Last season was a memorable one for West Yorkshire club Bradford Park Avenue.
With Mark Bower and Danny Boshell at the helm, the Avenue fought for a highly-contested play-off fight and came out victorious against the likes of Telford United, Chester and Kidderminster Harriers on the final day to set their sights on the peak of non-league football; the National League.
However, following a play-off heartbreak to eventual runners up Spennymoor Town, Avenue would crumble for the following season, with manager Bower departing the club by mutual consent after he was refused backing from club chairman Gareth Roberts. He was replaced by a collection of unworthy gaffers who never managed to fix the club's structure or on the pitch performances, as Garry Thompson and Marcus Law came and went before Bower stalwartly returned to the club as its saviour in a bid to stabilise Bradford's woeful downfall.
As the coronavirus pushed the FA to deem steps three to six of non-league football as null and void, Park Avenue were spared from relegation despite being twelve points adrift at the foot of the National League North table. It was a blessing, as it convinced Bower and Boshell to devote themselves to the Horsfall stadium and sign three year contracts at the club.
One man who flourished under the guidance of Bower and Boshell is former Bradford striker Adam Boyes, who contributed to the club's 2017/18 play-off finish: "It’s a brilliant decision by the club , Bows [Bower] and Bosh [Boshell] are the best I’ve played under. They are both great blokes who know how to get the best out of the players they have, hopefully they can get the club going in the right direction again and I’m sure they will, given time.
"I’d love to be able to play under Bows and Bosh again and I loved my time at Bradford, but the reason I left was for the travelling, travelling 1 hour and 40 minutes for training on my own wasn’t good, I was hoping they’d get a job up my way!"
Boyes also backed his former side to rectify the past deplorable campaign, saying: "Obviously this season has being tough for the club, losing some key players. But Bows will have some good players lined up to come in no doubt, it’s a strong league but I don’t see Bradford struggling like they did this season. But obviously getting the stability back in the club needs to be the first big aim and that will happen under Bower and Bosh."
The lethal frontman has been plying his trade at Spennymoor Town for the past two seasons, who were once again heavily opposing for the play-offs: "We were in a good position as the season ended but in football you never know. We had a lot of tough away games, York city, Boston, Chester so it’s hard to say what would have happened. I think we were stronger last season when we lost in the play off final"
A big reason for the Moor's efficacious season is midfielder Ben McKenna: "I was at Spennymoor a year before Ben, but I knew him from a few years back when I was at Barrow. He’s a great lad, it helped I suppose as we both had mutual friends from Bradford Park Avenue but Ben is an easy lad to get on with anyway, you’d never hear anyone in football say a bad word about him."
Boyes has been battling with club top scorer Glen Taylor for the starting striker role this season, but Taylor has been pivotal, grasping 17 goals this season and one every 159 minutes, which is why he is the fifth top scorer in the National League North: "Tayls [Taylor] is a great lad, in some cases at clubs you can feel yourself not getting on with the player in the same position as you, but with Glen that was never the case.
"I always wished him well and wanted him to do well, and he’d be the same with me. It’s always good having competition so you don’t get complacent, staying fit at our level is basically the manager trusting the lads the keep fit by themselves in there own time as training is only two nights a week."
During 2009 until 2012, Boyes was fortunate enough to represent the England C team, at just 18 years old, making three appearances: "The biggest achievement in my career was playing for England, as a big England fan who goes to the tournaments all over the world it was amazing, the chance to stand in the number 9 shirt for England and singing the national anthem was the best feeling anyone can have.
"I’ve had many proud moments but playing 3 times for my country is the top, don’t get me wrong, I have had lots of good achievements, the promotion with Guiseley was a close second , two-nil down at half time then winning 3-2 was brilliant but playing for England was the best.
"It’s a few years back now but there was some good players, some who I got the chance to play with over the years. I played with Shane Killock at BPA, Ash Chambers at York, Sean newton who’s at York, there was some really good players who’ve gone on to play at very good levels in the game."
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