7 Aug 2018

Match Preview: Blyth Spartans Vs. Bradford (Park Avenue)

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Bradford (Park Avenue) hit the ground running with a 1-0 win over Brackley Town and will be keen to establish themselves as one of the league’s pacemakers with another win this evening.

Alun Armstrong’s Blyth Spartans suffered a 3-0 defeat to Hereford on the opening day and will be desperate to prevent a gap opening up between themselves and their rivals in the play-off race.

Blyth were mauled on their last visit to the Horsfall Stadium, as goals from Wayne Brooksby, Oli Johnson, Jamie Spencer and Adam Boyes condemned the shocked Spartans to a heavy defeat. Tonight’s hosts did, however, strike back with a convincing win over Mark Bower’s side at Croft Park in February thanks to a Dale Hopson brace and a Jarrett Rivers strike.

Take a look at our brief guide to this evening’s opponents…

THE GAFFER: 

Alun Armstrong

42-year old Alun Armstrong took charge of Blyth in September 2016 and guided the Spartans to the Northern Premier League title in his first-ever campaign in the dugout. As a player, he represented Bradford’s neighbours Bradford City during a brief loan spell in the 2003-2004 season, as well as featuring for Yorkshire sides Huddersfield Town and Doncaster Rovers on loan in 2000 and 2006. His most successful spells, however, were enjoyed outside of Yorkshire. The former forward made 160 appearances for Stockport County between 1994 and 1998 after ascending the youth ranks of Newcastle United, and found the back of the net on 49 occasions for the Hatters. He also represented Middlesbrough, Ipswich Town, Darlington and Rushden & Diamonds in a career spanning 14 years, before retiring after a very brief stint with Newcastle Blue Star. Armstrong famously scored the only goal during Ipswich’s 1-0 win over Inter Milan in a UEFA Cup first leg tie in 2001.

ONE TO WATCH:

Robbie Dale

Despite reaching the age of 34, Dale remains one of the biggest talents outside of league football. He made his 600th appearance for the Spartans on the opening day of the 2018/19 season, having netted a hat-trick on his debut against Wakefield & Emley in March 2005. The winger was named the Evo-Stik Premier Division Player of the Year in 2015 and turned down a contract with Oxford United as a 21-year-old. The Blyth stalwart was instrumental in both of the club’s recent FA Cup runs, featuring in the 3rd round in 2009 and 2015.

KEY SIGNING: 

Bradley Fewster

22-year-old forward Bradley Fewster joined Blyth in July and is a man with a point to prove. After progressing through Middlesbrough’s youth ranks, he made his professional debut in August 2014 and then scored on his second senior outing, against Preston North End. He found the back of the net on eight occasions for York City during a loan spell in the Minstermen’s 2015/16 League Two campaign but then struggled during a stint on loan at Hartlepool United. He was released by Boro in 2017 and spent last season with National League North side Spennymoor Town, where he failed to rediscover his goal-scoring form. A player who was prolific for England at under-19 level, Fewster will be keen to kickstart his career at Croft Park and could prove to be a canny addition if he finds form.

You can follow live coverage of this evening’s game via Twitter – @BPAFCOfficial.

Croft Park admission prices:

Adults: £12

Concessions: £7

13-16: £5

Under-12s: Free

Kick-off: 7:45pm

 

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4 Aug 2018

McKenna Magic Sinks Saints

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A sensational free-kick from Ben McKenna gave Bradford (Park Avenue) an opening day victory over Brackley Town.

Kevin Wilkin’s side knocked Bradford out of the play-offs last season, but McKenna’s sublime strike ensured that the West Yorkshire side emerged victorious this time.

The hosts set the pace early on, and recent loan recruit Jake Beesley forced Danny Lewis to beat away a powerful effort in the opening five minutes after he had dispossessed Luke Graham.

Nicky Wroe then stung the palms of Lewis with a thunderous strike from the right, and Graham was forced to blast clear after the effort was parried.

Mark Bower will have been pleased with the slick nature of Bradford’s passing in the early exchanges, and his side believed they should have had a penalty when Beesley was seemingly shoved in the back by Gareth Dean.

Brackley showed glimpses of their ability to cause problems going forward in the first-half and Bradford debutant Conor Branson had to make an excellent sliding challenge to thwart Matt Lowe, who had accelerated away from Wroe.

Saints stopper Lewis then had to be alert to tip Chris Dawson’s close-range effort over the crossbar as pressure began to mount on the hosts.

Opportunities continued to fall to the hosts as Brackley could only clear a corner as far as the edge of the 18-yard box, where Danny Lowe was waiting to drill towards goal. His effort, however, flew narrowly wide.

The tempo of the game slowed as the interval approached, but Ben McKenna produced a moment of inspiration on the stroke of half-time to edge Bradford ahead. Beesley was bundled over by Graham on the edge of the box, and McKenna stepped up to strike past a helpless Lewis.

The action wasn’t as enthralling after the break, and chances were few and far between. Lee Ndlovu headed wide after meeting Lowe’s cross and that was as close as Brackley got to troubling Steven Drench in the early stages of the second-half.

Jamie Spencer, a replacement for the ill Dawson, slipped through to Ryan Toulson who fired wide under pressure from Glenn Walker.

In the final twenty minutes, Brackley pressed forward more frequently and began to pile bodies forward in search of the elusive equaliser. Substitute Luke Fairlamb demonstrated impressive trickery on the left flank to evade the challenge of Toulson but his cross was steered away from danger by Luca Havern.

Drench then spilled a Walker delivery but Havern was once again on-hand to blast clear before Ndlovu could capitalise on the goalkeeper’s error.

Daniel Nti saw a strike from around 15-yards out blocked superbly by Shane Killock, before Ndlovu blazed over the follow-up.

Three minutes into stoppage time, a Shane Byrne delivery found Connor Franklin, but his header was blocked by his own teammate, Lee Ndlovu.

Bradford held on and celebrated a thoroughly-deserved victory on the opening day of the 2018/19 campaign.

FULL-TIME: Bradford (Park Avenue) 1-0 Brackley Town

Bradford (Park Avenue): Drench, Toulson, Lowe, Wroe (Boshell 90′), Killock (c), Havern, McKenna, Branson, Beesley, Dawson (Spencer 50’), Clee (Johnson 72’).

Unused substitutes: Ross, Nowakowski.

Brackley Town: Lewis, Lowe, Franklin, Byrne, Graham (Fairlamb 63’), Dean (c), Walker, Armson, Smith (Nti 66’), Ndlovu, Murombedzi (Myles 76’).

Unused substitutes: Walker, Hall.

Referee: Aaron Williamson

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4 Aug 2018

Atkinson Added To Squad

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Bradford (Park Avenue) have completed the signing of goalkeeper Jack Atkinson ahead of the 2018/19 season.

The 18-year-old joins to provide cover between the sticks and provide competition for Steven Drench, who signed a new deal with the club in May.

He spent last season with FC Halifax Town, where he impressed enough for the under-19 side to be called up to train with the first-team on a regular basis in the second year of his scholarship.

The young stopper was crucial as the young Shaymen reached the National League U19 Alliance League Cup final, and played at Walsall’s Bescott Stadium as they lost to Chester.

Jack will be available for selection for this afternoon’s season opener against Brackley Town.

Welcome to Bradford, Jack!

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4 Aug 2018

FreeSports To Show National League Highlights

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FREESPORTS TO SHOW HIGHLIGHTS of the vanarama national League on MONDAY nights after each round of fixtures.

Highlights of the Vanarama National League will be available to view free to air on Monday nights after each round of fixtures on FreeSports.

Highlights of English football’s fifth tier will begin on FreeSports this Monday, 5th August featuring the best of the action from all 24 teams including the season opener between Salford City vs Leyton Orient.

Brian Barwick, Chairman of The National League, said:

“The Vanarama National League is delighted to team up with FreeSports to broaden the reach of the highlights show by placing it on free to air television.

“The highlights show continues to go from strength to strength with support from our Clubs and BT Sport’s media students academy.”

Richard Webb, COO of FreeSports said:

“We are thrilled to confirm that FreeSports will be showing non-league highlights of the Vanarama National League on free to air television in the UK. As the national sport, Football captivated the country this summer and we look forward to bringing the best of the action from some of England’s most well-known clubs to over 20 million UK homes.”

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3 Aug 2018

Match Preview: Bradford (PA) Vs Brackley Town

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Mark Bower believes that the season opener is ‘not about getting revenge’ against Brackley Town, but last season’s play-off heartache will be fresh in the memory ahead of the visit of the Saints.

Bradford were the only team in the National League North to do the double over Kevin Wilkin’s men last season, but were knocked out of the play-offs by a 110th-minute strike from Brackley’s Aaron Williams.

Marksman Williams has since departed for Harrogate Town, but Brackley have strived to maintain the core of last season’s squad in similar fashion to how Bradford have. Solihull Moors swooped for highly-rated defender Alex Gudger, but most of the stars of last season’s FA Trophy triumph remain at St James Park.

Both sides celebrated victories on the opening day of the 2017/18 season, with Bradford securing a win over Tamworth thanks to a late winner and Brackley edging past FC United of Manchester.

GUIDE TO THE OPPONENTS:

The Gaffer: Kevin Wilkin

The man that guided Brackley to a Wembley win and a play-off final took charge of the Saints in September 2015. He had previously steered Wrexham to the FA Trophy final and led Nuneaton Borough (then known as Town) to three promotions during an eight-year spell as manager. He also enjoyed two spells with Nuneaton as a player, and also represented Cambridge City, Northampton Town, Rushden & Diamonds and Grantham Town.

Key Player: Gareth Dean

Widely regarded as one of the division’s most talented defenders, the imposing Dean played under Wilkin at Nuneaton and was brought to St James Park from Solihull Moors in 2016. A tough-tackler who poses a significant aerial threat, Dean was crucial to the Saints’ success last season and scored a stoppage-time equaliser in the FA Trophy final to force extra-time. His physical presence and leadership qualities will, once again, make Brackley a difficult side to break down and he is likely to wear the captains’ armband against Bradford.

We want to know your score predictions! Tweet @BPAFCOfficial with your predicted scoreline and scorers.

Key information:

Admission – Adults: £12 / Concessions: £9 / Students: £7 / Under-16s: £2

Kick-off – 3pm

Venue – Horsfall Stadium

Coverage – Live updates on our official Twitter feed (@BPAFCOfficial) and a full match report on our official website (bpafc.com) on Saturday evening.

 

 

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3 Aug 2018

Improvements Made To The Match Day Experience

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Following a lot of work behind the scenes, the club are delighted to introduce a series of improvements to the match day experience. 

Plans had been in the pipeline for a long time, but significant progress has been made during the summer.

With the club keen to usher more supporters through the turnstiles, making the experience of attending games more enjoyable was a logical step to take.

Following a lot of work behind the scenes, the club are delighted to introduce a series of improvements to the match day experience.

Following a series of issues with the quality and reliability of the former sound system, it has been replaced with a brand new system that the club has purchased. The sound at the Horsfall will now be crisp and undistorted, making announcements clear to understand. The match day playlist will be making a return having not been played during pre-season friendlies, and a much-requested song now features on it. Eddy Grant’s ‘Electric Avenue’ will ring out around the ground as Mark Bower’s side make their entrance before kick-off!

The ground will also see the introduction of card payment facilities and supporters will now be able to pay by card at the turnstiles and in the clubhouse, tea bar and clubshop on match days.

The club have also teamed up with Shipley-based Saltaire Brewery to provide a new range of fantastic alcoholic beverages for the clubhouse bar. Two new hand-pulls will be available on Saturday as well as a variety of bottles. Known for making beers with international acclaim, the club are delighted to have the Brewery supporting Bradford (Park Avenue).

  

Outside the clubhouse, parked cars have made way for brand new pop-up marquees. Curry and pulled pork sandwiches will be available and plans are in place to introduce a second bar alongside the food stalls.

The club will also be pushing the use of the car park to try and ease congestion on the surrounding roads. A £2 charge will be introduced to use of the car park however as a bonus for season ticket holders parking will be free. Access to the car park will be from Cemetery Road gates only.

The final change will see a newly revamped match day programme designed by new shirt sleeve sponsors Peardrop Creative. The new programme will have a fresh new look  and lots of new content. To grab yourself a copy you can visit the Clubshop where you can also pick up all your other Avenue merchandise. Here are some sneak previews of the new programme:

 

Competitive football returns to the Horsfall Stadium tomorrow as we host Brackley Town at 3pm. Come and try one of our new beers or treat yourself to a visit to the new food marquees!

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2 Aug 2018

Club Appoint Assistant Commercial Manager

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Bradford (Park Avenue) are delighted to welcome Andrew Pinfield on board as the club’s Assistant Commercial Manager.

Andrew, who has a wealth of local knowledge, has already been associated with the club for a long time and will assist Commercial Manager Jamie Sinclair with his duties.

Together, Andrew and Jamie intend to increase revenue at the club by not only strengthening pre-existing relationships, but creating new opportunities for local businesses to promote themselves within the Bradford fan base, the city and the wider region.

Current opportunities include sponsorship for ground boards, matches and stands as well as online advertising and matchday hospitality.

The club are keen to be a voice in the community for businesses small and large, as it allows both the club and its commercial partners to grow and build sustainable futures.

Shortly, a brand new commercial section of the website will be introduced, a section that will list all opportunities and ways to get involved and help the club succeed and progress.

Welcome on board, Andrew!

Commercial department contacts:

Jamie Sinclair / Commercial Manager

07980 891264 / jamie@bpafc.com

Andrew Pinfield / Assistant Commercial Manager

07753 835449 / andrew@approgrammes.co.uk

 

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1 Aug 2018

Season Ticket Collection

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The club will be open ahead of the first game of the season on Friday between 11-3 and 5:30-7 for supporters to collect and buy their season tickets for the upcoming season. On arrival to the ground please go up to the Directors Lounge rather than into the clubhouse.

For supporters who are unable to get to the ground on Friday season tickets can be collected from the Cemetery Road turnstile at the Brackley Town game on Saturday. Any remaining un-collected tickets after Saturday will be posted out to supporters.

If you haven’t yet purchased your 2018-19 Avenue season ticket you still have time.

This year’s adult ticket comes with one FREE under-16’s Season Ticket, and is excellently priced at just £135.

Concessions are priced at £110, students / apprentices at £30 and under-16s can pick up a 2018-19 league Season Ticket for just £20.

To download a season ticket application form please click here

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30 Jul 2018

Celebrating 30 Years Since The Club’s Reformation

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Bradford (Park Avenue) have a fascinating history. Whilst their story isn’t shared as widely as perhaps it should be, it provokes intrigue from anyone fortunate enough to stumble across a supporter or article that explains the story.

The club have been represented by the first-ever footballer to receive the Victoria Cross, Donald Simpson Bell, the ‘Clown Prince’ Len Shackleton and former England manager Ron Greenwood. They have been watched by crowds in excess of 20,000 many times, and a remarkable 82,771 turned up to watch a 1-1 draw with Manchester United in the 1948/49 campaign.

For a club as steeped in history as Bradford are, landmark dates and anniversaries of significance come around often. The beginning of the 2018/19 season, however, marks an unforgettable anniversary that symbolises the great strides that the club has made.

Fourteen years after shareholders agreed to liquidate the company with debts of £57,652, the club was reformed and joined the West Riding County Amateur League. Although a Sunday side had been born out of the ashes of the original club, it disbanded shortly after Bradford reformed, and business was resumed.

This marked a new era for the club, and despite having to move out of Bradford to find facilities, the club remained resolute and continued to operate. A move to the Horsfall Stadium was eventually made and progress continued. Despite suffering successive relegations in 2005 and 2006, the club bounced back with promotions in 2008 and 2012.

The 2018/19 season will be Bradford’s seventh since their return to what is now known as the National League North, and the future has never looked brighter. In a division swamped with full-time sides and sizable budgets, manager Mark Bower recently guided the club to a 7th place finish, allowing Bradford to compete in the play-offs for the first time since their promotion to the division.

Despite falling to a 1-0 defeat to Brackley Town in the semi-finals, the evident potential in Bower’s side has given supporters a reason for optimism. Season ticket prices remain great value for money and the club recently made the momentous decision to adopt a modern version of the club’s former badge, whilst reinstating brackets to the club’s name. The move was described by CEO Rob Stanley as a case of ‘stepping back to move forward’ and the change is symbolic of yet another new era for Bradford.

Bradford (Park Avenue) are no longer just a football club. Despite no longer being known as a ‘community football club’, they remain one in spirit. The Horsfall College of Sport is now in full operation, ensuring that young people in Bradford have opportunities to better themselves and forge bright futures. Some prospects have already featured in the first-team as teenagers but the club’s providing of educational opportunities ensures that those who don’t are not left behind. The ‘BPA in the Community’ scheme works in tandem with the College, sharing its ethos of being more than a football club and being at the heart of the community. The team has a constant presence in Bradford, giving as many young people in Bradford the opportunity to be a part of the club as possible. Horsfall Stadium is called home but Bradford (Park Avenue) are wherever the city of Bradford and its young people need them to be. The club’s owner, Gareth Roberts, is keen to leave a legacy in Bradford and it is in the process of being established.

Bradford (Park Avenue) are providing a football team, community team and College that the city can be proud of.

Get yourself down to the Horsfall Stadium, opportunity awaits!

Season tickets: https://bpafc.com/product-category/season-tickets/

Horsfall College of Sport: https://bpafc.com/horsfall-college-of-sport/horsfall-college-of-sport/

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