14 replies to this topic

[Simon Kerr]

I genuinly feel sorry for the fans (well some of them) of Bradford Bulls regaring their current situation, but also feel its a case of good ridance for the club. Demote them to the championship and bring back Northern.

I'm not sure if this is envy, but suspect it stems from the early days of Super League when the club strategy seemed to one of we don't care about the lower leagues and clubs. I was always told.... Look after the ones on the way up, so that they look after you on the way down.

Rumour has it that Bradford (Caisey) voted against our promotion to SL and advised others to do so. I suspect this was so that none of the 3000 Dewsbury based Bulls supporters didn't deflect to the Mighty Rams.

It was also suggested that we would be the Bulls feeder club... I'm guessing that they might want to keep some of the cash from our annual fixture now though!

Not sure what my point is or where I'm going with this, so rant over...

[Phil Stone]

Don't feel sorry for them or their fans, do you think they give a stuff about Championship clubs?
Most SL fans have no idea what goes off outside their ivory towers.SL clubs have been over protected, just look at Cas and Wakey and their promises of new grounds every time the franchises are due. The Bulls should never have been given a franchise in the last round if they were in financial trouble and owing what they owe to the tax man.

[andyram]

The bulls will still be going strong in the future in the so called Super League,The Rugby Football League will see that happens,whatever happens in the next week or so.Even if a new club needs to be started under a new Bradford Bulls/Northern or just Bradford.Super League is like a dead duck in the water without promotion and relegation every season,but thats another subject.

[John North]

I dont even know why Bradford are making such a fuss.

They will go Bust and miraculously resurface as the Bradford Phoenix's, with a guaranteed place in SL and a clean financial slate.
(oh and Chris Caisley will buy up the remaining club assets for £1, which has been his plan all along imho)

[Blind side johnny]

Two points here:

The RFL can't agree to a reformed Bradford team entering SL without the approval of the member clubs - it isn't within their power. Those clubs in SL might decide that there is a financial benefit from allowing the new club to enter SL but they will have to contend with strong opposition from a number of non-SL clubs. Equally, as has happened with soccer in Scotland, they may decide that the stature and integrity of the sport might be damaged by such a move and decide that the new club should start in the lowest professional tier. Alternatively, they might take the opportunity to slice up the Sky money between 13 clubs rather than 14 and decide that no new entrants to SL will be allowed. This last tactic would match a number of recently voiced agendas.


Back in the early days of SL Chris Caisley was vocal in demanding that Workington should be thrown out of the RFL for entering administration whilst a SL club. We should assume that he hasn't now become hypocritical shouldn't we?

[HaroldShand]

If liquidated and reformed, Bradford should be demoted to Championship 1 - if the member clubs of that league vote to allow them in. In short, they should be made to start again, just like a Batley, Dewsbury or Keighley would have to if, perish the thought, we had to recreate ourselves.
Bradford have absolutely conned people out of hard-earned money with their totally worthless 'appeal', which the club knew would have next to no impact upon their total debt. IMO the 'appeal' was simply a selfish, underhand scheme that allowed them to keep hold of their playing squad for a longer timeslot. What should have happened originally was a firesale of their best player - which would possibly have raised up to around £700-800'000 towards paying off debts. Instead, they opted for a phoney-baloney fund raising push to 'save the club'. What tosh.
All that's going to happen now is liquidation, the transfer of any players contracts to a 'newco' (this hasn't quite worked out with Glasgow Rangers, but it would be a different kettle of fish in RL I reckon), and the RFL permitting a continuation in SL. Forget about the prospect of Halifax replacing them, or even Fev being given the nod. The bare fact that the RFL have told them that a 'newco' would be allowed to finish the SL season is all the answer you need in terms of how the intend to deal with the situation long-term.

Edited by HaroldShand, 29 June 2012 - 10:12 AM.

[Piggy's mate]

Who would have paid so much for their players HS?

[coolie]

I dont even know why Bradford are making such a fuss.

They will go Bust and miraculously resurface as the Bradford Phoenix's, with a guaranteed place in SL and a clean financial slate.
(oh and Chris Caisley will buy up the remaining club assets for £1, which has been his plan all along imho)

john i couldnt agree more with you,super league stinks with the stench of ''us & you''
bradford are in administration...but yet not 10 point penalty..and personally what is the point of that in a league where there is no relegation
as you say bradfords slate will be again wiped clean & again caisley will be there too profit

SUPER LEAGUE IS CORRUPT.....and this is proved by its attitudes & reactions to how problems are dealt with to the ''BIG CLUBS''

ill wait for my post to be removed...as bad word against the RFL usually is...mysteriously

[funkmaster flex]

I am stunned that people would wish or applaud the demise of a Rugby League club, be it Bradford or even Batley.

I get the snoozefest about corruption etc but really, do you think the players all signed up for contracts, moved their kids half way across the planet, settled down - To all be in on some dodgy deal? Do you think the thousands of season ticket holders all just threw their small change at the ticket off for a season ticket?

The demise of Bradford will directly effect a large number of people and for some will indicate the end of their playing career. In addition it will leave a city without a rugby team and for the sport as a whole will leave a void which cannot be filled - In addition to the worldwide negative PR it will inevitably attract.

Berate the idiots that have let this happen, but take off your rose tinted glasses and see that this is a major indication that the game is in trouble, to snigger and cross your fingers is like hammering the nail in the coffin yourself.

[Blind side johnny]

FF is quite correct. The demise of Bradford would reflect badly upon our sport and would be used against us by those in the media with an open agenda of anti-RL bias.

It is one thing disliking a club on a sporting basis; it is quite another to wish for their demise.

On a personal basis for example I was never a lover of Bramley or their fans but I still regret the fact that they are no longer a pro club.

[DEANO]

personally i hope the whole of SL goes belly up. they have just about killed our once great game through greed

[Simon Kerr]

Do the Franchises have a future? I reckon P & R could be back on the cards, certainly the media seem be making noises about it, but it's probably wishful thinking...

I know its the other code, but interesting that London Welsh won their appeal for promotion. Didn't Hunslet lose a similar one in 99. I can't recall if they went through with it and suspect that money may have prevents them in the end.

Read an article about London Wasps losing 2 million a year, but you are right the media will try to use this against RL, although in fairness Wasps haven't gone into admin and look to have a sugar daddy.

[funkmaster flex]

personally i hope the whole of SL goes belly up. they have just about killed our once great game through greed

Have they.

Remind me what the average gate was in 1990 - You know, 6 years before Superleague.

Edited by funkmaster flex, 30 June 2012 - 08:31 PM.

[DEANO]

the gate is not an issue. it's what the cluds are payimg out!!!!

[Blind side johnny]

personally i hope the whole of SL goes belly up. they have just about killed our once great game through greed

And just where do you think our sport would end up if this were to happen?

The "once great game" to which you refer was on its knees for many years before SL came about and it is unquestionable that, without SL, the game would be even weaker now than ever.

It is easy to wear retrospective rose-tinted glasses but the truth belies the myth I'm afraid.