Bower aiming to bring good times back to Bradford Park Avenue

An ex-Bradford City defender and Bradfordian, the Avenue chief may be far too young to remember the club’s days in the Football League, which ended in 1970 when they dropped into the Northern League and then obscurity.

But equally, he knows the fond place Avenue have in the hearts of the wider Bradford sporting public, who he believes will buy into the club’s renaissance, should it continue.

He said: “It is a great historic name and a Football League club, historically. We took nearly 200 fans to York on Saturday, which is over half our average home attendance.

“It is a bit of ‘sleeping giant’. Growing up in Bradford, I know a lot of people who did not support City and if there’s that alternative there, people will be interested.

“A lot of fans have enjoyed it this season as they have not tasted being as high up in this league for a few years.

“At the minute, our facilities are not great. But everyone at the club is doing all they can to improve them and make it a better matchday experience.

“Bradford is a massive city. Ten years ago, 7,000 were watching at Bradford City. They have improved the match-day experience and more than doubled their crowd.

“People who are running the club (Avenue) are in it for the long term and the academy started two years ago and it is a really exciting time to be involved. We are all pushing in the right direction.”