WITH the news coming out last night that Bradford (Park Avenue) have lost Will Huffer to Bradford City, the Vanarama National League North club have had their say.

Overall, Park Avenue were delighted to see the ex-Leeds United goalkeeper take the step up and return to full-time football.

England youth international Huffer had seen his first team opportunities limited at Horsfall, starting only once in the FA Trophy defeat to Chester, due to number one Dan Atkinson's good form.

But with skipper Richard O'Donnell out for three months, Huffer will now go in to play second fiddle to Sam Hornby at Valley Parade.

Former Bantams defender now Avenue boss Mark Bower said: "We have been very fortunate to have had two excellent senior goalkeepers at the club for the past couple of months.

"Whilst disappointed that Will is leaving us, I’m pleased that we have been able to help Will regain some fitness and get himself back into the Football League.

"City have got themselves an excellent goalkeeper and Will leaves with our best wishes."

The club also put on record their thanks to City and head of recruitment Lee Turnbull for their courtesy and professionalism in concluding the arrangement.

"I am really happy for Will," director of football operations Martin Knight said.

"When he agreed to join us, it was always with a view to getting him fit and playing again so that he would have the chance to fulfil his obvious potential.

"In any other season Will would have made a lot more appearances for us, but we have been in the fortunate position of having the best two keepers in the league in Dan and Will.

"When I came into the club it was on the premise that we would bring in and develop young players who for a variety of reasons had not quite made it in the full-time game.

"We aimed to give them the playing time to ‘learn on the job’ and help them achieve their goal of being full time professional footballers.

"I think Will, could be the first of a few this season that push onto the EFL, with the likes of Brad (Dockerty), Luke (Lyons), Matty (Downing), Isaac (Marriott) and Lewis (Knight) all putting in strong cases for making the step up.

"The game time they are getting here playing alongside the likes of Nicky (Clee), Luca (Havern), Mark (Ross) and Ryan (Toulson) teaches them way more than spending time in a Football League clubs' under-23s."