For decades, Avenue supporters have kowtowed to the notion that it is Bradford City. After all, City were elected to the Football League in 1903 without ever kicking a ball while Avenue had to wait until 1907 to join the Southern League.

This long-established version of events is a gross distortion of the truth. In actual fact Park Avenue is Bradford's senior club. Bradford FC pioneered the association code in the town, playing in various competitions between 1895 and 1899, including the first Yorkshire League, the FA Cup and the FA Amateur Cup.

(Photograph from the private collection of John Dewhirst published in "Late to the Game" by Rob Grillo.  Reproduced here by kind permission of John and Rob. The photo was taken in front of Horton Park Lodge which survives to this day).

This website is dedicated to those early pioneers who have been shunned and overlooked for over 100 years by local football historians. Here you will find results, tables, honours, match reports and a wealth of material on the early history of the Park Avenue grounds.

Bradford FC from Park Avenue

Freebie:  Where did they play? - Click on the photo below for a complete list of Football and Premier League clubs and their grounds from 1888 onwards.