By Nathan Atkinson (Telegraph & Argus)

BRADFORD (Park Avenue) have reached the Northern Premier League East Division play-off final after a stunning 2-1 win at Matlock Town last night.

Matlock entered the semi-final as favourites, having finished the regular season in second place, 13 points ahead of fifth-placed Avenue. That league standing granted them home advantage, but they would have been wary of their visitors. The two sides drew 0-0 in Derbyshire on the opening day, while a Ben Andreucci brace had given Avenue a 2-0 win in the reverse fixture at Horsfall.

History repeated itself as Andreucci proved to be the slayer once again, thundering home a late winner from the edge of the box to spark scenes of pure jubilation among the traveling Green Army.

After a cagey start, Avenue hit the front with a lovely team goal. Following some patient build-up play, Connor Brown clipped a smart ball in behind the defender for Prince Ekpolo to run on to. Ekpolo, who played a massive hand in the winner at Ossett on Saturday, provided the crucial assist again, cutting the ball back for prolific centre-forward Marcus Carver, who swept the finish into the roof of the net.

Matlock were perhaps the stronger side in the first half and found a deserved equaliser just moments before the interval. After winning a penalty, Cam Wilson held his nerve to slot the ball into the bottom left corner, beyond the reach of Avenue keeper Jack Hall.

Avenue managed to frustrate Matlock throughout the second half before delivering the ultimate blow five minutes from time. Josh Ashman, who spent much of the season away on loan, played a lovely long ball down the line for fellow substitute Adam Haw.

Haw did brilliantly to scamper onto the pass and keep it in play, cutting the ball back to the edge of the box from the right wing. Ben Andreucci took a touch to set himself before unleashing a fizzing low strike past a startled Declan Lambton, who was simply beaten by the pace of the shot.

This time, Matlock had no response. While the majority of the 1,268 crowd went home devastated, the full-time whistle brought an explosion of joy for the Avenue faithful.

It stands as one of the great nights in the club’s modern history, but the mission is not yet complete. Avenue now look ahead to Saturday’s all-West Yorkshire final at Emley, who secured their place by beating Dunston 1-0 in the other semi-final.

A huge thank you to the travelling fans who made the trip last night. You truly were our 12th man. We need that same energy one last time this weekend.

See you on Saturday. 🟢⚪️

Bradford (Park Avenue) are delighted to announce that First Team Manager Craig Elliott has today signed a new contract extension, committing his future to the club until the end of the 2026/27 season.

The news comes at a pivotal moment for the club, on the eve of our Play-Off Semi-Final clash against Matlock Town. This new deal reflects the Board’s ambition to continue our growth and progress on the pitch.

Craig joined the Avenue with a reputation as one of the most successful managers in non-league football. His pedigree was further cemented during 161 games at Boston United and successful stints at Matlock Town and Buxton FC.

Reflecting on his time at the club so far, Craig noted the importance of the people behind the scenes:

“As a manager, you want to enjoy where you are and where you’re working. First and foremost, there are some really good people behind the scenes… some great volunteers and staff around the place, so that was a big part of the decision to stay.”

With new investment and support growing behind the scenes, this extension ensures stability as the club pursues its long-term ambitions. Craig remains focused on the “non-negotiables” that have brought him nearly 900 games of managerial experience: effort and commitment.

“I want players who want to be here for the right reasons… lads who will give everything. I’m a big believer in memories—for myself, the players, and the fans—and that’s what I want to try and create moving forward.”

On what continues to drive him, Craig was clear:

“Winning. People that know me closely know that I live and breathe this job. What drives me, 100%, is winning games of football. The day I lose that drive, that buzz of winning, and that hunger to prove people wrong, is the day I’ll finish managing. But at the minute, I’ve still got that hunger.”

We are sure all supporters will join us in congratulating Craig and wishing him the very best of luck ahead of tomorrow night’s huge semi-final.

Watch his full interview here – https://youtu.be/VzZvz1D54wo

The Green Army is heading to Derbyshire! Following our massive 2-1 victory over Ossett United, Bradford (Park Avenue) have officially secured a place in the play-offs. We now travel to Matlock Town this Tuesday night for a high-stakes semi-final clash.

To ensure the lads have the best possible backing, the club is running a supporters’ coach and a pre-match meal deal to get everyone fueled up and ready for the trip. Huge thank you to the Development Fund who are subsidising travel for our u16s.

Pre-Match at Horsfall Before the coach departs, the bar will be open, and we will be serving Margherita and Pepperoni pizzas with chips for just £10 at Horsfall from 3:00 PM. It’s the perfect way to get together with fellow fans before we hit the road.

Travel Details

• Food & Bar Open: From 3pm at Horsfall
• Coach Departure: 4:30 PM from Horsfall.
• Pricing (Coach Only): Adults £20 | Under 16s £10.

Match Tickets We strongly advise supporters to purchase their AWAY match tickets in advance via Matlock Town’s ticketing portal to save time at the turnstiles.

• Adults: £12
• Concessions: £8
• 11-18 Years: £4
• Under 11s: FREE

Book Your Travel: Click here to book the Supporters’ Coach Book Match Tickets: Click here for Match Tickets

Let’s get the away end rocking and push for the final!

We are delighted to announce that Season Tickets for the 2026/27 campaign are officially on sale.

As we prepare for another thrilling year of football, we want you right there with us. This season, we’ve introduced an Early Bird offer to reward our most loyal supporters—but you’ll need to move fast to lock in the best possible price.

Early Bird Offer – Ends 30th June

To thank you for your continued support, our Early Bird tickets are available now. Please note that there is a small increase of £25 compared to last season’s early bird offer, reflecting rising operational costs while keeping football at Horsfall the most affordable in the league.

Prices will rise on 30th June, so secure yours today!

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2026/27 Pricing Structure

Category	Early Bird (Until June 30)	Standard (Post June 30)
Adults / Concessions	£100	£170
Family Ticket (2 Adults + 2 U18s)	£200	£200
Students, Blue Light, Forces	£50	£75
EFL / National League ST Holders	£50	£75
Youth (Under 18)	£10	£15
Hospitality Season Ticket	£750	£900

Elevate Your Matchday: Hospitality Season Tickets

Experience the season in style with our premium hospitality package. Your Hospitality Season Ticket includes:

• Entry to every home league game with a private bar.
• Dining: A delicious 1st-course pre-match meal and 2nd-course half-time refreshments.
• Exclusive Access: Pre-match tactical updates from the Manager.
• Extras: An official BPA scarf, matchday programme, and official teamsheet for every game.

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Matchday “Pay on the Gate” – PRICE FREEZE!

We are proud to confirm a price freeze on Adult, Concession and Students/BlueLight/Forces admission, along with a new price for u18s for the 2026/27 season. We remain committed to ensuring football at Bradford (Park Avenue) is accessible for everyone in our community.

• Adults / Concessions: £10
• Students, Blue Light, Forces: £5
• Youth (U18s): £1
• Matchday Hospitality: £40 per person (Includes match ticket)

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How to Buy

Sales are currently ONLINE ONLY. https://bpafc.com/product/2026-27-season-ticket/

Details regarding in-person sales will be announced in due course. Information regarding Associate Director packages is also coming soon—stay tuned!

Firstly, I hope everyone is well.

I would like to thank you all for all your support throughout the season. Our loyal supporters and volunteers really do showcase what this club is all about. Your passion and commitment is second to none.

Over the last 4 home games we have seen a significant increase in our attendances. This is down to a lot of hard work from a small but dedicated team of people. It has demonstrated what is possible when we get good people who are passionate and ambitious enough to think outside the box. I would like to thank you all. I would also like to thank the staff and volunteers who have stepped up so well to cope with the additional demand during this time.

Our attention now turns to our final game of the regular league campaign. Hopefully come 5pm on Saturday we are looking forward to a play off game next week. We have a tough game ahead of us to get over the line. My best wishes goes to Craig and the team. The club directors have kindly agreed to subsidise a fantastic offer for our supporters to make the trip to Ossett on Saturday. We are putting on a bus for those needing transport from the Horsfall with a great offer to include some pre match food and entry to the game, all for just £20 or £10 for u16’s. Only a few spaces remain so thank you to the board and to those loyal fans who have snapped up our offer. Book your spot here!

Planning has been well underway for next season. As usual we have a plan A and a plan B to ensure we continue on an upward trajectory. We will communicate more with you all when appropriate.

We will be launching our new season ticket offer this coming Friday. We seen a massive 148% increase in season ticket holders this season compared to last. This was helped by an excellent early bird offer kindly supported by Gareth. We will see an increase in price for next season but it is still excellent value for money and early uptake will help us with early acquisitions to the squad for next season.

Behind the scenes we have lots of exciting things happening with new investment and support coming on board to help with our long term ambitions. It is a great time to be involved with the club and one to be embraced. In the off-season you can still support the club by buying some club merchandise or an early bird season ticket. You could also offer your support by volunteering, we will be looking to expand on our volunteer base next season and beyond so reach out if you think you can add value to our club.

I hope to see as many of you as possible on Saturday. If you can’t make it be sure to tune in and listen to Lewis on our fantastic radio service ‘Avenue on Air’. Special mention to Lewis for his excellent commentary and to Keith Dennison for his vision and fundraising efforts for getting it started this season. It has been a real success!!

Up the Avenue.

As we reach the final hurdle of the regular season, the club is calling on all Avenue supporters to join us for a massive final away day at Ossett United on Saturday, 25th April.

With our play-off destiny in our own hands, your support is more vital than ever. To ensure as many of you as possible can make the trip to Ingfield, the club directors have stepped in to subsidise a special travel package for the Green Army.

The Away Day Package

For just £20 per person, supporters can enjoy a full matchday experience which includes:

• Match Ticket: Entry to the game at Ingfield.
• Return Coach Travel: Direct transport from the Horsfall to Ossett.
• Pre-match Scran: A hot serving of Pie & Peas at the Horsfall before we depart.

Matchday Schedule

The day will kick off at the Horsfall Stadium, allowing fans to soak up the pre-match atmosphere before heading over to Ossett:

• 11:30 AM: Meet at the Horsfall.
• Bar Open: The bar will be open early for pre-match refreshments.
• Club Shop Deals: Grab a bargain! We have some fantastic deals running in the club shop—the perfect time to pick up your Avenue colours.
• 01:45 PM: The coach departs for Ingfield.

How to Book

Places on the supporters’ coach are limited and are expected to sell out fast. To secure your spot, please book directly through our Fanbase portal.

🎟️ BOOK YOUR TICKETS AND TRAVEL HERE

Let’s pack the coach, get behind the lads, and make some noise for the final push!