BRADFORD (Park Avenue) manager Mark Bower is excited by the proposed revamp to the facilities at Horsfall, with the new 3G pitch something he is particularly keen on.

Owner Gareth Roberts announced last week that Avenue had secured a 30-year lease to take control of Horsfall from Bradford Council.

This will allow them to apply for help from funding partners, including the Football Stadia Improvement Fund.

Roberts is keen to expand Horsfall's capacity, as well as improve the floodlighting and parking around the ground.

But it is the 3G pitch, which is set to be installed at the end of this season, which has really got manager Bower talking.

He said: "We played on one at Harrogate Town in the West Riding County Cup recently and it was a good game with some good football.

"It allows you to have a consistent surface, one you can rely on all year round. It means you can stick to one way of playing because at Horsfall at the moment, you have to adjust to the conditions.

"We train on 3G once or twice a week and young lads grow up now training and playing on it. It's used a lot more than it was 15 or 20 years ago.

"Some people will say you can't beat a lovely grass pitch but how often do you get one of those at this time of year?

"A 3G pitch means you're less likely to have games called off and suffer a backlog of fixtures too."

Bower added: "Training facilities in Bradford are hard to come by.

"We are using the 3G at the University of Bradford at the moment but it starts late on a Thursday and it's not ideal.

"Having our own 3G facility brings plenty of benefits. There are the financial ones, but it will also attract younger lads to train on it.

"That gets a captive audience involved and we could end up getting those kids into the first team, as the future of the club. A club like ours needs this."

Discussing the other proposed improvements, Bower said: "Gareth has talked about making the lighting more efficient to use, as it was only two years ago that we used to have to start (evening or winter) games early because of our floodlights.

"There's been improvements at the club over the three years since I arrived but we're all geared up now we've signed the lease, so we should see those speed up.

"If we can get people parked up so they're getting into the ground easily, and increase their comfort and enjoyment while they're here, it all adds up to a good experience.

"Horsfall is a fantastic site. Guiseley and Harrogate would love to have a site like ours to develop so we have to make the most of it."