Bradford Park Avenue director Kevin Hainsworth hopes his club and Albion Sports can share each other’s playing talents as well as a ground.

But he insisted that Albion would not become Avenue’s new reserve team.

As the Evo-Stik Premier Division side are the higher-ranked outfit, there has been speculation that Albion – who will play at Horsfall Stadium after joining the Northern Counties East League – would be taken under their wing and ultimately lose their identity.

With Avenue’s reserve team having disbanded, Hainsworth admitted the club was keen to share playing talent but maintained any arrangement would be to the benefit of both clubs.

He said: “Albion are sharing our ground initially but we hope it will turn into an arrangement that will benefit both clubs.

“The NCE Division One is a lot stronger than the Lancashire League, which is made up of reserve sides of clubs from Blue Square North level to NCE Division One.

“It makes sense for us to have an arrangement with Albion Sports and share not just the ground but the talent between the clubs.

“These kinds of decision are not easy to make, nor irreversible, so we will see how it goes and I’m sure Albion Sports will also be monitoring it closely.

“We won’t have the cost of running the reserves, which is not inconsiderable, while Albion will have the pick of the young players coming through our ranks that are on the verge of breaking into our first team.”

It is very much an untried and open-ended partnership at this embryonic stage but both clubs are willing to embrace it and see how it pans out.

Hainsworth said: “It isn’t yet clear whether the players will be registered for both the Evo-Stik League and the NCE League.

“It is a possibility because they are at different steps on the pyramid system and no laws rule that out.

“But that would depend on whether the Albion people wanted to try one of their players at a higher level or if John (Avenue boss Deacey) wanted any of his squad returning from injury or needing match fitness after a spell on the first-team bench, to play for them.

“Decisions can be made on the hoof to suit certain situations but Albion will not be our reserve side and will have as much input as our football staff.”

Hainsworth added: “Everyone here sees it as great that there will be another club from the area on the football pyramid and that two Bradford clubs will be using Horsfall Stadium.

“We will be working with them closely and we hope it is a two-way street that is good for both clubs.”