A PRE-SEASON Bradford derby has been announced after Park Avenue and the Bantams finally agreed a date.

Avenue will host City at Horsfall Stadium on Saturday July 8.

Mark Bower, current Avenue manager and former Bantams skipper, had left that date in the pre-season schedule hoping that the clubs could come to an arrangement.

It will be City’s first game since losing the League One play-off final at Wembley.

Stuart McCall’s side were beaten 1-0 by Millwall, causing the claret and amber fans heartbreak and preventing a return to the Championship for at least another season.

Bower’s men will have played two friendly fixtures by the time they take on their neighbours.

Avenue’s pre-season schedule kicks off a week before the Bantams’ visit with a short trip to Throstle Nest to face Albion Sports, and then an even shorter journey to Scotchman Road in midweek to take on Campion.

Bower said: “The players are back in tomorrow (July 27), so it has soon come around but our league season starts on August 5, so we have to be ready.

“When I first started as a pro, there was a longer break and it felt like weeks of intense training when we came back in before any ballwork, but football has evolved, as life does, and it’s usually for the better.

“Non-league football, especially at the top end, has certainly changed.”

Bower signed his first professional contract with home-town club City 19 years ago, making his first-team debut at Norwich City a month later.

“Some of the clubs in our division (National North) are full-time now, and a lot of the clubs in the division higher are, so semi-pro football is not part-time football as it used to be.

“Our players are part-time but they look after themselves like professionals and they keep fit in the close season.

"People in general live a healthier lifestyle and the players at clubs like Park Avenue take their fitness very seriously.

“They are very fit and athletic and they don’t get like that just by training two nights a week and playing a game on a Saturday.

"People don’t know just how dedicated and committed these players are because they don’t see behind the scenes.”