Bradford (Park Avenue) are delighted to announce that we have secured the signing of Dan Atkinson for the 20/21 season. The 24 year old Goalkeeper, began his development at the Leeds United Academy where he made appearances for England U16’s and England U17’s before moving to Guiseley. At Guiseley Dan played under our current management duo of Mark and Danny and made 18 appearances for Guiseley in the National League, challenging Steven Drench for the number 1 jersey during his 2 seasons with the club.
We look forward to seeing Dan plying his trade down at the Horsfall next season and wish him well as he embarks on his Avenue career.
Dan Atkinson –
‘I am really excited to be joining BPA and joining back up and playing under Mark and Danny. I really enjoyed my time playing under them and I am looking forward to the brand of football that they want to play here. I’ve got a real hunger to do well for the club and get BPA back up the table, hopefully keeping a clean sheet or two. I think everyone will be excited to get back to watching some football when this is all over, so lets hope we can give them something to cheer about when the new season starts’
Mark Bower –
‘I’m really pleased with the signing of Dan. He is a modern, young goalkeeper with bags of potential, but also good experience having played a number of games at National league level. Having worked with him in the past, I know Dan will compliment the team well with his goalkeeping qualities and confidence with the ball at his feet. He is another young talented player whom we hope to help fulfil his ambitions of becoming a full time professional player. ’
After an initial 6 week review of the Academy, its current state and defining what we aspire it to deliver from an academic and sporting experience, the club have decided to part ways with Des Hazel.
Martin Knight –
‘We would like to thank Des for all of his hard work and effort during his time with the club and wish him well in the future.’
An exhaustive search will now start for our new Academy Manager. We hope to appoint the right person whom can drive us towards achieving our long term aims for the Academy, in the very near future.
Fan Favourite Lewis Knight has put pen to paper on a new one year deal. After lengthy discussions between Lewis and his agent Andy Gray, the club are delighted to announce that the blisteringly quick forward has committed his immediate future to the Avenue.
His powerful and exciting style has won many admirers over his 2 seasons with The Avenue and the club have had to fight hard to fend off interest from else where. Its obvious to see why he is so admired by the Avenue fans and envied by other clubs, his games to goal involvement ratio (goal or assist) is just under one every other game.
Total Appearances: 71
Goals: 11
Assists: 17
In line with the clubs strategy of developing young talented players, who maybe haven’t had opportunities to this point in their development, this marks the first of many such exciting squad developments.
Danny Boshell –
Both myself and Mark are delighted that Lewis has decided to remain with us for the next season. The fact that he sees the club as the best place to further develop is a real positive, Mark and I hope we can help him fulfil his obvious potential into becoming a full time professional in the next couple of years, which we know is his aim. He’s a fantastic lad who’s got a great attitude and enthusiasm for the game which makes him a pleasure to coach and that’s exactly the sort of player we want at the club.
Lewis Knight –
I am very happy to be signing my new deal at BPA. Obviously with the current climate it’s hard to know what will happen next season and I’m delighted the club and I could get a deal done so early. With the club re-signing the gaffa and Bosh for an extra three years, it shows the clubs intent to do well next year and the years to come. The project looks very ambitious and I am excited to be a part of it. Also a big thank you to the fans for their loyal support throughout last year and I hope this next coming season we can repay them with some good performances and wins.
Andy Gray –
One of the reasons we wanted Lewis to re-sign for The Avenue, is that a platform to play regular first team football in a competitive environment is the most vital part of a young players development.
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Here at Bradford (Park Avenue) we are always on the look out for talented young footballers, if you have recently been released from a fulltime professional program and are looking for a place to prove yourself and have the opportunity to get back further up the footballing pyramid, please contact us to discuss the next exciting stage of your career – m.a.knight@hotmail.com
We are delighted to be able to announce that the incredibly talented management duo of Mark Bower and Danny Boshell have agreed to commit to the club in the long term. Fundamental to the new strategy for the club, was having great management of the first team, and the ability to nurture and develop young talent. Then blending these younger talents with more experienced and seasoned players. Mark and Danny have proven that when given the right kind of platform they are capable of producing exciting, competitive teams that are great to watch. The new 3 year deals will give them the time, confidence and stability to build something special here at the Horsfall.
Owner Gareth Roberts
‘I am really pleased that Mark and Danny have extended their contracts, we are lucky to have local lads with great coaching ability and whom understand and know the club. After a tumultuous season we wanted to steady the ship and have some strong foundations to build on’
Mark
‘I’m pleased to get this deal agreed. After what has been a difficult last 18 months, I’m positive that we now have a structure in place that can build a long and sustainable future both on and off the pitch. The proposed ground developments are exciting and it feels like we are entering a new beginning with a real focus and professional approach behind the scenes. I’m looking forward to the challenge and both Danny and I know we can count on the supporters to get behind us and help us through these uncertain times, in the knowledge that there is a solid plan and commitment in place to grow the club over the next few years’
Danny
‘Both Mark and myself are really pleased to have got this sorted, it shows the commitment of the club long term and their trust in our ability. It will allow us to further test those abilities at a club that is close to our hearts as two Bradford born lads growing up a stones through from the ground. Its not going to be easy, but we up for the challenge in these new and testing times’
Towards the end of the 2013-14 campaign Bradford (Park Avenue) recorded a comfortable victory against Histon FC at the Horsfall Stadium.
Today we take a look back at that game that saw a brace and a goal for fan favourites, Chib Chilaka and Paul Walker.
HIGHLIGHTS:
MATCH REPORT:
Bradford (Park Avenue) recorded a comfortable victory against Histon FC at the Horsfall Stadium in The Skrill North.
To mark the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster, a well-respected minute’s silence took place before the match kicked off at 3.07pm.
Chib Chilaka scored two first-half goals to give the Avenue the lead at the break. The striker slotted home after James Knowles’ superb free-kick found Paul Walker, who spotted the run of Chilaka. Then, a minute before half-time, a brilliant run from Walker down the left flank allowed the winger to pass to Richard Marshall, but his strike hit the post, only for Chilaka to tap-in the rebound. The hosts sealed the win as Grant Black’s deep cross was brought down by Walker, and he curled a right-footed effort past the Stutes goalkeeper Charlie Grainger from 12 yards with the help of the post.
In a quiet opening spell of the first half, it was the visitors that created the better of the early chances. Matty Waters went close to giving his side the lead, as he fired a first time effort wide from six yards after receiving a cross from Michael Built.
Minutes later, the Stutes captain Charlie Day dispossessed Black in the middle of the park, and slipped a neat pass through to Waters, but the striker failed to trouble John Lamb in the Avenue goal from 16 yards.
Brian Page’s men were then punished as Chilaka’s strike gave the Avenue the lead. Knowles started the move with an exquisite 60 yard pass that landed at the feet of Walker on the touchline, the winger cut inside and played in Chilaka, who beat his man on the edge of the box, before side-footing into the bottom corner.
Following the goal, John Deacey’s men continued to press and were rewarded with their second goal, as Chilaka struck again to double their advantage. Walker burst down the left flank, crashing through two challenges before offloading inside to Marshall. The midfielder immediately charged into the box and opened up his body to curl an effort that beat Charlie Grainger, but hit the post, before falling to Chilaka who tapped in for his second.
The home side continued to attack in the second half and it wasn’t long before they scored again as Walker’s fine strike secured the win for the Avenue. Black received possession on the wide right from Chilaka and swung a deep cross that evaded everyone in the box, before falling to Walker at the far post. The impressive winger brought the ball down with his first touch and unleashed a curling strike with his right-foot that deflected in off the far post.
With ten minutes remaining, the home side nearly added a fourth from an unlikely goalscorer. The Avenue’s holding midfielder Jamie Price exchanged a delicate one two with Paul Beesley on the edge of the box, but his left-footed shot curled just wide from 20 yards.
As anyone will know, Canaries like to sing, so it’s no surprise that the club with that nickname boasts the oldest known football chant on record.
The song is in fact older than the club itself, having probably been penned for Norwich Teachers or Caley’s FC in the 1890s. The writer of the song is often attributed as Albert T Smith, who became a director of Norwich City when the club was founded in 1902, and the song was adopted by fans of the club.
As this is the final article of our head to head stats against current Premier League giants, it seems fitting to see it out with a song, so here are the lyrics to Norwich’s song below:
In the days to call, which we’ve left behind, Our boyhood’s glorious game, And our youthful vigour has declined With its mirth and its lonesome end; You will think of the time, the happy time, Its memories fond recall When in the bloom of your youthful prime We’ve kept upon the ball
Kick it off, throw it in, have a little scrimmage, Keep it low, a splendid rush, bravo, win or die; On the ball, City, never mind the danger, Steady on, now’s your chance, Hurrah! We’ve scored a goal.
Let all tonight then drink with me To the football game we love, And wish it may successful be As other games of old, And in one grand united toast Join player, game and song And fondly pledge your pride and toast Success to the City club.
Kick off, throw in, have a little scrimmage, Keep it low, a splendid rush, bravo, win or die; On the ball, City, never mind the danger, Steady on, now’s your chance, Hurrah! We’ve scored a goal. City! City!
Now, onto the stats:
Bradford (Park Avenue) VS Norwich City
Games won:
5
Games drawn:
2
Games lost:
3
Date
Match
Result
Score
Competition
08 Sep 1934
Bradford Park Avenue v Norwich City
D
1-1
League Division Two
19 Jan 1935
Norwich City v Bradford Park Avenue
L
3-0
League Division Two
21 Sep 1935
Bradford Park Avenue v Norwich City
W
1-0
League Division Two
30 Apr 1936
Norwich City v Bradford Park Avenue
L
4-1
League Division Two
29 Mar 1937
Norwich City v Bradford Park Avenue
L
3-1
League Division Two
30 Mar 1937
Bradford Park Avenue v Norwich City
W
1-0
League Division Two
01 Sep 1937
Norwich City v Bradford Park Avenue
D
1-1
League Division Two
06 Sep 1937
Bradford Park Avenue v Norwich City
W
3-0
League Division Two
27 Aug 1938
Norwich City v Bradford Park Avenue
W
1-3
League Division Two
24 Dec 1938
Bradford Park Avenue v Norwich City
W
3-0
League Division Two
Stats sourced from 11v11.com – if you spot any inaccuracies please e-mail info@bpafc.com.
Founded in 1874, Aston Villa has an admirable trophy cabinet having won 7 first division titles, 7 FA Cups and 3 European titles, amongst others.
Apart from a dip in the 1970’s where they dropped into the third division, Aston villa has competed in the top two tiers of English football for their entire history. A history that stretches back before the formation of the football league, of which they were founding members.
