With Park Avenue starved of action on the pitch it gave the backroom staff and the board of directors the opportunity to channel all their efforts into the opening of their La Liga Soccer Centre this week.

They have developed the site they bought at Thorn-bury which, planning permission allowing, will ultimately become their permanent home.

Avenue chief executive Bob Blackburn purchased the land through his building and development company Kelvic Holdings and has stressed his determination to make it the club’s base.

Blackburn has a vision of a purpose built all-seater stadium with additional community facilities. The opening of the soccer and recreational complex – complete with restaurant – today is the first step on that road.

Director Kevin Hains-worth said: “There are five five-a-side pitches open for hire to the public and sometime in January we will have two seven-a-side pitches ready for play.

“Some of the other things are still in the pipeline because we are having to jump though hoops to get the necessary consent from the authorities.

“We are well used to that and we are no different to any other business ventures but it doesn’t make it any less frustrating.”

The club’s hierarchy believe the new development will increase Park Avenue’s standing in the city.

Hainsworth said: “The opening of La Liga signals our intent to go from strength to strength as a business and as a football club. We also hope it will raise the profile of the club and drum up support.

“Anything that gets Avenue’s name back on the lips of the Bradford public can only be good and I believe our fan base will increase significantly as we climb back up the ladder.”

Today's opening was preceded by a chance to sample the new restaurant for free the day before.

Hainsworth said: “The reason for that was a dummy run to give the chefs chance to prepare all the different foods on offer and test the catering equipment.”