Exciting New Club Partnership Announced

Bradford (Park Avenue) AFC and Gomersal & Cleckheaton are coming together to provide pathways and opportunities for young players. The partnership part of the ‘Club Partnership Programme’ that the Avenue have announced recently.

Gomersal & Cleckheaton will be attending a Bradford (Park Avenue) first team fixture to enjoy a match day experience at the Horsfall Community Stadium. The partnership will also provide Gomersal & Cleckheaton players with the opportunity to access the brand new BPA Performance Centre, in partnership with Sheffield United, for u7 – u10 age groups.

The Bradford (Park Avenue) Scholarship programme which is delivered in partnership with Bradford College for 16-18 year olds will be available as a pathway for Gomersal & Cleckheaton players.

The scholarship will provide young players with the opportunity to study and train full-time. Education pathways include Sport, Business, Barbering, Plumbing, Mechanic, Joinery & Uniformed Public Services. Bradford (Park Avenue) Academy have teams that play in the u19 Alliance Youth league and the college league.

Speaking of the partnership Bradford (Park Avenue) Academy Technical Director Tom McStravick said; “We are fortunate to be able to provide a genuine pathway to our first team here at BPA. The Club Partnership Programme is the perfect way for us to be able to provide that opportunity for local talent. As a club we are keen to engage with the local football community to help. We look forward to working with Gomersal & Cleckheaton to help them progress and develop as a football club”.

Head Coach for Gomersal & Cleckheaton Shaun Hamill was equally delighted with the agreement; “Gomersal & Cleckheaton Football Club was established over 45 years ago and we are proud to have had players through our ranks that have played at the highest levels, including the Premier League.

Currently we have over 450 players registered with the club from the very youngest U6’s all the way up to our recently added 4 open age sides that include one in step 7 of the Football pyramid. We are a community club and for us it is all about our players so to be approached by the Academy Technical Director Thomas McStravick from an amazing football side like Bradford Park Ave with it’s over 100 years of professional existence to become partners in youth development is truly exciting.

Currently we at G&C have no football education pathway for our school leavers so the offer from BPA to give our players the opportunity to trial for a place in their Scholarship program is very exciting. The scholarship program is an opportunity for talented footballers to train at the highest levels whilst still studying for A levels, Btec’s or apprenticeship’s and who knows even earn a place in the BPA first side to play sides like York, Darlington, Chester, Boston etc.

For me the most exciting part of all of this is the opportunity for our players to aim to play for BPA, who knows one of our current players, whether an open age or an U18 could already be good enough but just has never had that all important opportunity. Exciting times ahead.”