Our first home league programme of the 2025/26 season lands under the Horsfall lights tonight (Tuesday 12 August, 7:45pm KO) — packed with fresh features, club insight, and opposition coverage.

Inside this issue

• From the Boardroom — Paul Armitage on the value of a proper printed programme, community focus, and a little tip: check the back page for a free hot drink offer at the Tuck Shop with your programme.
• Manager’s Musings — Craig Elliott reflects on a resolute opening-day draw at Matlock, two clean sheets from two, and the push for our first home league win tonight.
• Secretary’s Section — Holleigh Farrington on early-season rhythm, the work behind the scenes, and making Horsfall a tough place to visit.
• Sporting Direction — Thomas McStravick on sustainability, community as a pillar of success, and lessons from community-driven clubs, plus encouraging signs in the club’s trajectory.
• Development Fund — Dates and details for the beer festival, pig racing evening, and the sportsman’s dinner with Carlton Palmer — plus how supporters can get involved.
• Media Perspective — Launch notes from AvenueOnAir on Mixlr, with 168 unique listeners and 91 total listener hours recorded on opening day, and an update on our Avenue Trading Cards.
• Opponent Coverage — Emley AFC club history, honours and “Insider” squad guide to the key names you’ll see tonight.
• Avenue Archives — Tim Clapham on McLean brothers and classic FA Cup chapters; John Rhodes’ “Back in Time” photo features.
• Reserves & Scholars — Owen Murphy’s notes on a strong pre-season, the first competitive reserves fixture, and academy progress.
• Community Direction — Launch of our Where We All Belong disability multisport sessions (free, fully funded) from Monday 25 August, 4:45–6:00pm at Horsfall, plus summer camp highlights and our new LocalGiving page.
• Commercial Direction — Sponsorship packages, the newly named James Mae Group Hospitality Suite, and how local businesses can connect with the club.

You’ll also find photo spreads, player & staff sponsors, stats & fixtures, “Get It Signed!” pages and more — all wrapped in a green-and-white design with space to record results.

Get yours tonight

Programmes will be available in the Clubhouse at tonight’s match, with an exclusive Avenue Trading Card included in every copy. This week’s card features Charlie Winfield — don’t miss it!

Bradford (Park Avenue) kick off the 2025/26 Northern Premier League East Division season this Saturday with an away trip to Matlock Town.

Craig Elliott’s side make the journey to Derbyshire aiming to build on a positive pre-season and make a strong start to the new league campaign.

Match Details
Fixture: Matlock Town vs Bradford (Park Avenue) AFC
Date: Saturday 9th August
Kick-Off: 3:00pm
Venue: The Proctor Cars Stadium, Causeway Lane, Matlock, DE4 3AR

Admission Prices

• Adults: £12
• Concessions: £8
• 11–18s: £4
• Under 11s: Free

Book tickets now – https://matlocktownfc.ktckts.com/event/2526m1/matlock-town-v-bradford-pa

Matlock Town were relegated from the Northern Premier League Premier Division at the end of last season, following a difficult campaign that included a late points deduction and changes in management. They now begin life in Division One East.

Supporter Travel
The coach to Matlock is now fully booked. The club would like to thank the Development Fund for subsidising the cost of travel and helping fans get behind the team.

Live Commentary on AvenueOnAir
If you can’t make the trip, you won’t miss out — AvenueOnAir, our brand-new commentary service, makes its debut this Saturday on Mixlr.

Join the team live from 2:45pm for full match coverage.
🎧 Listen live at: https://avenueonair.mixlr.com

Come on you Avenue!

We’re pleased to confirm the launch of our brand-new live commentary platform — AvenueOnAir, hosted on Mixlr and fully funded by the Green Army.

Starting with our 2025/26 season opener, supporters near and far will be able to tune in for live matchday commentary, bringing all the action from the Horsfall and beyond straight to their speakers.

Following a successful first season of online commentaries via our X channel, this move to Mixlr allows for a more stable and accessible listening experience — all under one dedicated audio platform.

Main commentator Lewis Sale returns for another campaign and shared his thoughts ahead of the launch:

“I’m delighted to continue the matchday commentaries for the club during the 2025-26 season. The club’s reach stretches far and wide, across the globe and through the live match commentaries, we’re able to offer a much-needed service to supporters who are unable to attend matches in person.

Last season, we saw some great numbers through our X channel and hopefully we can increase our audience this campaign. We also had some fantastic messages of support from listeners, and this is always appreciated.

Importantly, the commentaries help spread the word about our club too, and hopefully, I’ll be commentating on a successful season for the Green Army!”

You can listen live at:
avenueonair.mixlr.com

A huge thank you goes out to all supporters and contributors who are making this possible — your continued backing allows us to improve how we connect with fans across the city, the country, and the world.

Whether you’re tuning in from Bradford or Brisbane, make sure to follow AvenueOnAir and never miss a kick.

Bradford (Park Avenue) return to action next Tuesday evening as they welcome a Bradford City XI to the Horsfall Stadium for their final pre-season friendly before the new campaign kicks off. The annual match will be for the Tom Banks Memorial Trophy.

📅 Tuesday 29th July 2025
🕖 Kick-off: 7:00PM
📍 Horsfall Stadium, BD6 2NG
🎟️ £5 Adults | £1 U18s
🎫 Tickets available now via Fanbase

Craig Elliott’s side come into the match following a positive 2-1 win over Guiseley on Saturday, with goals from Charlie Winfield and Prince Ekpolo sealing the result in a competitive fixture that provided another strong workout for the squad.

Reflecting on the game, First Team Manager Craig Elliott said:

“Really good friendly again – good tempo, felt like a proper league game. Guiseley have got some fantastic players, so to win tonight, I’m really happy and just happy with what we got out of the game.”

Tuesday’s fixture will offer a final opportunity for supporters to see the squad in action before the 2025/26 season officially begins. Avenue kick off their competitive campaign at home to Mossley in the Emirates FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round on Saturday 2nd August.

“I’ve just said to the players – lots of positives. We’re in a good place. Now it’s just about getting everyone back from holidays, fit and ready, and doing a bit more in training before we start the real stuff.”

Don’t miss your chance to back the lads one last time before the competitive action begins!

Bradford (Park Avenue) fans are in for a full day of football today, as both our First Team and Reserves are in action at the Horsfall Community Stadium.

The day kicks off at 1:00pm, with the First Team welcoming Folkestone Invicta for the latest fixture in our 2025/26 pre-season schedule. After a solid performance in midweek, Craig Elliott’s side will be looking to build further momentum with another strong showing on home soil.

Entry for the match is completely FREE, so we’re encouraging the Green Army to turn out in force and get behind the lads.

The action doesn’t stop there – at 4:00pm, our Reserves take to the pitch against Emley U23s. Owen Murphy’s squad continues its preparations for the upcoming campaign, and tomorrow’s test promises to offer another good challenge for the developing side.

The bar will be open throughout the day, with plenty of opportunity to enjoy a drink while taking in both matches. Whether you’re coming for one game or making a full day of it, we’d love to see you at Horsfall.

With two matches, free entry, and a great atmosphere on offer, it’s set to be a fantastic day out for fans of all ages.

Saturday 19th July – Matchday Schedule:
🕐 1:00pm – First Team vs Folkestone Invicta
🕓 4:00pm – Reserves vs Emley U23s

Come and spend your Saturday with us at the Horsfall – and enjoy a brilliant day of football with the Green Army!

You voiced your opinions – and we have listened!

As we prepare for an exciting 2025/26 season at the Horsfall Community Stadium, we’re pleased to confirm our updated Pay on the Gate (POTG) admission prices. These changes reflect our continued commitment to making football affordable and accessible for all across Bradford.

New Admission Prices for 2025/26:

• Adults (18+): £10
• Blue Light Card Holders, Armed Forces & Students: £5
• Youth (12–17): £3
• Juniors (Under-12): £1

These prices apply both on the gate and online via Fanbase, giving supporters the flexibility to buy tickets in the way that suits them best.

Our Early Bird Season Ticket window has now closed, and we are proud to share that 256 season tickets were sold across all categories. A huge thank you to every supporter who secured theirs early — your commitment means the world to us.

Official matchday programmes for all Northern Premier League, FA Cup, and FA Trophy fixtures will be priced at £3 and sold exclusively in the Clubhouse on matchdays.

Please be aware that pre-season friendlies, FA Cup, and FA Trophy matches are not included in season tickets. Admission prices for these fixtures will be announced closer to the respective dates.

Whether you’re renewing, returning, or making your first trip to the Horsfall — now is the time to get behind your local club. Every voice in the crowd makes a difference, and we can’t wait to welcome you for another unforgettable season.

📧 Questions? Contact: Thomas.Ogden@bpafc.com

The Green Army will kick things off with an FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round tie at home to Mossley on Saturday 2nd August at 3:00pm, before travelling to Matlock Town a week later for our opening league fixture.

All Kick Off times are subject to change

AUGUST

Sat 2 – Mossley (H) – FA Cup EP – 3:00pm
Sat 9 – Matlock Town (A) – 3:00pm
Tue 12 – Emley (H) – 7:45pm
Tue 19 – Hallam (A) – 7:45pm
Sat 23 – Dunston (H) – 3:00pm
Mon 25 – Pontefract Collieries (A) – Bank Holiday – 3:00pm
Sat 30 – Grimsby Borough (H) – 3:00pm

SEPTEMBER

Sat 6 – Redcar Athletic (H) – FA Trophy 1Q – 3:00pm
Sat 13 – Blyth Spartans (A) – 3:00pm
Sat 20 – Lincoln United (H) – 3:00pm
Sat 27 – Bridlington Town (A) – 3:00pm

OCTOBER

Sat 4 – Ashington (H) – 3:00pm
Tue 7 – North Ferriby (H) – 7:45pm
Sat 11 – Blyth Town (A) – 3:00pm
Tue 14 – Silsden (A) – 7:45pm
Sat 18 – Heaton Stannington (H) – 3:00pm
Sat 25 – Newton Aycliffe (A) – 3:00pm

NOVEMBER

Sat 1 – Garforth Town (H) – 3:00pm
Sat 8 – Redcar Athletic (A) – 3:00pm
Sat 15 – Consett (H) – 3:00pm
Sat 22 – Ossett United (H) – 3:00pm
Sat 29 – Bishop Auckland (A) – 3:00pm

DECEMBER

Sat 6 – Blyth Spartans (H) – 3:00pm
Sat 13 – Lincoln United (A) – 3:00pm
Sat 20 – Emley (A) – 3:00pm
Fri 26 – Pontefract Collieries (H) – Boxing Day – 3:00pm

JANUARY

Thu 1 – Brighouse Town (A) – New Year’s Day – 3:00pm
Sat 10 – Matlock Town (H) – 3:00pm
Sat 17 – Ashington (A) – 3:00pm
Sat 24 – Bridlington Town (H) – 3:00pm
Sat 31 – North Ferriby (A) – 3:00pm

FEBRUARY

Sat 7 – Blyth Town (H) – 3:00pm
Sat 14 – Heaton Stannington (A) – 3:00pm
Sat 21 – Silsden (H) – 3:00pm
Sat 28 – Consett (A) – 3:00pm

MARCH

Sat 7 – Newton Aycliffe (H) – 3:00pm
Sat 14 – Garforth Town (A) – 3:00pm
Sat 21 – Redcar Athletic (H) – 3:00pm
Sat 28 – Hallam (H) – 3:00pm

APRIL

Sat 4 – Dunston (A) – 3:00pm
Mon 6 – Brighouse Town (H) – Easter Monday – 3:00pm
Sat 11 – Grimsby Borough (A) – 3:00pm
Sat 18 – Bishop Auckland (H) – 3:00pm
Sat 25 – Ossett United (A) – 3:00pm

We can’t wait to see you all at the Horsfall and on the road throughout what promises to be an unforgettable season.