We are thrilled to announce the re-signing of talented right-back Lucas Odunston!
Lucas originally joined the club in August 2021, and agreed terms today on a new one-year deal to keep him at the Horsfall for the 2023/24 Season.
Odunston’s journey with Bradford (Park Avenue) began two years ago when he made the move from Hull u21s. Since then, he has demonstrated tremendous growth and dedication on the field, making 29 appearances in his first season (21/22), followed by 38 in the 22/23 Season
Prior to his time with Hull, Lucas showcased his talents as a promising young player at Leeds u18s side, where he honed his skills and developed a strong footballing foundation.
Mark Bower was equally happy with the signing, saying this;
“Great to get Lucas over the line, he’s been a fantastic player over the last 2 seasons, and when away from injury he is often one of our best. His attitude on and off the pitch has been brilliant and he can really become a role model for the younger players in the squad.”
An interview with Lucas will be posted on Friday, so stay tuned to our Socials!
Bradford (Park Avenue) AFC is delighted to announce the renewal of its sponsorship agreement with Mr Scratchings for the upcoming 2023-2024 season.
This marks the second consecutive year of partnership between the beloved local snack company and the football club, with Mr Scratchings’ logo prominently displayed on the back of the playing shirt.
The extension of the sponsorship deal reflects the strong and mutually beneficial relationship that has been established between Mr Scratchings and Bradford (Park Avenue). The continued support from Mr Scratchings demonstrates their commitment to the local community and their belief in the club’s vision and potential.
Club Secretary Calum Cullen, expressed his gratitude to Mr Scratchings for their continued support.
“We are delighted that Mr Scratchings will be continuing as our sponsor for the back of the playing shirt in the upcoming season. Their commitment to our club is invaluable, and we appreciate their belief in our ambitions. The partnership has been fantastic for both parties, and we are excited to continue working together to achieve our goals.”
Anyone who takes an interest in football finance knows that virtually all clubs run at a loss. In the case of our football club, I have been the private individual who has funded the losses.
As our published May 2022 accounts show, the football club’s liabilities exceed its assets by £2.1m. As football clubs go that is not unusual but the deficit is high when compared with clubs at our level. Most of the deficit is explained by loans I have made to the football club. I have therefore agreed, with the approval of my fellow directors, to convert £1.8m of my loans to equity. That doesn’t change much in terms of day-to-day operations but it puts the football club on a more sustainable footing as there is no question that that these large loans do not now have to be repaid. Subject to adjustment for the loss sustained in the year to May 2023 it reduces the net liabilities of the club to £0.3m.
I am committed to the success of Bradford (Park Avenue) AFC. I accept, football being football, we shall continue to suffer losses but we have recruited well off the field and, with the help of these excellent people, we aim to cut our losses to a sustainable level. I am willing to continue to fund this level of losses for now but ultimately we need to reduce these losses as we grow our club.
If our ambitions extend to climbing back up the leagues, we are going to need new additions to our board who are committed to our club and community. I am willing to speak to anybody who is willing to invest money or time in our football club and who has its success at heart. If you would like to get in touch, please contact Calum Cullen in the first instance.
I share your disappointment in our relegation from National League North. It is nice to renew some old rivalries. Let’s pull together and make a success of our first season in the Northern Premier League.
Up the Avenue!
Gareth Roberts
Supporters of the club will be thankful that such a large amount of money invested to ensure the survival of Bradford (Park Avenue) over recent years will not now be required to be repaid.
This move improves the look of our accounts and, at the same time, removes a possible barrier to new investment sources.
The annual operating losses of over £300k are being addressed by new budgets being set and will operate at a level that is reducing, thanks to robust management of the Stadium, the Academy and the Football club, whilst operating the first team at a level close to last year’s budget.
With further help from the ‘boost the budget’ opportunities for supporters to increase that figure, through buying great value season tickets and adding to the amount spent, also by supporting Development Fund initiatives to raise money we expect to have competitive first team spending power for Mark and Danny.
Key people involved in our success are all making financial sacrifices to help out, and Gareth’s conversion of loans to shares is a massive gesture of support, valued at well over £1.8 million.
We are working hard to support our managers in getting a team together and in organising pre-season friendlies.
You will be aware of the successful development and support for the Academy and also of increased help through getting more investment in pitch usage.
There has been a full review of Stadium costs to further reduce any wasted costs and great work improving the events planned on site as new income drivers.
We’ll be keeping you updated with news each week through the close season and hope that you take full advantage of the great new kit when it comes out too.
We are delighted to announce details of our first Pre-Season Friendly, which will be against Rochdale AFC on Saturday 22nd July. Kick Off 3pm.
Rochdale come to the Horsfall following their relegation from League Two, and will be hoping for a big season in the National League to take them back to the EFL.
Prior to their relegation, Rochdale were a Football League club for 102 years, playing Bradford (Park Avenue) first on 17th March 1923 in the old Division Three (North), where we took a 3-0 win at the Spotland Stadium.
Our last recorded Football League match against Rochdale was on 11th January 1969, in the old Division Four (Now League Two). Rochdale took a 4-1 win in front of a 5453 crowd.
In a show of unwavering support, the James Mae Group have agreed to continue their long-running sponsorship of Bradford (Park Avenue) AFC for the fourth consecutive season.
The prominent company will once again grace the front of both the club’s Home and Away kits, including the Academy and Ladies kits.
Following three successful years of collaboration, the decision to extend the sponsorship deal has generated excitement among everyone associated with the club. The James Mae Group’s ongoing commitment to Bradford (Park Avenue) highlights their belief in the team’s potential and their dedication to promoting the sport at every level.
Expressing his satisfaction with the sponsorship deal, Ed Caffrey, the Managing Director of the James Mae Group, said, “The James Mae Group is pleased to support and sponsor the upcoming 2023/24 season at Bradford (Park Avenue) Football Club. This will now be our fourth year of sponsorship hopefully showing our commitment to this great club and it’s brilliant players across every level. Long May this partnership continue. Good luck and We wish all the teams every success.”
Football Operations Manager and Club Secretary, Calum Cullen, shared his delight at the continuation of the partnership. “Myself and everybody here at Bradford (Park Avenue) are thrilled that James Mae will be our main kit sponsor for the fourth consecutive season. It’s a genuine testament to Ed Caffrey and his company’s faith in our club, and we are incredibly grateful for their support. We eagerly anticipate their presence at the Horsfall Stadium once again this season.”
We are delighted to announce the details of our season ticket prices for the upcoming 2023/24 season.
#BPA 2023/24 Season Tickets are on sale from MIDDAY TODAY! Following on from relegation last season, we are looking forward to welcoming you all back to the Horsfall for our first season in the NPL for over a decade.
Once again, we have tried to make the pricing fair on the fans. We understand there is a massive cost of living crisis at the moment and we have acted. This means an adult now pays just £5.95 per league game and Concessions pay an incredible £5.23.
Students can now come to the Horsfall for the equivalent of £2.14 per game, Juniors are in at just £1.42 and under 12’s can now see the Avenue for FREE in the league all season
Our hospitality upgrade package is still available for this year, which is priced at just £210.00. This includes catered food, tea and coffee and snacks
Parking this year will also be FREE!
Our Associate Director season ticket gives you entry into all of our Home AND Away League games for the full season, with Hospitality!
We also have some new features for you
Membership Numbers
The photos are gone, replaced this season with a membership number. This is aimed at further developments in the stadium in the future. Membership numbers will be given on a first come first served basis and will stick with you all seasons going forward
Introducing – Stans Seats;
You’ve seen the flags, and the heard the noise, get involved! Our Youth Season Ticket this season includes a £10.00 upgrade. This will give you a reserved seat and a flag to be used during games. Open to all aged 12-17, come down and be a part of the matchday experience!
Introducing – Budget Boost
In conjunction with the fantastic Development fund, we are running a scheme to help raise funds for the first team budget. Available on all Adult and Concession Season tickets, the Budget Boost money will be given straight to the first team coffers.
Re-Imagined – MuiltiMatch Ticket
Our Multimatch ticket is back this year with a twist! Now only £30.00 upfront, the price for admission is now set at £8.00 for both Adults and Concessions.
*MultiMatch Ticket Launching Early July
Football Operations Manager Calum Cullen said: “We are delighted to finally announce the 23/24 Season Tickets, and especially happy that we’ve managed to make sure our wonderful fans have got the best possible deal
“At just £5.95 per game for Adults and £5.23 for Concessions, per-game pricing is once again cheaper for the new season. The support we’ve had this past season has been incredible and we cannot wait to have the fans back in.”
To purchase your #BPA 2023/24 Season Ticket, you can visit the Club Shop at the Horsfall, or click HERE to purchase online.
For any fans wishing to enquire about season tickets, feel free to email info@bpafc.com and we will get back to you as soon as possible. We are also open today until 7pm at the Horsfall if you would like to purchase in person.
We are delighted to confirm today that Striker Brad Dockerty has penned a contract that will see him stay at the Horsfall for the 23/24 season.
Dockerty, who first joined Bradford (Park Avenue) in July 2019 from Hemsworth scored 17 goals in 64 appearances in his first stint at Avenue, before briefly joining Alfreton Town at the start of the 22/23 campaign.
He later returned to Bradford in September 2022, and in 32 appearances he scored 4 goals.
We look forward to seeing Brad back at the Horsfall for our 23/24 pre-season campaign! Stay tuned to our socials for the fixtures! Coming Soon.
Mark Bower was delighted to get the contract over the line, saying this on the signing;
“I’m delighted that Brad has decided to stay with us. After a difficult time last season where he spent much of the start of the season not playing, he was always playing catch up. I know that with a good pre season under his belt, Brad can be a real asset to us.”
In his video interview, Brad added;
“Yeah I’m happy to be back, I’ve enjoyed playing my Football here and i think it’s where i’ve played my best stuff, and I like working with Bows and Bosh and can’t wait for next season.”
You can watch Brad’s signing interview with the club below
First new signing of the close season, and it’s a new role for a experienced player
We are delighted to announce our first off season signing, in the form of our captain for the last two seasons, Luca Havern.
Luca has agreed to join our management team in a slight change of role which sees him sign as player/coach for the 23/24 season.
Showing huge loyalty to the club and management team over the last 5 seasons, it’s a significant step for the club and Luca, to replace the large boots left last season when previous player/coach Ryan Toulson left.
We look forward to seeing Luca playing next season, helping our push for automatic promotion back to the National League North, and his impact off the field with young and old players alike.
Luca Havern
I’m really happy to be staying with the club and to have progressed into a player/coach role. I feel that it is a natural progression for me at this stage in my career and jumped at the chance to continue to work with Bows, Bosh and the players. We are all going to use last seasons disappointment to fuel us to be successful next season. Have a good summer BPA fans and see you all soon, Luca.
Mark Bower
I am delighted that Luca has agreed to stay with us for another season firstly in a playing capacity but also taking his first step into a coaching role.
As a player he has been excellent for us over the past few seasons both in his performances and his influence on the players around him on the pitch.
He has been captain at numerous clubs and brings a wealth of non league experience, has the respect of the players around him, and will be a valuable addition to the coaching staff.
