BRADFORD (Park Avenue) are appealing to fans to help fund their bid to beat the drop.

They have re-established the players fund, which enables supporters to contribute specifically towards increasing the squad budget available to boss Mark Bower.

The club used the idea during the previous two campaigns when Bower guided Avenue to successive play-off finishes.

But having left in the summer, he returned in late September with the club languishing at the wrong end of the table.

Despite victory in their last game, Avenue are currently bottom of the Vanarama National League North and remain six points from safety.

A club statement read: "Due to the club struggling to attract new players on the current budget, we have decided to launch the 2019/20 players fund which once again asks you, the fans, to make a monetary contribution to enable the current management to improve the playing squad in the attempt to retain our membership of the Vanarama National League North."

The club have vowed to improve communication in terms of how the fund is used compared with last season.

They state: "We realise that last year’s fund was not handled in the best way with not enough acknowledgement as to how these funds had been used with regards the costs of playing staff. This will not be the case this time round.

"Donations are this time to be administered by the newly formed BPA Development Fund, with no monies being donated to the club until we are informed which players (loan or permanent) such funds are to be used for. This information will then be passed onto you, the fans."

The club also state that funds could be carried over to the following season depending on their relegation plight.

Details of how fans can make payments are on the Park Avenue website.