Bradford Park Avenue’s friendly with Leeds United appears to have fallen by the wayside following an alleged incident last time the clubs met in pre-season.

The Elland Road outfit were due to visit on Wednesday August 8 – the day after Bradford City are due at Horsfall Stadium – but cancelled the game via email last Tuesday.

No reason was given at the time but Avenue director Kevin Hainsworth has since heard from his contact at the Championship outfit.

Hainsworth was told the club’s hierarchy had called the game off after an alleged incident involving the Leeds team bus.

Hainsworth said: “Last time we played them, Leeds fielded a mixture of youth players and fringe first-teamers.

“Simon Grayson (the then Leeds manager) came along. He didn’t sit in the dugout, he came up into the directors’ lounge with myself and (chief executive) Bob Blackburn and we looked after him.

“Unfortunately, when he was stood on our balcony watching the game he suffered some abuse from some City fans who were outside our ground.

“I say fans loosely as they were obviously not fans of football because they didn’t even come into the ground to watch the game.

“Shortly after Simon left us, the City supporters went as well so we thought no more of it but Leeds informed us later that these people had thrown some rocks at their team coach.

“We apologised and were told not to worry. In fact, Leeds said these things happen in football.

“But someone at the club has decided they will not to come back this year.

“I find it strange that they have only just decided that and didn’t say anything way back when we started talks over a friendly. We have been negotiating this game for more than six weeks.”

Avenue will not be filling that date with another fixture so their pre-season schedule is now six games instead of seven.

Hainsworth admitted it was a shame for the players and fans to miss out on a prestigious friendly.

He said: “It is very disappointing for the lads be-cause playing against full-time professionals from Leeds and City is a good test for them.

“Our fans also like those games because of the banter that goes with them.

“Unfortunately it’s happened because of things outside our control and we will move on.

“The people who were responsible for the abuse and the damage were not even in our ground. They may call themselves City fans but for me they are not fit for that description.

“They were just idiots looking for trouble and were certainly not football fans.”