‘Tears of joy’ from Bradford Park Avenue supporters (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)
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Promotion puts us back on map, says Bradford Park Avenue chief Hainsworth as young and old join celebrations
6:50am Saturday 19th May 2012 in Sport By Ian Whiting
Fans of all ages applaud the players after victory over FC United of Manchester
A lifelong supporter of the club, it was an emotional and humbling experience for Avenue director Kevin Hainsworth to see the club finally gain promotion to the Blue Square Bet North and he expects it to raise the club’s profile.
Hainsworth said: “I have been a fan all my life and it was nice to see a lot of people my age and above, who remembered Avenue in the Football League, celebrating after the win over FC United. A lot of them were on the pitch at the end with tears in their eyes.
“Since we reformed we have had an older level of support but it was great to see a lot of younger people at the play-off final and they have been getting on board more and more recently. A lot of them were asking about season tickets for next year.”
The Bradford fans mobbed scorer Tom Greaves when he netted the winner deep into extra-time and had to be ushered back into the stands by the army of stewards. At the final whistle they swarmed back out to celebrate with their heroes.
FC United’s supporters were also on the pitch and even though they lost it was all very good natured and they too were congratulating their own players on taking the promotion race all the way.
Hainsworth added: “I have to say that 99.9 per cent of the FC United fans are phenomenal and they love their football.
“It has been a pleasure sharing the last few seasons in the same division and I hope we stay up because I’m sure the Manchester side will be joining us soon.
“They made it a great atmosphere and quite a lot of them were saying we deserved it because we were the better side on the day. That’s fantastic and it’s what you get at this level because it’s not as partisan as the Football League. You get good banter before and during the games but all the fans share a pint and chat afterwards.”
Avenue were founder members of the Conference North, which is now the Blue Square Bet North thanks to the sponsorship of the online betting company. Hainsworth remembers that brief sojourn, and so will Greaves.
“It couldn’t have been anybody better than Greavesy to score the goal that put us up,” said the club director.
“I remember him coming through as an 18-year-old and that was in the Conference North under Carl Shutt. We got relegated and he left us shortly after Shutty did and played for a few other clubs but things have come full circle and I’m glad for Tom because he is a Bradford lad.
“It hasn’t been easy and it has taken a lot of hard work and finance (gaining promotion following a third play-off campaign on the spin) but it has been worth it. One of the criticisms we have had is that not a lot of people know that Avenue are still around. That has all changed now.”
Comments(7)
parader no1
says...
3:59pm Sat 19 May 12
arhmen aleg
says...
5:56pm Sat 19 May 12
manure wrote:There is absolutely no truth in any such rumour.
Great stuff,but is there any truth in the rumours that the council have offered/given the Avenue a long lease on Horsfall,and that the athletics track is to be discontinued allowing them to develop the stadium for solely football use,I hope so.
What we do have is a council that need to make £72 million in cuts.
Nothing is sacred as I found out when visiting Richard Dunn today.
Even the former minister for sport seems unable to save the cafe from closing.
As usual there was no proper public or staff consultation.
All the till rolls for the cafe are in a cupboard at Richard dunn and have never been looked at by anyone from the council.
The staff (one there 25 years)will have to sit at home on full pay whilst the council think what to do with them.
The place was packed.
The staff are not allowed to talk to the press as they can be dismissed as a clause in their contracts.
The staff organised a petition.The council ordered them to take it down.
They refused and have collected 700 signatures from those that visit Richard Dunn regularly.
The staff have offered to reduce their hours and only have one instead of two working mon to fri when there is little custom other than school hols.The council would not allow anyone to work on their own on Health and Safety grounds!
despite the staff being willing and able to.And with reception only a few feet away this all beggars belief.
Someone has taken a decision to place sandwich vend machines operated by private enterprise in Richard Dunn.
Looks like my Anti corruption interest has been aroused yet again through the madness of this ridiculous councils self serving decisions.
It is you the people who are continually overlooked.No transparency and not even a PROPER cost benefit analyses based on accurate information.
watch this space.
So what hope have the Avenue got dealing with this lot.
The staff say the former minister for sport never answers any EMail or phone call.
probably a lot of truth in the printed fact that he spends more time in the bookies in Bingley spending some of his £138000 expenses.
That is the measure of what the public and Avenueites face.
No point moaning,need to do something about this before the city and country is completely bankrupt with only the idiots who have made these decisions left in the 30 to 40 thousand pounds a year jobs that deliver incompetence.
Front line staff are not to blame.
But it is they who are paying (and the council tax payer)for the buffoonery.
Sorry to corrupt an Avenue thread.
But all fans need to know the stupidity of obstacle that the club will face.
I mean look at Park Avenue.
Bought with your money by the council approaching 40 years ago.We have a nice forest at the Horton End and a grass cutting bill for 40 years of nothing.Complete idiots
parader no1
says...
8:17am Sun 20 May 12
parader no1
says...
8:20am Sun 20 May 12
arhmen aleg
says...
12:27pm Sun 20 May 12
But I suppose the same can be said of the management of the Bulls and City.
Thank god our little but growing club is in the trusted well run hands of Kevin Hainsworth and his team of wonderfull helpers.
All we need now is a bit of cooperation from the council who should be greatefull for what Bradford Park Avenue are doing for the community in South bradford.
And taking what was a hardly used run down Athletics arena and providing an outlet for the future youth of Bradford.
Your right their attitude to sport is ridiculous.
£2 million spent on the Schoolmoor Astroturf sports centre 25 years ago where 10 years ago it was abandoned and left to rot.
A community group have had to spend £500000 over the last 5 years to try recover that wasteland.
And that is what Horsfall would have become.
Still I suppose the council would say that was money well spent(your money)on Schoolmoor at a cost to the local taxpayer of £133000 a year.
It was massively underused.
Keep voting them out.
I see George Galloway was in Eygpt this week trying to find investors for Bradford City.
How sad that noone locally has any confidence(or probably any money left)to take Bradfords sporting lot forward.
avenueharry
says...
3:52pm Thu 24 May 12
manure says...
11:57am Sat 19 May 12