AVENUE ON ROAD TO RECOVERY

UPBEAT manager Mark Bower is confident ‘lucky’ Bradford Park Avenue will take full advantage of their relegation escape – and start moving in the right direction again.

- John Lyons

The Yorkshire club were bottom of the National League North table and looking certainties for relegation before the coronavirus pandemic cut the season short.

With the FA declaring Steps 3 to 7 null and void, it meant their was no need for relegation from NonLeague’s second tier.

It was the best bit of news Park Avenue had following a wretched season. Former Bradford City defender Bower had left the club at the end of the previous campaign, despite guiding them to the play-offs in successive seasons.

Former Morecambe winger Garry Thompson took the reins but 5-0 defeats in their two opening games saw him sacked and Marcus Law took charge on an interim basis.

Bower returned to the hotseat at the end of September and set about repairing the damage. But they were still 12 points from safety when the season ended prematurely.

Wavelength

“We got very lucky,” admitted Bower, “but we will make sure we use it to our advantage.