Bradford (Park Ave) question

[joseph]

I think Bradford Traveller may be best to answer this one but does anybody know why Bradford (Park Avenue) dropped the Park Avenue bit from it's name? I bet they thought they cursed themselves in doing so with their form last season lol. They and their fans are probably one of very few people on the planet thankful for Covid 19 as it was only that what saved them from relegation in reality.

[Bradford Traveller]

Originally Bradford FC (1863) and Manningham FC (1880) were rugby clubs.

In 1895, Bradford FC started an Association football side that lasted a few years.

In 1903, Manningham FC "converted" to Association Football and joined the Football League, changing their name in the process.

In 1907, Bradford FC also made the decision to play "soccer " but had to wait a year before being accepted into the Football League. Unfortunately they were forced to add (Park Avenue) after their official name , to avoid confusing the FA. They did however remain as Bradford on the football pools and on the BBC teleprinter!

There has been a trend in recent years by younger fans and younger reporters to refer to the current League side as Bradford, much to the chagrin of most Avenue fans, hence a tendency to refer to their neighbours by their original name of Manningham.

Last season, the club embarked on a "back to the future" marketing exercise, using the original red, amber and black colours on shirts, stadium and publications, and using slogans such as "proper Bradford ", referring to themselves as Bradford (rather than Avenue) although other official names were unchanged.

A wonderful quote from the Revd. James Leighton on how Bradford first sowed the seeds of the Association game in the town in 1895 only to see Manningham reap the benefit ...

"We laid the egg which has been hatched by other bodies and has brought forth a cockerel that has done a great deal of crowing"  

(Source: Life at the Top by John Dewhirst)