We can confirm that, subject to FA approval, forward Rob Guilfoyle has today left the Horsfall after having his contract terminated by mutual consent.
Rob joined us in the summer of 2021 and made 14 appearances for us, whilst enjoying loan spells at Worksop and Pontefract.
We wish Rob well in his further career and thank him for his efforts in White and Green
#UTA
Our first Help Ukraine collection has been taken by Bradford City! Over 30 bags filled with warm clothes, food, shoes, and essential toiletries all going over to Ukraine and the border countries that are providing shelter for refugees.
Our focus now switches to priority items, like dry or tinned long lasting food, essential toiletries such as soap, dental hygiene and sanitary towels or alternative sanitary products.
We’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has taken the time over the last few weeks to drop off any items or clothing. The generosity and kindness that we’ve seen is incredible and we hope to continue providing aid with your help.
If you would like to drop off items, we are in 9-5 all week, and at Saturday’s match v Gloucester City we will also be taking any donations on the day. #UTA #BPAFC
The club are thrilled to complete the signing of ex-City player Dylan Mottley-Henry on a new contract until the end of the 22/23 season.
Mottley-Henry joins the club after a short-term contract saw him make 22 appearances, score 3 goals and countless assists.
On the appointment, Gaffer Mark Bower had this to say: ‘Very pleased, we’re looking forward to Next Year and managing to secure a few players early with Dylan being the most recent.
He’s come in to the club with a fantastic attitude and he’s really one to admire in a match. He’s enjoying his football and wants to play more regularly.
Dylan can definitely be a real asset for us with his pace, strength and enthusiasm and we’re glad to have him tied down for a longer term.’
Dylan himself was equally happy when we spoke with him: ‘I’m delighted to sign a longer deal at the club.
I’m really enjoying my football here and love working with Mark and Danny.
Hopefully over the course of the next 16 months, I can make an impact on the side and help us climb the table.’
Everyone at the club is looking forward to seeing Dylan continue his career in an Avenue shirt.
#UTA
During last nights game we had some friends from the Bradford Ukie Club collecting donations for the Help Ukraine Emergency Appeal, we encouraged you to give generously and Bradford did not disappoint!
From donations collected across the club we managed to raise £1004 for the cause, which can provide up to 14 food and hygiene packs for a family of 4 in need.
We’d like to thank everyone who donated last night, and if you couldn’t make it remember you can still donate through the GoFundMe link below.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/helpukraine
#UTA
For tonight’s there will be no charge for parking at the Horsfall.
Make sure you bring a donation for the Ukraine Emergency Appeal bucket collection!
#UTA
The club would like to issue the below statement regarding the conflict in Ukraine;
‘Bradford has a storied and very popular Ukrainian population within its borders, the largest of its kind outside of London. They are proud to be a part of our wonderful city, and we are proud to call them our brothers and sisters.
This Wednesday we will stand, as one, in solidarity with Ukraine, and on the 30 minute mark in the game against Farsley Celtic will conduct a minutes applause. We encourage you to bring blue and yellow flags to the game to show your support.
In conjunction with the Bradford Ukie Club, we will also be running a bucket collection at the game with all money being donated to the Help Ukraine Emergency Appeal. Please give as generously as you can on the night for this excellent cause.
Some things are bigger than football.’
#UTA
We can confirm that the loan deal that saw Luke Rawson spend the last month at Sheffield FC has now been extended until the end of the season. The deal includes a ‘call back’ clause.
National Lottery players across the country, including those from Bradford, are being given the chance to watch their local football teams for free as a thank you for the over £12.5 million of National Lottery funding which helped these community clubs survive when the Covid pandemic struck and football at this level effectively shut down.
The National Lottery Football Weekends campaign will make over 100,000 tickets available on a ‘Buy One Get One Free’ basis for National Lottery players for selected matches in March and April, including Bradford (Park Avenue) It aims to get people out to watch and really get behind their local team, perhaps for the first time, and experience the vital role these clubs play as part of their local community.
Thanks to National Lottery players, during the height of the Covid crisis a total support package of over £12.5 million from The National Lottery was made available and proved vital for many local clubs across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, to survive the loss of essential matchday revenue as football shut down.
The National Lottery Football Weekends is to thank National Lottery players for stepping up when they were needed the most. The special ‘Buy One Get One Free’ ticket offer will be available to National Lottery players for a game at one of the 231 participating clubs in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.* The ticket offer will apply to the BPA’s home match against Kidderminster, taking place on Saturday 2nd April.
The campaign will be delivered in partnership with the Vanarama National League, The FA (Football Association), The Scottish FA (Scottish Football Association), FAW (Football Association of Wales) and NIFA (Northern Ireland Football Association) and is also backed by well-known ex-footballers Ally McCoist and Karen Carney.
Former Scottish international and National Lottery Football Weekends Ambassador McCoist said:
“In nearly every corner of the country you will find a football club which does much more than just kick a ball around on a Saturday afternoon. These clubs make a difference to so many in their community and they suffered perhaps more than any other part of our game during the pandemic. The support of National Lottery players has been crucial in helping them survive and now you can support them again, but this time from the terraces.”
To find out more about The National Lottery Football Weekends and to find your nearest match visit: www.thenationallotteryfootballweekends.co.uk.
Each club will be responsible for distributing tickets for its home match and details on how to claim will be available from each club. Terms and conditions apply.
The money for this campaign, as well as the initiatives with the various FAs and leagues across the UK during Covid came from a National Lottery promotional fund, it was not funded by money allocated for National Lottery Good Causes or by Camelot.
The National Lottery is also working alongside Non-League Day, a campaign set up in 2010 to encourage supporters of clubs playing at the highest levels of the game to support their smaller local or non-league club and sample the unique matchday experience of football at local level.
The National Lottery has always played a vital role in supporting elite, community and grassroot sport in the UK. Including football, The National Lottery has invested more than £5.7 billion into grassroots sport since it was established in 1994. In the last year nearly £395 million was given to grassroots and elite sport good causes, funding everything from facilities to playing fields and creating opportunities for everyone to get active and improve their lives through sport.
There are other opportunities for National Lottery players in March. The National Lottery Open Week takes place between 19th – 27th March to say thank you for the more than £30 million raised every week by National Lottery players. Open Week unlocks free entry and exclusive discounts for National Lottery players at a range of participating venues including galleries, museums, gardens, historic castles and sports stadiums. Full Ts&Cs apply and are available at www.nationallotteryopenweek.com
Over 240 primary school children are set to take part in the inaugural BPA Primary Schools Cup tournament at the Horsfall Community Stadium on 31st March 2022. Interest in the tournament has been extremely high and is now fully subscribed with 10 teams on the waiting list.
The young stars of the future will grace the same pitch used by the current Bradford (Park Avenue) first team. Twenty-four schools from across Bradford will get the opportunity to play at the stadium and experience the state of the art 4g pitch. The inaugural event will become part of the annual plan at Bradford (Park Avenue) as the club aims to enhance its role within the local community.
Academy Technical Director Tom McStravick is responsible for bringing this event together commented “This tournament not only provides children with the opportunity to have a fun day out at the stadium, but it also gives our Academy Scholars the chance to take ownership of a project and gain experience of event planning and organisation. We’re proud of the facilities that we have on offer and hope that we can unearth some of the stars of the future. Who knows we might even see the next Kevin Hector on display.”
Bradford based Integra Insurance Solutions are providing sponsorship for the tournament and welcomed the opportunity to get involved. Managing Director Martin Cox said “Grass roots football is where a love of the sport begins and we’re absolutely delighted to be sponsoring this community based initiative. This will bring children together from all parts of Bradford in what we hope will be the first of many similar tournaments at BPA”.
