Bradford (Park Avenue) make the short trip to the Bannister Prentice Stadium on Saturday afternoon to face Garforth Town in the Northern Premier League East Division, with the playoff race continuing to tighten.

Avenue go into the weekend sitting 6th in the table on 59 points from 33 games, knocked just outside the playoff positions after midweek wins for both Dunston and Pontefract Collieries. With the margins so fine at the top end of the division, Saturday’s trip to Garforth presents an important opportunity for Craig Elliott’s side to respond and push themselves back into the top five.

Last time out, Avenue produced an impressive 3–0 home win over Newton Aycliffe, following up the previous weekend’s 2–0 victory away at Consett. Those results mean Bradford (Park Avenue) have taken 13 points from their last six matches, scoring ten goals and conceding just twice during that run. The recent form has kept Avenue firmly in the playoff conversation heading into the final stretch of the campaign.

Hosts Garforth Town currently sit 7th in the table on 49 points from 34 matches, ten points behind Avenue but still capable of influencing the playoff race. The Miners have had mixed results recently, losing 1–0 away at Heaton Stannington last weekend before bouncing back in midweek with a 2–1 win over Consett.

Despite sitting just outside the playoff places, Garforth remain a dangerous side on their day and will be looking to close the gap to the teams above them with a strong finish to the season.

With both sides battling for momentum at a crucial stage of the campaign, Saturday’s clash promises to be an important encounter in the race for the playoffs. For Avenue, a positive result on the road would not only strengthen their position but could see them climb back into the top five depending on results elsewhere.

Kick-off at the Bannister Prentice Stadium is 3:00pm on Saturday 14 March 2026.

Supporters unable to make the trip can listen to full live commentary via Avenue On Air from approximately 2:50pm at
https://avenueonair.mixlr.com

Bradford (Park Avenue) can confirm that Josh Ashman’s loan with Mickleover has been extended until the end of the 2025/26 season.

The defender returned to the Northern Premier League Midlands Division side in February after previously being recalled by Avenue in December. Since rejoining Mickleover, Ashman has continued to gain valuable first-team minutes at Step 4 while maintaining his development through regular competitive football.

The extension will see Ashman remain with Mickleover for the remainder of the campaign, providing him with the opportunity to continue playing consistently during the final stages of the season.

Josh remains an Avenue player and the club will continue to monitor his progress throughout the loan spell. Everyone at Bradford (Park Avenue) wishes him the best for the rest of the season with Mickleover.

Avenue return to Horsfall this Saturday as Newton Aycliffe travel to BD6 in the Northern Premier League East Division.

With 32 matches played, Bradford (Park Avenue) sit 4th in the table on 56 points, firmly in the play-off places as the season moves into its final ten fixtures. Last weekend’s 2-0 victory away at Consett was a measured and professional response following the previous setback, restoring momentum at an important stage of the campaign.

The performance on the road was controlled from start to finish. Avenue limited Consett to very few clear opportunities, secured another clean sheet, and showed composure in both boxes. Defensively, Craig Elliott’s side remain among the strongest in the division, while recent weeks have seen improved efficiency in front of goal.

Newton Aycliffe arrive 20th in the table on 29 points from 31 games and fighting to move clear of the bottom four. Despite their league position, they are a well-coached side who look to play with intensity. The reverse fixture earlier this season ended in a disappointing 2-0 defeat for Avenue – a performance below the standards expected and one the squad will be determined to put right on home turf.

With the play-off race tightening and margins across the division remaining fine, maintaining consistency at Horsfall will be key in the weeks ahead. Saturday presents another opportunity to strengthen position and build momentum heading into the closing stages of the season.

Following the win at Consett, manager Craig Elliott had this to say on our upcoming home match:

“We didn’t play too well at their place, so we have to get our game plan right. We’re at home and we want to get a win.”

Goalscorer Louie Chorlton added:

“It’s another tough game. We’ll look to put it right this time and get the three points.”

Saturday 7 March 2026 | 3:00pm KO
Horsfall Community Stadium | Gates open 1:30pm

Tickets:
https://app.fanbaseclub.com/Fan/Tickets/SelectType?fixtureId=16284

Our boys showed great character last week away at Consett, who had been in good form. Truth be told, we made them look bang average. Our last home game is a warning sign to us that we cannot be complacent and, no matter who we face between now and the end of the season, we must be on top of our game. Our opponents this weekend have had a rough few games. It is our job to ensure they continue on that run.

Talking about complacency, we cannot take anything in life for granted. I had originally planned to update supporters this week on some behind-the-scenes activities, but unfortunately I have been on house arrest this week on doctor’s orders! I have had a very strange week indeed. I had my dad visiting from Ireland last weekend and, after a lot of effort, managed to get him a ticket for the Leeds and Man City game. On Saturday, of course, we enjoyed three points on the road to strengthen our place in the play-off positions. On Sunday we went out for a family meal before I planned to drop my dad off at LBA for his flight back home, before doing my Sunday ritual of watching our game back from the day before.

However, what I wasn’t planning for was a blue-light taxi ride to Calderdale Hospital after having an anaphylactic shock. I was very lucky to have my family and the wonderful West Yorkshire Ambulance crew, who acted promptly to save my life. I take my hat off to our emergency services and the wonderful staff in the NHS. What they do, given very limited resources, is remarkable and I thank them sincerely for looking after me. The moral of the story is: don’t take life for granted, and don’t leave the house without my EpiPen ever again!

You may have seen that this week we launched our new official club podcast. This has been in the making for months. Credit to Tom S, Tom O, Lewis and Liam for making it happen. It’s a great watch/listen, so please help spread the word and get your friends to tune in. This platform will be used to improve our communication with supporters. It’s very much an evolving project, so please feel free to get in touch via email at podcast@bpafc.com to put forward your questions or suggestions. We are also looking for sponsors.

I read an interview last week with Paul Clement. Paul has had a fantastic career in coaching and management, working at some of the world’s biggest clubs and with the best players in world football. He mentioned how easy it is to have an opinion on things such as team selection and tactics when you aren’t the one making the final decision. He referenced his experience in management and how different it is when you are the one making the final call. I had one game in charge and, trust me, it is not easy. What helps is having good people around you and a cohesive group of people working hard towards the same goal. I think we can safely say that’s what we have here at BPA. People will have, and are entitled to, their opinions, but ultimately we all want the same thing: promotion.

One thing is for sure: between now and the end of the season there will be lots of twists and turns. Isn’t it great to be fighting for promotion and a play-off finish at this stage of the season? As the better weather comes in (hopefully), we would love to see our crowds increase and the atmosphere improve to give our team every opportunity to perform and achieve success. Bring a friend with you on Saturday to help us get the three points we are aiming for.

Enjoy the game.

Bradford (Park Avenue) are delighted to confirm that Billy Whaite’s loan from Blackpool has been extended until the end of the 2025/26 season.

The forward initially joined the club on a 28-day youth loan and has since made five appearances from the bench, continuing to integrate into Craig Elliott’s squad and gain valuable senior experience in a competitive environment.

Whaite arrived at the Horsfall Community Stadium after signing a professional contract with Blackpool earlier this season, having progressed through a strong development pathway in the North West. He came through the ranks at Morecambe, where he impressed at Under-18 level and earned opportunities to train with the first team, going on to make a senior appearance in Sky Bet League Two before further involvement during pre-season.

Since making the move to Horsfall, Billy has worked hard behind the scenes and shown positive signs in his cameos from the bench, adding energy and attacking intent in the final third.

Extending the deal until the end of the current campaign provides further continuity within the squad and allows Billy to continue his development with consistent exposure to senior football.

The club would like to place on record its thanks to Blackpool for their continued cooperation in facilitating the extension and we look forward to seeing Billy continue his progress in green and white for the remainder of the season.

Bradford (Park Avenue) return to Horsfall this Saturday afternoon as we host fellow Bradford side Silsden AFC in a local Northern Premier League East Division clash.

Last weekend’s scheduled trip to Heaton Stannington was postponed following an early pitch inspection, meaning Craig Elliott’s side have had an unexpected break after building strong momentum.

Avenue head into Saturday unbeaten in six league matches and have held their position firmly inside the play-off places. Victories over Matlock Town and Blyth Town, alongside a hard-earned point away at North Ferriby and a draw with Bridlington Town, have reinforced the consistency and resilience developing within the squad as the season enters a decisive period.

With 53 points from 30 matches, Avenue remain fifth in the table and know that maintaining form at Horsfall will be key in the race for a top-five finish.

Silsden currently sit 18th in the division on 29 points from 28 matches. The visitors have endured a heavily disrupted February schedule, with last weekend’s fixture against Grimsby Borough also postponed. In fact, Silsden have not played since 31st January following a number of weather-affected postponements.

Their most recent outing was a 0–0 draw with Bishop Auckland, while earlier in January they secured an eye-catching 4–1 home victory over Ashington. However, defeats away at Matlock Town and Redcar Athletic highlight the inconsistency they will be looking to address.

Saturday presents an interesting dynamic: Avenue arrive match-ready and in rhythm, while Silsden return after nearly three weeks without competitive action. That said, local fixtures often override league position and form. With both sides representing Bradford, there is added pride at stake alongside the three points.

As the play-off race tightens, every home fixture becomes increasingly significant — and Avenue will be aiming to extend their unbeaten run and continue strengthening their position in the top five.

Match Details

Saturday 21st February 2026
3:00pm kick-off
Horsfall Community Stadium, BD6 2NG

Tickets are available online now:
https://app.fanbaseclub.com/Fan/Tickets/SelectType?fixtureId=16283

Admission prices:
£10 Adults / Concessions
£5 Students / Blue Light / Forces (Must have valid ID)
£3 Youth (12–17)
£1 Juniors (Under 12s)

Hospitality is available at £15 per person.

Supporters can also pay on the gate.