8 Nov 2019

The MANarama Big Interview: Bradford go back to the future with Bower – and he can’t wait!

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League sponsors MANarama caught up with the Bradford (Park Avenue) manager ahead of Saturday’s big game with King’s Lynn.

Bradford (Park Avenue) fans could be forgiven for thinking they have stepped back in time this season. Some events seem all too familiar. Mark Bower taking to the Horsfall hotseat with the whole league writing off their chances of success is almost a carbon copy of where they club was three years ago.

The rest, as they say, was history. Safety first and then back-to-back play-off campaigns had the fans believing again.

But after a catastrophic start to this season, the club went back to the future to reignite an old flame with the popular Bradford-born boss.

“You never say never in football,” he said. “I didn’t want to leave the club when I did but circumstances meant that between us, we had no option to make the decision that we did.

“There have been a number of changes at the club since I left which has made it easier for me to come back. I came in two years ago in a similar position when everyone said we were doomed and going down.

“Slowly but surely, we turned it around and got ourselves safe that season and built some strong foundations to have two very successful seasons following that – that’s what we’ve got to try and do again.”

Things couldn’t have been much worse when Bower stepped back through to door – an FA Cup defeat to Morpeth was swiftly followed by an 8-0 thumping at Brackley.

Garry Thompson was shown the door after two games before Marcus Law had a spell in interim charge. The club were now looking for their third manager of the season.

Many would have run the other way. But Bower is made of different stuff and instead, he’s relishing what is to come.

“Confidence was very low when I came in,” Bower explains. “We had just been knocked out of the FA Cup by a lower league team and then been beaten 8-0 so the dressing room was very low.

“But in the couple of weeks since, started well against Hereford and then we’ve been unfortunate in the other two games that followed, and we’ve shown a better side to our play. But there’s still plenty to work on.

“We’re not just down there, we’ve had some heavy defeats and look well short of the mark at times. If we can stay up this season, it will give us a bit of a clean slate to start again and build again from next summer.

“We’re in the same boat as a number of teams down there already but I’m more than confident with the players we’ve got in the dressing room that we can hold our own and get competitive.”

On history alone, many might see the 39-year-old as their knight in shining armour, on his way to save their season.

But the past means nothing for Bower, who also brought Danny Boshell back to the club with him. His message is simple. Judge me when I’m done.

“Winning that first game was probably the worst thing that could have happened because people might have relaxed. But there’s a lot of work to do and we need all the help we can get.

“I want to do my best for the club for as long as that lasts for. If you do the job well then, you’re more likely to stay around so obviously that’s what I’m trying to do.

“We’ve had a really good reaction to us coming back but I’m more interested to what people will think when we’ve finished the job. Hopefully people will think well of us when it comes to an end.”

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5 Nov 2019

Royle Joins On Loan

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Bradford (Park Avenue) have signed midfielder Jonathan Royle on loan from AFC Telford United.

Royle joins on an initial deal until 1st January, strengthening manager Mark Bower’s options in midfield.

Bower had hinted at a potential new signing after watching his side slip to their third defeat in a row at Kettering on Saturday, falling to the bottom of the league in the process.

Former Southport midfielder Royle initially joined Telford on a loan deal back in September 2016 which was soon made permanent after a string of fine performances.

Since joining, he has made 75 appearances in the National League North for Telford, but has been limited to just two starts and two substitute appearances this term.

Royle got his first taste of senior football as a teenager, spending two seasons at Colwyn Bay before their relegation from the then-named Conference North.

He has also notched a handful of National League appearances for Wrexham and Southport, while also lining up in a brief loan spell at Hednesford Town.

Royle will go straight into the Avenue squad ahead of their home clash with Kings Lynn Town this Saturday.

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5 Nov 2019

MATCH REPORT | Harrogate Town 2 – 1 Bradford (Park Avenue)

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Avenue drop out of the West Riding County Cup despite taking an early lead against the home side.

The break in league action meant that Avenue boss, Bower could take a look at fringe players, as well as naming three Academy scholars in the line up. Meanwhile, Harrogate named eight senior players in their line-up.

Avenue started well forcing a good save from Harrogate’s stopper, Cracknell in the seventh minute.

Jack Emmet nearly opened the scoring for the home side in the 13th minute, hitting the post with a good curled effort inside the box.

Avenue opened the scoring on the 16th minute with an excellent run from Villa loanee, Isiah Bazeley who burst past his marker, into the box and slotted the ball low to the right to put Avenue one up.

The lead didn’t last however as Town responded by scoring only a minute after the restart. Jon Stead received the ball on the right side of the box and he fired a strike across the goal, out of the reach of the Joe Green.

Both sides continued to seek out the lead throughout the half and it was Bradford that looked strongest towards the break with Harrogate players blocking a number of shots to keep the teams level at the break.

HALF TIME: Harrogate 1 – 1 Bradford.

The attacking form continued into the second half with both sides looking to get onto the front foot. A number of great tackles by the Harrogate back line prevented Avenue form breaking free on a few occasions and Bradford should have taken the lead in the 68th minute, when Lewis Knight was unable to find the net to convert from just a few yards out following the low cross from the right.

A handball in the 70th minute saw Avenue fall behind as Stead stepped up to secure his brace from the penalty spot, shooting low to the Green’s right.

Avenue continued to press for the remaining 20 minutes, but were reduced to ten men following a heavy challenge that forced Joe Ockerby to leave the field with an injury after all three substitutes were used.

Harrogate then used their one man advantage to see out the game and progress to the next round.

Teams:

Harrogate: Cracknell, Fergus, Hartley, Clark, Thomson, Emmett, Jones, Taylor, Stead, Kerry (Prata 76), Brown.

Subs not used: Wilton, Chippendale, , Haswell, Wicks.

Goals: Stead x2

Bookings: Kerry

Bradford Park Avenue: Green, Bazeley (Mayfield 76), Ockerby, Marriott, Hughes, Priestley (Lyons 59), Rathbone, Lund, Sweeney (Knight 59), Hurst, Johnson 

Goals: Bazeley

Referee: A Bannister

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4 Nov 2019

Three Academy Players Earn First Team Call Up

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The club is proud to announce that three of the Academy’s scholars have received a call up to the first team ahead of tonight’s West Riding County Cup fixture away at Harrogate Town.

First team manager, Mark Bower will be keen to see how the three have developed during their time in the Academy.

Of the three, Mayfield and Ockerby will be re-joining the first team following their call up last season, with Lyons looking to make his first team debut having trained with the squad after impressing for the Under 19’s side.

Hear how the lads get on this evening by tuning into live match commentary on mixlr.com/bpafc at 7:45pm.

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4 Nov 2019

Match Preview: Harrogate (A)

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Bradford (Park Avenue) take a break from league action this Monday evening, with a trip to Harrogate Town in the West Riding County Cup.

The match is a second round tie, but is both clubs’ first involvement in the competition following byes in the first round.

It is a repeat of the 2016 final, which Avenue won at Valley Parade, lifting their second successive County Cup trophy in the process.

Goals from Lamin Colley, Reece Webb-Foster and Richard Marshall gave Avenue victory then, and three-and-a-half years later the sides meet again in the competition, this time at the CNG Stadium.

Both will be expected to make changes for the fixture, with Harrogate coming into the match after their 10-game unbeaten run in all competitions came to an end at Eastleigh on Saturday.

Avenue have the chance to give some of their fringe players a chance after three defeats on the bounce, with the likes of Jon Moran, Andre Johnson and Isaac Marriott a chance to stake their claim.

Recent League Form

Harrogate Town
Eastleigh (A) L 2-4
Barnet (H) W 2-1
Aldershot Town (H) W 1-0
Yeovil Town (A) W 2-1
Wrexham (A) D 1-1

Bradford (Park Avenue)
Kettering Town (A) L 0-4
Southport (H) L 0-3
Gloucester City (A) L 0-1
Hereford (H) W 3-2
Brackley Town (A) L 0-8

Last Time Out

Harrogate Town (vs Eastleigh): Belshaw, Fallowfield, G Smith (Taylor 75), Falkingham, Burrell, Beck, Kiernan (Thomson 66), Bradley (Emmett 59), Muldoon, W Smith, Diamond

Bradford (Park Avenue) (vs Kettering): Green, Lund, Priestley, Lowe (c), Hughes (Bazeley 46), Heaton (O.Johnson 60), Knight, Keane (Dockerty 46), Sweeney, Hurst, Nowakowski

Admission Prices
Adult – £5
Under-18 – £2

West Riding County Cup Second Round Draw In Full

Harrogate Town vs Bradford (Park Avenue) 4/11/19
Farsley Celtic vs Armthorpe Welfare 5/11/19
FC Halifax Town vs Yorkshire Amateur 6/11/19
Barnoldswick Town vs Steeton 12/11/19
Thackley vs Campion 12/11/19
Pontefract Collieries vs Tadcaster Albion TBC
Guiseley vs Brighouse Town TBC
Ossett United vs Eccleshill United OR Garforth Town TBC

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2 Nov 2019

Match Report: Kettering 4-0 Avenue

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Bradford (Park Avenue) dropped to bottom of the league thanks to a third successive defeat at the hands of Kettering Town.

Kettering leapfrogged Avenue off the bottom with an absolute rout at Latimer Park thanks to goals from London Meikle, Connor Kennedy, Ben Milnes and Aaron O’Connor, though in truth it could have been more on a woeful afternoon for Mark Bower’s men.

The game was in doubt for most of the day, with news of a planned pitch inspection arriving as late as 11am, with the team bus well on its way. Eventually, thanks to some hard work by volunteers and the rain easing up, the match referee passed the surface as playable around 15 minutes after the Avenue coach arrived at Latimer Park.

Bower had named an unchanged starting XI for the fixture, with the returning Oli Johnson taking the place of his namesake Andre amongst the substitutes, though due to an injury in the warm-up, recent signing Cieron Keane was handed a full debut in place of Germaine Agustien.

The hosts were fastest out of the box by far and came close inside 10 minutes as Keith Lowe could only flick a cross in the direction of an unmarked Milnes, who should probably have hit the target with his volley.

Milnes definitely should have done better moments later as again Avenue couldn’t clear and he strode onto a loose ball, but could only fire over from 12 yards out.

Kettering did take the lead with 15 minutes on the clock though, on the end of a brilliant breakaway.

A sweeping move ended with a neat one-two between Daniel Nti and Gary Stohrer, with the former cutting it back to Meikle, who just about forced the ball home with a bit of a scuffed effort.

The home side were causing problems with their pace, and another breakaway almost resulted in a second goal as O’Connor got the better of Lowe, but his cross was just behind the run of Nti and the chance went begging.

It took until the half-hour for the visitors to threaten, almost drawing level through Alex Hurst. The Port Vale loanee burst onto a Billy Priestley knock-down, and his eventual shot took a wicked deflection, Kettering goalkeeper Paul White doing excellently to react and tip the ball round the post.

The half time break seemed to do nothing to reinvigorate Avenue, and Kettering were afforded the simplest of goals just 11 minutes into the half, Kennedy heading home a Milnes corner from inside the six-yard box.

And Milnes added his own goal just after the hour, Lowe pulling down O’Connor just outside the box, with the midfielder stepping up and placing the free-kick into the bottom corner.

Bradford thought they’d pulled one back with 18 minutes to spare, as the returning Johnson flicked home Dan Sweeney’s shot, but the linesman’s flag went up for offside.

Nti, who was possibly lucky to escape a second yellow card for a foul on Knight, came oh so close with a brilliant chest-and-volley, before earning his side a penalty, his opposite number seven clipping him in the box leaving the referee with no option.

O’Connor stepped up and stuttered, sending Joe Green the wrong way to complete the rout.

The Bradford goalkeeper did have time to make a great save, as Tre Milford got in behind, but the offside flag was up regardless.

Meikle should have grabbed a second in the dying minutes, as Mitch Lund’s slip allowed him in on the right, but he curled over after cutting inside.

Kettering Town: White, Stohrer, Skarz (c), Graham, McGrath, Milnes, Nti, O’Connor (Milford 83), Kennedy, Meikle, Kelly

Subs not used: Solkhon, Brighton, Carta, Sebbeh

Goals: Meikle (15), Kennedy (56), Milnes (63), O’Connor (79P)

Booked: Skarz (45), Nti (70)

Bradford (Park Avenue): Green, Lund, Priestley, Lowe (c), Hughes (Bazeley 46), Heaton (O.Johnson 60), Knight, Keane (Dockerty 46), Sweeney, Hurst, Nowakowski

Subs not used: Marriott

Booked: Hurst (18), Hughes (45+3), Lowe (62)

Referee: Daniel Lockyer

Attendance: 625

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2 Nov 2019

Johnson Returns To Avenue

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Entertaining forward Oli Johnson has returned to Bradford (Park Avenue).

Johnson was a popular figure under Mark Bower, playing a key role in the last two seasons as Avenue reached the National League North promotion play-offs.

The former Norwich City, Stockport County and Yeovil Town man first linked up with Bower during his time at Guiseley, where he was a key figure in their promotion to the National League.

He has made 92 league appearances in a Bradford shirt across the last three campaigns, with an impressive return of 32 goals.

Johnson initially joined on loan from Guiseley in November 2016, but hasn’t played since departing in the summer after taking some time out to recover from long-standing injury problems.

The attacker returns to Bower’s squad ahead of this afternoon’s trip to Kettering Town, which goes ahead after a lot of hard work from volunteers following heavy rainfall at Latimer Park.

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1 Nov 2019

Match Preview: Kettering (A)

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Bradford (Park Avenue) travel to Kettering Town this Saturday looking for their first win in three games.

Avenue face fellow strugglers Kettering off the back of two successive defeats, and having dropped back down to second-bottom in the National League North.

It is a big clash between the division’s bottom two clubs, and Bradford boss Mark Bower will see it as a good opportunity to pick up some much needed points in the fight for survival.

Kettering sit one point below Avenue, who are level on points with Blyth and Curzon Ashton in the lower reaches of the division.

Saturday’s hosts, who were promoted last season with former Avenue interim manager Marcus Law at the helm, come into the game also off the back of two scoreless defeats in the league.

Their only two wins of the season have come at home though, with victories over Alfreton and AFC Telford United.

Former Barrow and Guiseley boss Paul Cox recently returned to the club he played for to attempt to turn round their fortunes and keep them in the division for a second season.

The game kicks off at 3pm, and you can join us on the official supporters’ coach, click here for more info.

Recent League Form

Bradford (Park Avenue)
Southport (H) L 0-3
Gloucester City (A) L 0-1
Hereford (H) W 3-2
Brackley Town (A) L 0-8
Spennymoor Town (H) D 1-1

Kettering Town
Spennymoor Town (H) L 0-2
Hereford (A) L 0-1
Alfreton Town (H) W 2-1
Farsley Celtic (A) L 2-3
Boston United (H) L 0-2

Last Time Out

Bradford (Park Avenue): Green, Lund, Priestley (Keane 61), Lowe (c), Hughes (Johnson 76), Heaton, Knight (Dockerty 62), Agustien, Sweeney, Hurst, Nowakowski

Kettering Town: White (c), Stohrer, Brighton, Graham, Williams, Milnes, Nti (Carta 58), Kennedy, Mitford, Meikle (Solkhon 79), Kelly

Admission Prices
Adult – £15
Concession (Over 60, Student) – £10
Under-18 – £5

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31 Oct 2019

Away Travel – Kettering Town

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The club are running a supporters coach to the upcoming Kettering Town match this Saturday, with seats costing £15 for adults and £10 for under 16’s.

Pick up time will be 09:30 from The Horsfall Stadium and 09:45 from Cedar Court Hotel. Returning back to Bradford shortly after the game once the players have eaten.

Seats are selling fast so if you would like to reserve a seat please contact Neil Fawcett on 07811959003

To keep up to date with all future away travel run in connection with the clubs travel partner J&B Travel, please see the clubs away travel page by clicking here

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29 Oct 2019

Cresswell Departs Avenue

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The club can confirm that Ryan Cresswell has left the club by mutual consent.

The club would like to thank Ryan for his efforts in an Avenue shirt, and wish him all the best for the future.

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