points adrift of league leaders Chorley.
Stockport County is enjoying arguably their best season in many years – and the fans think it’s thanks to one man.
Jim Gannon has masterminded a National League North title assault when it appeared not so long ago that it was a playoff push at best. Due to a December to die for, County is on the charge – and don’t the unexpected championship chasing clubs know it!
Last month started slowly, limping out of the FA Cup and picking up a point at Chester but they soon found their range.
Just when they needed it the most, they did what few sides do – win at an in-form Spennymoor Town.
They followed that up with FA Trophy victory over Altrincham, who they were about to beat three times inside three weeks. Thrashing Ashton United 6-0 away from home, they then grabbed a crucial point at Alfreton Town.
The Hatters ended December strongly, with win number two over Alty followed up by a solid if unspectacular 1-0 triumph against Kidderminster Harriers.
Is this the year Gannon guides County back on the road to promotion success?
If you’re looking for a form side in the National League North, look no further than Blyth Spartans.
They took a while to get going this season but now they’re up and running, they look unstoppable.
The Croft Park side bagged 16 goals, including impressive wins against Nuneaton Borough, Ashton United and FA Trophy progression at Lancaster City.
Over Christmas, victories versus Chorley and York City- as well as a brilliant comeback draw at Spennymoor Town- took the Spartans to within touching distance of the play-off places.
The striker found the target five times in total during the final month of 2018 – a haul that took him into double figures for the campaign.
Craig Rivers has won Volunteer of the Month for Chorley in the National League North.
Craig carries out a multitude of roles, including the matchday electrician and general support with electrical maintenance around the Victory Park.
He plays a very active role in the Club’s newly formed Community Foundation, in particular working with family events and initiatives.
He has also set up a separate refreshments hut he and his wife run voluntarily at every home match, which also doubles up as the focal point for their community work to raise awareness to supporters on match days.
The first opportunity of the game fell to the visitors, who almost capitalised on what could have been a costly error from Ben McKenna. The midfielder gifted possession away to Stephen O’Halloran on the edge of the box, who unleashed a thunderous strike that whistled past the post.
Five minutes later, Elliott Simoes squandered a golden opportunity himself, skewing wide after being teed up by Joshua Wallen.
The Reds continued to knock on the door and Wallen had an opportunity himself after providing one for Simoes. The ball fell kindly for the midfielder on the edge of the box, but his low drive found the wrong side of the post.
After a brief spell camped inside their own half, Bradford began to demonstrate the threat they possess going forward. Lewis Knight drifted into space on the right-hand side of the box and left the woodwork shaking with a well-struck effort.
The difficult conditions stifled the frontlines of the two sides as the strikers were given little in the way of service. Through balls and crosses hung in the air or stuck in the mud of the pitch.
When the hosts did advance into the opposition’s box, they failed to keep their composure and Conor Branson lifted over the crossbar from the left-hand side of the box after Lloyd Allinson held Jake Beesley’s header.
A player renowned for the clinical nature of his finishing, Oli Johnson, did eventually break the deadlock with a low strike that rolled through a sea of bodies and nestled in the bottom corner.
However, former Bradford forward Chris Sharp etched his name on the scoresheet to put F.C United back on level terms. On the stroke of half-time, he cut in from the left and rifled into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.
HALF-TIME: Bradford (Park Avenue) 1-1 F.C United of Manchester
Kurt Willoughby called Drench into action immediately after the restart, drawing a save with a low drive on the turn.
Drench’s opposite number, Allinson, then had to be alert to deny Branson with a fantastic save.
The Reds’ goalkeeper then breathed a sigh of relief when Knight’s swerving effort found the wrong side of the post.
Two goals in quick succession put F.C United ahead shortly after the hour mark. Jack Banister found the top corner in sensational fashion, just two minutes before Willoughby fired into the bottom corner after a mazy run down the left flank.
The visitors weren’t allowed to cruise until the final whistle as Bradford piled pressure on the leaders. They were eventually rewarded for their pressure when Knight found the top corner with a stunning free-kick, ensuring that the late stages would be nervy for Neil Reynolds’ side.
Ryan Toulson delivered for Beesley as the final whistled approached, but the forward fired high and wide under pressure from Zehn Mohammed.
Substitute Adam Nowakowski came close in the first minute of stoppage time, but his powerful strike was beaten away by Allinson.
A late corner was only cleared as far as Nicky Wroe on the edge of the box and the midfielder was visibly frustrated when his deflected effort struck the crossbar.
FULL-TIME: Bradford (Park Avenue) 2-3 F.C United of Manchester
Bradford (Park Avenue): Drench, Toulson (Nowakowski 71’), Lowe, Wroe, Killock (c), Ross, Knight, Branson, Beesley, Johnson, McKenna (Hurst 69’).
Unused substitutes: Atkinson, Dawson.
F.C United of Manchester: Allinson, Morton, O’Halloran, Mohammed, Sass-Dabies, Wallen, Simoes (Potts 83’), Winter (c), Willoughby, Sharp (Crawford 90+5’), Banister (Brierley 90+2’).
Unused substitutes: Senior, Palinkas.
Referee: Andrew Kitchen
Attendance: 713
A taboo subject around many football stadiums up and down the country Avenue look to join other campaigners in making sure sanitary products are free and accessible in all its toilets at their home stadium, The Horsfall.
As of this week’s home game against FC United of Manchester all ladies toilets will have a basket of free sanitary products for anyone who visits the stadium to use if they need.
The facts are clear. In Bradford period poverty is a massive issue. In October 2018 the council met to discuss the issue and continue to do so, with many schools in the area involved with the red box project. It is not just period poverty that stops our female fans attending games. Research by WaterAid revealed a staggering 67% of women adapt their lifestyle while on their period, fearing awkward situations such as leakage, having to hide sanitary products and being caught short. This means a football fan could miss a match a month for fear of being caught short at football or not having the correct facilities to use at the football.
At Park Avenue, we have a great foundation to build on. We have separate changing and toilet facilities for female staff (no waiting till the lads are out the changing room to shower after a game.) and we have a large number of toilet facilities for women.
These facilities will now all contain free sanitary products and a bin to dispose of used products for free. This will hopefully mean our female fans/staff/opposition fans feel comfortable while enjoying the football even when on their period.
We will not let being on our periods stop us from seeing the Avenue win at home. We now hope other teams in the league will follow our lead.
This model needs to be built on the extensive history of the club and further it by installing sound infrastructure and management systems to give Bradfordians a Club to enjoy decades to come. One thing that I have found is that the Park Avenue supporters are not without opinion. These opinions have helped us in establishing the foundation and basis of the Club; a foundation established by a set of lifelong supporters and those who give time selflessly to the club. This community has all of the makings of a top-flight club. It just needs (funding) infrastructure and a plan.
The business of the game today is about a delicate balance. This balance is between income and playing budgets. The National League has become highly competitive and budgets have expanded as clubs challenge to attain the glory (and sustainment payments) of the Football League. While attendances at this level have also gone up, we haven’t seen such an incline in gate (despite funding a competitive budget). So, we must find a way to fund the Club outside of the matchday income. We must build the community and ultimately the club’s sales.
We need to be developing talent in-house and field the same quality that we have.
The plan that we have is two-fold:
1. Sustainability – Adjust the clubs outflows to meet the inflows.
2. Community development and youth involvement – Get Bradford in the community.
Well, let me add point 3:
3. Attain football league status.
I think that the club’s supporters should ask themselves the following:
Where do you see the club in 2024? 2029? What does the supporter base look like? Have we advanced as a club?
This is what Damian and I have been looking at this past 90-days and attempting to make sense of what we have alongside setting a path to accomplish this delicate balance.
What we have found was that the Club today only exists with outside cash injections. Sadly, this is not an investment into infrastructure but rather is simply to pay the club’s daily expenses. Losses (in excess of 1 million) have been paid out in just a few seasons and the Club is about the same that it was. We have done well thanks to the excellent management team on the pitch but the Club is about the same that it was in 2015.
While Park Avenue has a deep history, the existing fan base is simply not enough to fund the club expenses. This is simply a fact that we must all face and it is just the state of the game today. Matchday only funds a nominal amount of the actual club expenses and we continue to exist thanks to capital injections. That is coming to an end and we need to get prepared today to keep the club going forward.
So, how do we make ends meets without a funding lapse? How do we accomplish this? It’s not easy. We need to make the income equal the expenses and find new ways to get income. To do so will take a fundamental shift in the business (and some intentions) and a focus on development. We can also be successful on the pitch at the same time as making these changes. Bradford is just waiting to have a club take the lead in the community and it should be us. Only once we have a manageable budget will we be able to get to the next level.
You will see some changes coming. Each will focus on sustainability, advancement of the squad and the ultimate goal of attaining Football League status. As you can tell, we intend to focus on youth development and finding the best talent. We have some new innovative ways to do so that we are just at the beginning of implementing.
Change isn’t easy. People don’t like it. But it is something we must commit to if we are to move to the next stage of Bradford (Park Avenue) and the development of Horsfall.
If any of you have some input, please let me know. You are Bradford. Let’s remember the past but focus on being Bradford today.
I am looking forward to seeing all of you this weekend as we take on community based FC United of Manchester. In football, it’s not a “one size fits most” and each club must find its own “cocktail” of sustainable community. Each has its own unique supporters.
We need you to help us so that we can move the Club forward both on and off the pitch.
#WeAreBradford
Saturday’s opponents occupy 20th place in the Vanarama National League North table, four points adrift of 19th-placed Hereford.
Mark Bower’s side were held to a 2-2 draw at Broadhurst Park when the two sides last met, but ran out as 3-0 winners when the Reds last visited the Horsfall Stadium.
By the time that F.C United arrive in West Yorkshire on Saturday, their win-less run will have stretched beyond a month and the visitors will be keen to improve on recent form.
Neil Reynolds’ side were swept aside by Chester last Saturday, four days after suffering a 4-0 defeat to Chorley on New Years’ Day.
Supporters are invited to ask questions or just catch up for a chat. Club owner Gareth Roberts will be in attendance along with CEO, Damian Irvine.
In a statement, Gareth said:
“When we last had the chance to discuss the club and changes we had made, I made it very clear that we need to make changes in order to create a sustainable and affordable future for our club. Whilst we have seen some growth in gates over the past season, visiting clubs like Stockport County last week only demonstrates how wide the gap is between gate and commercial revenues from our competitors at the top of the league to us.”
“We must take an open minded approach and look forwards not backwards when looking at initiatives and changes that can be made and I ask you to consider that and support our efforts which at the end of the day, are focused on creating a club that doesn’t rely on the financial support of one person to remain solvent.”
Gareth’s full statement can be read in the match day programme against FC United of Manchester so make sure to pick up your copy or pre order by contacting Dave Stordy.
The bar will be open on the night and the floor will be open for questions and discussion.
The hosts made a dream start, firing themselves into the lead after just five minutes. Matty Warburton found space on the edge of the box before unleashing a left-footed strike that found the bottom corner.
Bursting with confidence, the Hatters showed no reluctance to pile bodies forward and threatened to double their lead on numerous occasions in the early stages.
Jack Atkinson had to be alert to prevent Warburton notching his second, diving to hold on to a powerful drive from the Stockport forward.
The young stopper was then relieved to see Darren Stephenson’s speculative strike find the wrong side of the woodwork after the winger skipped past Ryan Toulson.
Former Bradford loanee Frank Mulhern also came close to etching his name on the scoresheet, diving to meet Scott Duxbury’s delivery but heading wide.
The visitors began to recover from the early blow as the half progressed and carved open some opportunites of their own.
Nicky Clee’s drilled effort flew past the post after the midfielder was teed up by Oli Johnson and Conor Branson saw a glancing header held on to by Ben Hinchliffe.
The hosts, however, continued to threaten and Adam Thomas was unlucky to see his close-range header palmed away from danger in impressive fashion by Atkinson.
In a frantic end to the first-half, both sides went for the jugular. Hinchliffe pushed Nicky Wroe’s effort wide after Jake Beesley’s shot was blocked by Ashley Palmer.
Stockport winger Adam Thomas then tucked the ball away in the bottom corner, but the goal was ruled out when the linesman penalised Mulhern for straying offside.
Former Hatters defender Mark Ross came close to netting against his former employers in the late stages, seeing his powerful header plucked out of the bottom corner by Hinchliffe.
HALF-TIME: Stockport County 1-0 Bradford (Park Avenue)
Atkinson was thrust into action immediately after the restart, being forced to make impressive stops to deny Warburton and Stephenson in quick succession.
The resulting corner was delivered by Duxbury and found Palmer, who headed wide after escaping his marker.
Bradford found themselves camped in their own half but launched a swift counter-attack when Lewis Knight burst down the right flank. Stephenson, however, managed to shepherd the forward wide, forcing his shot to come from a tight angle and making the save a routine one for Hinchliffe.
The hosts eventually doubled their lead when Stephenson’s low shot from just inside the 18-yard box nestled in the bottom corner, despite Atkinson getting a fingertip to the ball.
Six minutes later, the Hatters added to their advantage in bizarre circumstances. Mulhern emerged from behind Atkinson as he prepared to punt forward, stole possession and tucked away in a vacated net.
The lead was almost further extended almost immediately after the third goal when Warburton’s long-range strike left the crossbar shaking.
The visitors failed to mount a comeback as Stockport retained their control of what evolved into a one-sided affair.
Jim Gannon’s side even enjoyed more opportunites in the late stages and Nicky Wroe had to lunge to block Sam Minihan’s powerful drive.
Wroe did catch a glimpse of goal himself in stoppage time but his speculative strike lacked the power required to trouble Hinchliffe, who held.
With the full-time whistle set to blow, Dimaio’s swerving effort whistled past the post, to the relief of a diving Atkinson.
FULL-TIME: Stockport County 3-0 Bradford (Park Avenue)
Stockport County: Hinchliffe, Minihan, Duxbury, Keane, Palmer, Stott, Thomas, Turnbull (c) (Osborne 71’), Mulhern (Bell 79’), Warburton (Dimaio 81’) Stephenson.
Unused substitutes: Cowan, Ormson.
Bradford (Park Avenue): Atkinson, Toulson, Lowe, Hurst (Nowakowski 64’), Killock (c), Ross, Knight, Branson, Beesley, Johnson (McKenna 45’), Clee (Wroe 30’).
Unused substitutes: Drench, Spencer.
Referee: John Matthews
Attendance: 4,105 (136 away)
