RIGHT winger Will Longbottom has barely featured in that position all season, yet he is fast becoming one of Bradford (Park Avenue)'s key players.

Avenue boss Mark Bower has hailed the 24-year-old's versatility, and admits that quality is something he tends to look for when he tries to bring in any new players.

Former Doncaster Rovers youth product Longbottom had a brief spell at Horsfall under Bower in the 2020/21 season, yet he has still surprised his manager this time around.

Ahead of tomorrow's National League North game at home to Chorley, Bower said: "Will's done really well for us, and he's got better as this season has gone on.

"It's probably the first time for a while in his career that he's been getting a good run of games and, being versatile, he's filled in in a few positions.

"We didn't expect him to do as well as he has done in the midfield three, where he played last week at Kidderminster, and he's featured for us on the left wing and at left wing back too.

"Before he came back, I felt right wing was his best position, but I've hardly played him there.

"He's still been involved in plenty of our goals though, he has good energy, and he seems to be enjoying himself as he always has a smile on his face.

"With us having a small squad, we have to have versatile players like Will where we can."

Avenue's neighbours Farsley Celtic won on Tuesday to move two points from safety, while rock-bottom Telford are unbeaten in their last five league games.

Despite being in solid form, Avenue are still only three points clear of the drop themselves.

Bower said: "I keep saying that this league is as strong as it's ever been.

"The teams at the bottom are good sides with good players and I don't think any of the current bottom four would have been anywhere near the relegation zone in this league five years ago.

"We're not really paying attention to the sides above or below us though, we've just got to carry on like we have been doing since October and we'll be fine.

"We've only lost one of our last eight in the league and we've generally done okay, even though we'd have like to have turned some of the four draws in that time into wins."

Appearing to have settled on a preferred formation has undoubtedly helped Avenue, with Bower saying: "We've adapted to other teams using different styles with the 5-3-2 or 3-5-2 we like to play.

"Everyone seems comfy in their roles and it's allowed us to play two up front as well."

Avenue will be hoping that formation helps them beat play-off hopefuls Chorley at Horsfall tomorrow, a game Bower expects to be tight.

He said: "We can't take much from our 0-0 draw at their place in August, as I think we're both a lot stronger now than we were back then.

"It's a different kind of pitch and different weather conditions now too.

"It'll be a challenging game and we do seem to draw with them a lot actually.

"The last four times they've played us at Horsfall we've had three 0-0 draws and we won the other game 1-0, so it's always tight."

Mitch Lund and Jamie Spencer are not quite fit to return to the side from injury tomorrow, while ex-Bradford City defender Reece Staunton is serving the last game of his three-match ban after a red card on New Year's Day against Farsley Celtic.