Bradford Park
Avenue
experience and understand the demands
that will be placed on them if they are to
succeed at a higher level of football.”
Community
“We changed our club title last
season to become Bradford Park
Avenue Community Football Club to
demonstrate our commitment to develop
resources for the local Community.
Just over two years ago we formed a
partnership with a local charity JAMES
(Joint Activities and Motor Education
Service) and employed a worker,
Ben Stead, funded through
the National League
Community
Trust.
He has developed a
Homeless Football
Team and made
great links with
local
Primary
Schools
to
organise a recent
tournament.
The winners then
went on to represent
the Club at a Regional
Tournament
and
only
narrowly lost in the Final. The Club also
gave Season tickets to all the Primary
34 Issue 74
Bradford Park
Avenue Avenue
Community
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Schools who took part in the original
local tournament to encourage their
teachers to nominate students who had
‘achieved’ within the school and they
then come and act as mascots at our
First-Team games. This summer has also
seen our first Summer Holiday Club
based at the ground.” support will be required over the coming
years to continue the progress that the
Club is making off the pitch. Attracting
young people to support the Club when
faced with the success of our neighbours
at Bradford City is a big challenge.”
Challenges “Currently, the ground has a running
track surrounding the pitch which is
a major inhibitor to attracting greater
attendances but part of the plans to take
over the Lease include the removal of
that track. The Directors are focussing
on methods that can hopefully increase
attendances and this in turn will help
sustain a move from the National League
North to the National League itself.
You never want to limit the playing
ambitions at the Club but a further
promotion from our current level and
the Club achieving sustainability at
that level is a realistic ambition for
the next five years that the majority of
our supporters would be happy with.
Success breeds success however so we
would be then within sight of our goal of
getting back into the League.
I dream of being there at our first
game back in the League!”
“The Club has plans to take over the
Lease of the Ground from the Council
and to further develop the stadium to
allow for greater Community
usage. There are plans to
introduce
Synthetic
pitches at the ground
which will also
facilitate
local
football
sides
playing on better
surfaces. All of
this however will
require a better
infra-structure at
the Club and the
recruitment of more
volunteers and some
paid staff.
Many of our current
supporters and volunteers
remember the Club’s time in the Football
League and a greater influx of youthful
Ambitions
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