Beevers says Bradford Park Avenue promotion matches League One highs
Mark Beevers says bradford park avenue promotion would mean as much to him as the three League One promotions he won earlier in his career. The captain goes into the Northern Premier League East Division play-off final against Emley AFC with Avenue five places below League One, but with the same target: get up.
Beevers and Bradford Park Avenue
Beevers has already won promotion from League One with Sheffield Wednesday, Bolton Wanderers and Peterborough United, yet he put this challenge on the same level. “For me, promotion’s promotion,” he said ahead of the final.
He also pointed to the grind of the division itself. “It’s very difficult to get out of any league, as it’s a long old season with 20-odd teams,” he said, adding: “You have to be consistent and the NPL East might even be tougher, because only one team goes up automatically, with the other through the play-offs.”
Matlock Town And The Away Route
Bradford Park Avenue reached the final by beating second-placed Matlock Town 2-1 on Tuesday night in the semi-final, with Ben Andreucci scoring a late winner from the edge of the box. That result sent Craig Elliott’s side through after another away tie, because Avenue had to play both the semi-final and the final away from home.
Beevers said the setting changes little from midweek: “I think it’s the same this weekend as it was in midweek.” He added: “The pressure is on the home side, having that advantage, so we kind of go to Emley as underdogs in a way.”
Emley AFC And The Finish Line
Emley finished third in the regular season, one place behind Bradford Park Avenue, which ended up fifth. That leaves one game to settle who moves up from a division where only one team goes up automatically and the rest have to survive the play-offs.
Beevers said Avenue have done the work to reach this point: “We haven’t got there yet, but we’ve earned the right to be in the final, so it’s up to us to get over the line now.” He added: “We have to do the same thing as we did on Tuesday night and go about our business.”
