LUCA SET FOR A SWANSONG

Havern fulfils his promise to reunite with old pal Frost

- Andy Simpson

WHEN Luca Havern called time on his short spell as interim head coach at Bradford Park Avenue before Christmas, he was phoned by a friend.

On the line was Avro boss Alex Frost, who was quick to remind his old teammate of a promise he made to finish his playing career under his management.

“Luca broke my heart last summer so it was personal!” Frost told The NLP with a wry smile. “He said he’d sign for us only to change his mind and stay put after he was offered a coaching role.”

Havern – a hugely popular figure at the Horsfall in two spells with Avenue – admitted he could not envisage continuing at the club without manager Mark Bower and assistant Danny Boshell following their sacking in November.

The pair left Bradford in the Northern Premier League Premier Division’s bottom four with just two wins to their name and at risk of a second successive relegation after dropping down from National League North last season.

Havern stood in temporarily as caretaker. “I did contemplate retiring,” said the 35-year-old.

“But I think Alex had already filled in the signing-on form and so I had no choice. To be fair, I had given him my word.”