Bradford Park Avenue are hoping to erect a social club at Horsfall Stadium to give them more money-raising potential as they bid to win promotion.

Avenue are currently negotiating to buy the building, but they need planning permission and police approval before it can be installed.

Chairman Frank Thornton said that ultimately, the project will cost the club between £20,000 and £30,000, but he said: "We have some money to come from our brief FA Cup run and the FA offer loans to clubs to improve their grounds.

"It could also have a bearing on whether we gain promotion to the UniBond Premier Division at the end of the season.

"The league take ground facilities into account when they decide on promoting clubs.

"We have been looking around for a long time, but I like to do things from the financial point of view and we have been working to cost the whole project.

"The police have got to agree to it and the council have to give planning permission, but now we have got to the point where we have got support from the council's sports and recreation group so we are hoping for the best.

"When we first came to the stadium the council said they wanted us to liven up the place and I think we have done that.

"Before we go for planning permission, we have to decide on the planning of the building.

"Originally, we were looking at a new building, but the cost was horrendous. We want to do it at the lowest possible cost and one of our officials, Dave Stordy, has spotted a building which is absolutely ideal for our purposes because it is already set up as a social club unit with all the necessary facilities.

"But it we get permission we still have the expense of installing all the services and the footings for the building.

"It will be in use this season and it will bring in extra revenue."

Meanwhile, Thornton is pleased at the state of the Horsfall pitch where Avenue were able to play their important key match against promotion rivals Burscough on Saturday when so many local games were called off because of rain.

He said: "We are pleased with the work the council have done on the pitch. It is standing up very well to weather and our groundsman is doing a great job. It was important for us to play on Saturday."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.