Bradford (Park Avenue) boss blasts league over 'mess' ahead of start to season

BRADFORD (Park Avenue) manager Craig Elliott has criticised the scheduling for the start of the new Northern Premier League East Division season.

There are three games this afternoon, but his side, one of the pre-season promotion favourites, get underway on Tuesday at home to neighbours Silsden.

He said: "It's a strange one to be honest with you and I'm not really happy with league, how they've done it.

"It feels weird to be starting a season on a Tuesday night, I'm not going to lie.

"It's a derby and it's the first league game, so we're excited for it.

"I think we're ready as well, and I could feel last week that lads are ready for the real stuff to start.

"I'm looking forward to it. I just wish it had been a Saturday, to be honest."

Ben Andreucci admitted last month that the play-off final defeat for Avenue in May still hurts, so he and his team-mates are looking to put that right now, starting from Tuesday night. (Image: John Rhodes)

There are midweek games, cup ties, and replays galore potentially in August alone.

And Elliott said: "I think it's been a bit of a mess from the league if I'm being totally honest.

"There are no guarantees we can play Tuesday as well because if Silsden draw their FA Cup game this weekend then our game is off.

"I just think things like that are just really poor from the league.

"We've got the FA Trophy coming up too and it's just a bit of a stop-start season to begin with.

"If we get through in them games, then we actually don't have that many league matches in the first three or four weeks.

"I'm not used to that, but obviously there's nothing we can do.

"We've just got to get on with it, and I think what it does do is it helps me use the squad in the cup games, just so I can have a good look at everybody and see how the league pans out a little bit."

And that rotation should help Elliott and Avenue get through a sticky first month.

He said: "We haven't got a massive squad, but we've got a really competitive squad.

"We've got 18 lads and the ones that are not getting in that first-choice XI are more than good enough to play.

"I've got no sleepless nights giving them matches and trying to get everybody up to speed.

"I think once we come to end of August, you'll start to see things settle down a little bit and we'll get a bit of structure."

Silsden boss Matt Cavanagh has marked Avenue out as favourites for the title this year, but Elliott said: "I wouldn't go as far as that.

"We want to be ambitious and competing for promotion, I'm not going to hide from that.

"But I think you have to respect there are some big teams in this league, so I just think we'll be in the mix with six or seven others."

Pre-season has gone well for Avenue, Elliott feeling his side improved with each game.

Avenue won all five of their pre-season games, seeing off Sheffield FC, Albion Sports, Thackley, a Bradford City XI and Gainsborough Trinity. (Image: John Rhodes)

Rudy Misambo is away for the first couple of league matches and Charlie Winfield is carrying a slight hamstring injury but otherwise, there are no issues.

Louie Chorlton has caught the eye with goals in the last two games and Elliott enthused: "I'm really expecting big things from him this year.

"Hopefully he's starting to come into his best years, where he can show what he can do.

"He's a real throwback as a winger, someone who gets crosses in the box, with really good pace and an eye for goal.

"I'm hoping he can get his figures nice and high this year in terms of numbers of assists and goals."

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