12 Aug 2025

Matchday Programme: Bradford (Park Avenue) vs Emley AFC

by BPAFC Officials | posted in: First Team News, News | 0

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!

11 Aug 2025

Bradford (Park Avenue) AFC vs Emley AFC – Tuesday 12th August, 7:45pm KO

by BPAFC Officials | posted in: First Team Match Previews, First Team News, News | 0

The Green Army return to the Horsfall Stadium on Tuesday night for our first home league fixture of the 2025/26 season, welcoming Emley AFC under the lights.

Craig Elliott’s side began the campaign with a hard-fought 0-0 draw away at Matlock Town on the opening day, showing defensive resilience and glimpses of attacking intent. They’ll now be aiming to build on that performance and secure three points in front of the home crowd.

Emley started their season in impressive fashion, recording a 3-0 home win over Silsden. Laurence Joshua Sorhaindo struck twice in the first half (12’, 24’ pen) before Belchior Rodrigues Pires Papa added a third on 66 minutes to seal the victory. That result will give the Pewits confidence heading into Tuesday’s clash.

💷 Bring a Mate for £1!

We’re pleased to launch a special offer for this fixture – Season Ticket Holders can bring friends for just £1 each!

Season Ticket Holder must show their season ticket at the turnstile.
Mates must be admitted with the Season Ticket Holder.
No limit on the number of mates – bring as many as you like, as long as the group enters together.

Match Details:

📅 Tuesday 12th August

⏰ 7:45pm Kick-Off

📍 Horsfall Stadium, BD6 2NG

💷 Admission Prices

£10 Adults / Concessions
£5 Students / Blue Light / Forces (ID required)
£3 Youth (12-17)
£1 Under 12s

🎟 Tickets

Pay on the gate (Cash or Card) or purchase in advance here:

https://app.fanbaseclub.com/Fan/Tickets/SelectType?fixtureId=13231

With our Bring a Mate for £1 offer, affordable prices, and a family-friendly atmosphere, there’s no better time to get behind the team and show your support for the Green Army.

Can’t make it to tonight’s match? Listen live on https://avenueonair.mixlr.com/

5 Aug 2025

Avenue Begin 2025/26 League Campaign at Matlock Town

by BPAFC Officials | posted in: First Team News, News | 0

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!

5 Aug 2025

AvenueOnAir Launches Ahead of 2025/26 Season

by BPAFC Officials | posted in: First Team News, News | 0

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.

30 Jul 2025

Scholars Begin Pre-Season with Impressive Win Over Hartlepool

by BPAFC Officials | posted in: Academy News, News | 0

Bradford (Park Avenue)’s Scholars opened their pre-season campaign with a confident 3-1 victory over Hartlepool United, in a performance that combined structure, pressing, and clinical finishing.

Goals from Rico Feltham and a brace from David Nsingi saw Avenue’s academy side start their summer preparations on the front foot.

Reflecting on the match, Academy Manager Owen Murphy praised both the result and the effort on show, especially given the mixed group involved due to player unavailability:

“Today’s game against Hartlepool was our first outing this pre-season for the academy. We put out a mixed group of players due to some being away on holiday. Hartlepool were a good footballing side which proved a tough test for the boys, but a test they came through very well.”

Murphy highlighted the players’ off-season commitment, with many already active through involvement in the reserves or at external semi-professional clubs. Despite Hartlepool’s early control of possession, Avenue’s Scholars were solid out of possession and difficult to break down.

The opening goal came via midfielder Rico Feltham, whose finish capitalised on structured play and effective pressing. The second goal followed shortly after the break, as David Nsingi forced a turnover and finished well to double the lead.

Although Hartlepool pulled one back after a defensive lapse, Nsingi restored the two-goal cushion with a standout strike from distance to round off a strong individual display.

“After this the game was done and the lads showed great maturity in managing the game,” Murphy added. “Overall I’m really happy with today’s performance as it’s something we can build on for next week.”

The Scholars continue pre-season preparations next week with momentum and confidence on their side following this positive start.

28 Jul 2025

Reserves Earn Deserved Win Under the Lights at Horsfall

by BPAFC Officials | posted in: News, Reserves News | 0

Bradford (Park Avenue) Reserves 2–1 South Leeds
Scorers: Rico Feltham, Michael Douglas
📍 Horsfall Community Stadium
📅 Friday 19 July 2025

Bradford (Park Avenue) Reserves secured a deserved 2-1 victory over South Leeds last Friday night in an impressive pre-season performance at the Horsfall Community Stadium.

Goals from Rico Feltham and Michael Douglas ensured a dominant display was rewarded with a result that reflected the team’s efforts — and Reserves Manager Owen Murphy was full of praise for his young side.

“Friday night’s result was one we fully deserved,” said Murphy. “So far in pre-season we’ve been on the wrong end of results despite strong performances – barring the Emley game – but this was a different story.

From the first whistle, I felt we controlled the game and were very aggressive, which helped us get on the front foot early. The maturity in the performance really stood out, especially considering how young this team is.”

The Reserves showed their intent from the off, pressing well and moving the ball quickly to dictate the tempo. Their shape, discipline, and execution in and out of possession were key to the result — something Murphy credits to the group’s work in training.

“We played out when needed and did it at pace, and when we had to go long, we did it with precision and had direct runners to get us up the pitch. That’s something I’ve been drilling into the lads from our very first session, so it’s great to see it come together.

On Tuesday in training, we worked hard on how we want to set up out of possession, so I was really pleased with how difficult we were to break down and how few chances we gave away.”

With just one more friendly fixture remaining before the season opener, Murphy sees the performance as a strong indicator of the group’s progress and readiness for the campaign ahead.

“We’ve got one more friendly this Friday – another tough test – and it’s our final chance to get things right before the season opener. Overall, I’m really happy with Friday night’s win and performance. We’re moving in the right direction, and the players are fully on board with how we want to play and the path we’re on.”

The Reserves are back in action this Friday 1st August, taking on Gomersal Cleckheaton at Horsfall Stadium, with kick-off at 7:30pm.

23 Jul 2025

Coach Travel to Matlock – Subsidised by the BPA Development Fund!

by BPAFC Officials | posted in: Development Fund News, First Team News, News | 0

We’re running coach travel for our first league fixture of the 2025/26 season away at Matlock Town on Saturday 9th August (3:00pm KO) – and thanks to the fantastic backing of the BPA Development Fund, we’re able to offer subsidised prices for supporters!

💚 Subsidised Prices:
• Adults – £15
• U17s – £10

📧 To reserve your place, email: Pete.Kenyon@bpafc.com

🚍 Pick-up Points:
• Horsfall Stadium
• Cedar Court Hotel, Bradford
• The Red Kite, Calder Grove (Junction 39, M1) – approx. 20–25 minutes after leaving Bradford

🙏 A huge thank you to the BPA Development Fund for their continued support in helping to grow the Avenue – both on and off the pitch.

Let’s get the Green Army on the road in strong numbers to back the lads at Matlock!

22 Jul 2025

NEXT TUESDAY: Avenue Host Bradford City XI in Final Pre-Season Clash

by BPAFC Officials | posted in: First Team News, News | 0

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!

19 Jul 2025

Double Matchday at Horsfall Today!

by BPAFC Officials | posted in: First Team News, News | 0

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!

18 Jul 2025

Breaking Barriers: BPA Sports Foundation & Rotary Empower Local Youth in Anti-Knife Crime Intervention

by BPAFC Officials | posted in: BPA Sports Foundation News, News | 0

On July 1st, 2025, the Bradford (Park Avenue) Sports Foundation welcomed seventeen Year 6 pupils from three local primary schools to Horsfall Community Stadium for the first in a series of powerful anti-knife crime intervention events—part of our Breaking Barriers initiative.

Driven by growing concerns around youth violence, gang involvement, and misinformation online, Breaking Barriers is a collaborative response rooted in education, empathy, and prevention. The one-day intervention was designed to reach children before they encounter pressure or exposure to harmful choices, offering them positive alternatives and informed perspectives.

Each pupil received a bespoke invitation styled as a matchday ticket—bringing with it a sense of occasion, pride, and belonging. That simple gesture reflected what this programme is all about: creating safe, inspiring spaces where young people feel seen, valued, and heard.

The event was led by our own Community Director Mat Everett and Education Consultant Anne Seneviratne, with support from West Yorkshire Police, NHS staff, and former gang members who now work to prevent others from making the same mistakes. The immersive experience included:

A simulated crime scene investigation led by West Yorkshire Police, helping pupils understand the real-life consequences of violent crime.
A powerful session with NHS trauma specialists, offering an unfiltered look into the harsh realities of knife-related injuries and emergency care.
A heartfelt testimony from Daryl, a reformed ex-gang member, whose personal story of violence, remorse, and transformation left a lasting impression on everyone in the room.

Inspector Adam Beecroft of Bradford South Police, who was instrumental in securing funding for this initiative, attended and supported the event. His insight and leadership have been key to making this project possible.

The day was rounded off with positive, reflective activities designed to build resilience and connection. Through team sports, structured discussion, and active listening, pupils were given space to process what they had seen and heard in a safe and supportive environment.

This was not about fear—it was about truth, empowerment, and providing young people with the tools to make informed, safer decisions.

As Mat Everett put it:

“We’re not just telling young people what not to do—we’re showing them why, through real stories and real people. This is about equipping them to make positive choices based on understanding and empathy.”

With social media often glamorising knife culture, Breaking Barriers works to rebalance the narrative. Many pupils arrived with misconceptions about violence; they left with clarity, respect for consequences, and a renewed sense of self-worth. As one pupil told us:

“We’ve learnt that carrying knives is bad for the future generation, in public. Even a small cut can do a lot of harm.”

This is just the beginning. Breaking Barriers will continue throughout the year with three further events planned. The Bradford (Park Avenue) Sports Foundation is actively seeking new partnerships and funding to ensure we can reach even more young people across our community. We made a short video which is viewable below, talking to some of those involved in the event.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to West Yorkshire Police, the NHS team, Daryl for his courage, and particularly to Inspector Adam Beecroft for his dedication and belief in the project.

Together, we are breaking barriers—one life at a time.

Let’s keep going.