Bradford (Park Avenue) A.F.C.

"Bradford PA" redirects here. For the city in the USA, seeBradford, Pennsylvania.

Bradford (Park Avenue) Association Football Clubis anassociation footballclub based inBradford,West Yorkshire, England. The team compete inNorthern Premier LeagueDivision One East, at the eighth tier of theEnglish football league system.The name derived from their former home atPark Avenue,and was used to avoid confusion withBradford derbyrivalsBradford City.

Bradford (Park Avenue)

Full name	Bradford (Park Avenue) Association Football Club
Nickname(s)	The Green Army
Founded	1907(1907)
Ground	Horsfall Stadium
Capacity	3,500 (1,800 seated)
Coordinates	53°45′31.88″N1°46′34.33″W
Chairman	Gareth Roberts
Head coach	Craig Elliott
League	Northern Premier LeagueDivision One East
2023–24	Northern Premier LeaguePremier Division, 19th of 21 (relegated)
Website	https://bpafc.com/
Home colours Away colours

The club was founded in 1907 and moved from theSouthern Leagueinto theFootball Leaguethe next year. They were promoted into theFirst Divisionat the end of the 1913–14 season, but suffered consecutive relegations by 1922. They won theThird Division Northtitle in 1927–28 and remained in theSecond Divisionuntil 1950. Promoted from theFourth Divisionin 1960–61, the club were relegated from theThird Divisionin 1963. The club failed in their Football League re-election bid in 1970 and spent the next four seasons in theNorthern Premier Leaguebefore disbanding.

The present club is areincarnationthat was established in 1987. They moved from theCentral Midlands Leagueinto theNorth West Counties Leaguein 1990, gaining promotion from Division Two in 1990–91. They moved into their present home atHorsfall Stadiumin 1996 having previously won the North West Counties League Division One title, and then the Northern Premier League Premier Division in 2000–01. Relegated in two successive seasons in 2006, they won the Northern Premier League First Division title in 2007–08 and gained promotion from the Premier Division via the play-offs in 2012.

History

For information on a breakdown of Bradford (Park Avenue)'s league and cup history, seeList of Bradford (Park Avenue) A.F.C. seasons.

Rugby football

Further information:History of the Bradford Bulls

The original club was formed in 1863 as the Bradford Football Club, playingrugby football,and achieved its first major success by winning theYorkshire Cupin 1884. A member of theRugby Football Union(RFU), Bradford FC became a founding member of the breakawayNorthern Rugby Football Union(after aninternal RFU disputeoverbroken-time payments) in 1895. Bradford were runners-up the1897–98 Challenge Cup,won thechampionshipin1903–04,and won the1905–06 Challenge Cup.

In 1907, what is known as "The Great Betrayal" occurred when a narrow majority of members decided to abandon the Northern Union game (later known asrugby league) in favour ofassociation football,still based at thePark Avenue ground.The minority faction left and formed a new club within the Northern Union,Bradford Northern.Bradford Northern applied for and was granted Bradford FC's place in the1907–08 Northern Rugby Football Union season.

Association football

Horsfall Stadiumin 2010

Bradford FC began playing association football in 1895, alternating home Saturdays at Park Avenue with the Northern Union. The club shared the West Yorkshire League championship with Hunslet in 1895–96, also winning the Leeds Workpeople's Hospital Cup. Bradford played in the FA Amateur Cup in 1896–97, progressing to the FA Cup in 1897–98 and 1898–99. It entered the Yorkshire League in 1897–98, finishing next to last, and was banished toBirch Lanethe following season, closing down at the end of the 1898–99 season due to mounting losses.

The success of cross-town neighboursManninghamafter switching to association football, (where it was renamedBradford City A.F.C.), prompted the Northern Union club to abandon rugby in 1907 and apply to jointhe Football League.They were not accepted, instead joining theSouthern League(although the club was based in the north) and filling a gap left byFulham(who joined the Football League). Their nearest opponents were Northampton Town, whose ground was 130 miles distant.

In 1908, Bradford FC waselectedto theSecond Divisionof the Football League. The club was promoted to theFirst Divisionin 1914 after finishing second, and achieved its highest-ever league position (ninth) at the end of the1914–15season. In 1914,Donald Bell,who would go on to win theVictoria Cross,played four games. At the outbreak of war, he asked to be released to serve. Rising to the rank of lieutenant, in 1916 he received the VC for conspicuous bravery on theSommebefore being killed five days later.

After theFirst World Warthe club began a steady decline, relegated to the Second Division in 1921 and to theThird Division Northin 1922. In 1928, the club were the Division 3N champions and were promoted back to the Second Division. They were relegated again in 1950, and placed in theFourth Divisionafter a 1958 reorganisation. Although the club won promotion to theThird Divisionin 1961, they were relegated back to the Fourth Division in 1963.

After several difficult seasons, in 1970 they were replaced in the Football League byCambridge United.The club joined the Northern Premier League, selling Park Avenue in 1973 and sharing facilities withBradford City.Bradford (Park Avenue) went intoliquidationon 3 May 1974 with debts of £57,652 and immediately re-formed as aSunday leagueclub playing in the league club's former colours.

After playing at Bingley Road and Hope Avenue in 1974 in Bradford Amateur Sunday League Division Four, the club moved to Avenue Road and won promotion in 1975. The next season, they were again promoted into the newly formed Bradford Sunday Alliance League.

Although the stands and other buildings at Park Avenue were demolished in 1980, the playing field andterracesremained. The stadium was renovated for amateur football during the mid-1980s, and the Sunday League club played a full season there in 1987–88. However, it was forced to move out at the end of the season to accommodate an indoor cricket school on part of the pitch.

A new club was formed to return Bradford (Park Avenue) to Saturday football for the1988–89season, joining theWest Riding County Amateur Football Leagueand then theCentral Midlands Leaguefor 1989–90. The club moved to theNorth West Counties Leaguefrom 1990 to 1991, playing matches at rugby-league grounds such asMcLaren FieldandMount Pleasant, Batley.The Sunday side formed in 1974 merged with the new Saturday club in 1992. In 1995, Bradford (Park Avenue) won the North West Counties League, re-joining the Northern Premier League and a year later in 1996 moving to Horsfall Stadium.

At the beginning of the 2004–05 season they were founding members of theConference North,although they were relegated to the Northern Premier League at the end of the season (after finishing seventh) and to Northern Division North the following season. The club returned to the Northern Premier League as champions in the 2007–08 season.

The club reached theFA Cupquarterfinals in 1912–13, 1919–20 and 1945–46. Since re-forming they have reached the first round three times, in 2003–04, 2011–12 and 2012–13. Since dropping into non-league football, the club's bestFA Trophyperformance has been the fourth round in 1998–99. In theFA Vase,the club reached the second round in 1994–95.

In February 2008, chief executive Bob Blackburn unveiled plans for a 20,000-seat stadium at Phoenix Park inThornbury,within theLeeds metropolitan district,but the site had to be sold before this was realised.In July 2008 Blackburn predicted on a supporters' forum that the club would reach the Football League within four years.In 2012, Bradford gained promotion to the Conference North by beatingF.C. United of Manchester1–0 in the playoff final.

The2022–23 seasonsaw Bradford relegated from the National League North following a ten-season spell, their fate confirmed following a 2–0 defeat to championsAFC Fyldeon the final day of the season.Another disastorous season followed, the club suffering back-to-back relegations from the Northern Premier Division.

Colours

The traditional colours of Bradford (PA) were red, amber and black; they were inherited from the original Bradford RFC, and retained by theBradford & Bingley RFCandBradford BullsRLFC (all of whom claim a common genealogy). The fact that red, amber and black (with white) have been worn by three of the city's senior football clubs (Bradford (Park Avenue) AFC, Bradford RFC [Bradford & Bingley RFC] and Bradford Northern RLFC [Bradford Bulls], all descended from the original Bradford FC based at Park Avenue) has evoked the assumption that these were the official sporting colours ofBradford.

The colours have also been used by other sports organisations in Bradford (such as cycling, hockey and athletics as well as being the principal colours used by Bradford University sports teams), principally as a red, amber and black band on a white shirt (as worn by Bradford Northern and as an away kit by Bradford (PA)). Red, amber and black are also the colours of the Bradford Cricket Club, formed in 1836. The cricket club played atPark Avenue,whereYorkshire C.C.C.traditionally played several matches a season. Bradford FC was formed in 1863 byBramham Collegealumni, and in 1880 joined Bradford CC at Park Avenue.

In 1911, Bradford changed its colours to green and white after the appointment of formerCelticplayerTom Maley,brother ofWillie Maley(who also played for Celtic before becoming their first manager). Avenue was the only club to wear green and white in the English First Division, between 1914 and 1921. The club reverted to red, amber and black with white in 1924, reviving green and white from 1958 to 1967. The reformed Bradford (Park Avenue) club has worn green and white since 1988. Avenue's club crest was the 1907 version of the Bradford coat of arms; this has also been used by the re-formed club, although it was replaced by the municipality in 1974.

Bradford's traditional rivals (Manningham RFC) and their successor, Bradford City, have worn claret and amber stripes; Bradford usually wears hoops. Bradford City also used the 1907 Bradford coat of arms as its crest until 1966.

Red, amber and black has occasionally returned in away strips, notably the club's 2007 centenary shirt (which featured the three colours as hoops). During the 2012–13 season, the club introduced a white home shirt with a red, amber and black sash to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the original club. The club retained a green-and-white striped away shirt.

For the 2023/24 season, Bradford (Park Avenue) joined up with EV2 Sportswear for their new kit, adopting a custom chevron design in White & Green (Home) and Red, Amber and Black (Away). The home goalkeeper kit is a full red design, and the away is lime green with a black paint splatter design on top.

Name

Although officiallyBradford Football Club,the club was obliged to appendPark Avenue(the location of the club'soriginal stadium) in brackets to its name in 1907 to avoid confusion with Bradford City. However the club was historically always referred to simply asBradfordin fixture lists, classified results and the national press. However, since dropping into non-league the Park Avenue (or simply PA) are used as City are by far the better known team.

Coaching staff

As of 6 November 2024

Position	Name
Manager	Craig Elliott
Sporting Director	Thomas McStravick
Assistant Manager	John McDermott
Goalkeeper Coach	Karl Lenaghan
Sports Rehabilitator	Brad Smith
Kit Man	Matt Harrison

Current squad

As of 18 May 2024

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules.Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
—	GK	ENG	Craig Ellison
—	GK	ENG	Jack Hall
—	DF	ENG	Luke Hogg(captain)
—	DF	ENG	Jak Whiting
—	DF	ENG	Josh Ashman
—	DF	ENG	Kareem Hassan-Smith
—	DF	ENG	Mark Beevers
—	DF	ENG	Dan Francis
—	MF	ENG	Connor Dimaio
—	MF	ENG	Sonny Whittingham
—	FW	ENG	Jack Normanton
—	FW	ENG	Joe Crosby
—	FW	ENG	Oli Norman

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
—	FW	ENG	Connor Shanks
—	FW	ENG	Myles La Bastide
—	FW	ENG	Oli Norman
—	FW	SCO
—	FW	ENG	Paddy Sykes

Previous Managers

See also:Category:Bradford (Park Avenue) A.F.C. managers

Fred Halliday 1907–1908 George Gillies 1908–1911 Tom Maley 1911–1924 Charlie Parker 1924 Peter O'Rourke 1924–1925 David Howie 1925 Claude Ingram 1925–1934 Billy Hardy 1934–1936 David Steele 1936–1943 Fred Emery 1943–1951 Vic Buckingham 1951–1953 Norman Kirkman 1953–1955 Jack Breedon 1955 Bill Corkhill 1956–1957 Alf Young 1957–1959 Walter Galbraith 1958–1961 Jimmy Scoular 1961–1964 Jock Buchanan 1964–1967 Jack Rowley 1967–1968 Don McCalman 1968 Laurie Brown 1968–1969 Don McCalman 1969–1970 Frank Tomlinson 1970 Tony Leighton 1970–1973

Roy Ambler 1973–1974 Bob Wood 1988 Mick Hall 1988–1989 Jim Mackay 1989–1993 Gordon Rayner 1993–1996 Trevor Storton 1996–2004 Carl Shutt 2004–2005 Gary Brook 2005–2006 Phil Sharpe 2006–2007 Benny Phillips 2007–2008 Dave Cameron 2008 Mike Marsh(caretaker) 2008 John Deacey 2008–2009 Lee Sinnott 2009 John Deacey 2009–2010 Simon Collins 2010 John Deacey 2010–2015 Martin Drury 2015–2016 Darren Edmondson(caretaker) 2016 Alex Meechan 2016 Mark Bower 2016–2019 Garry Thompson 2019 Marcus Law(interim) 2019 Mark Bower 2019–2023 Danny Whitaker 2023– Aug 2024

Honours

Association football

• Second Division(level 2)
  • Second place promotion:1913–14
• Third Division North(level 3)
  • Champions:1927–28
  • Second place promotion:1922–23,1925–26
• Fourth Division(level 4)
  • Fourth place promotion:1960–61
• Northern Premier LeagueDivision One / Premier Division (level 7)
  • Champions:2000–01
  • Play-off winners:2012
• Northern Premier LeagueDivision One North (level 8)
  • Champions:2007–08
• North West Counties Football LeagueDivision One (level 8)
  • Champions:1994–95
• North West Counties Football LeagueDivision Two (level 9)
  • Third place promotion:1990–91

Rugby league

• West Yorkshire League Championship
  • Winners: 1895–96
• Challenge Cup
  • Winners:1905–06
• Yorkshire Cup
  • Winners: 1906–07

See also

• List of Bradford (Park Avenue) A.F.C. players

External links

• Official website
• Bradford (Park Avenue) AFCat theFootball Club History Database
• Ground profile
• Horsfall Stadium
• Early history of the club (1895–99)
• Bradford (Park Avenue) History