Former Bradford Bulls winger Shaun Ainscough has revealed that he regrets turning down a contract offer with the Bulls and leaving the club back in 2012 – saying that the financial strains the club were experiencing made him make what he believes was the wrong career decision.
Ainscough left the Bulls at the end of the 2012 season after turning down a contract offer he said “wasn’t enough” for the position he was in back then. However, in an interview with the Telegraph and Argus, the winger admits that was an error of judgement, and looking back, it was definitely the wrong move.
“The money on offer from Bradford two years ago wasn’t enough for the position I was in at the time,” Ainscough said.
“But looking back, I realise I probably should have stuck with it and taken it. It was a stressful time for everybody and I think it made me make the wrong decision.”
Ainscough headed for Australia after leaving the Bulls, before returning after just one season to take up a deal with Championship outfit Whitehaven. Now signed on at Batley for the 2015 season, he admits that whilst his time in Australia was great, he had to come back – and says that given the opportunity, he’d love to turn out for the Bulls once again.
“It was in New South Wales in a place called Wagga Wagga and I loved it,” Ainscough revealed.
“Being in Australia also made me realise what I had given up back home and that I should have taken that offer from Bradford.
“Even now, I just need somebody to give me a chance. I would play for next to nothing now just to have that chance. “I’d love to play for Bradford again. It’s one of the best clubs I’ve been at and I absolutely loved my time there. “
