Sun 1st Oct: Ch Elim: Bradford Bulls v York Knights KO 18:30 (Viaplay)

[OdsalBull]

So much bitterness, love it. Love the bulls and love odsal BTID

[Wolford6]

20 minutes ago, Roger York said:

A serious question to Bradford fans how do you feel about odsal?

 

I would expect the RFL to consider that Odsal is unsuitable for Superleague. In such case, we'd have to play at Valley Parade, Keighley or Halifax.

I'd prefer Halifax (they still need their stand completing), then Keighley (they could do with the money and we are needlessly antagonistic to each other). I think the RFL would want Valley Parade, because it would look better on the telly.

I'm not bothered whether we get to Superleague this season or not. We are a semi-pro team and would need to sign full-time players. I've seen enough journeymen to last me a lifetime. If we signed a bunch of journeymen, they'd be half-expecting relegation. We have a history of not utilising or capitalising on our fantastic academy players. I'd prefer another 2 years in the Championship, developing Superleague-standard young guns.

Edited October 2, 2023 by Wolford6

[Ovenden Grunt]

11 hours ago, Wolford6 said:

We are back. No matter how useless the managerial system has been, no matter how "questionable"the owners have been, no matter how inadequate the pitch is, no matter how scruffy the ground is  ...

We Are Back

Back where?

[OdsalBull]

9 minutes ago, Wolford6 said:

I would expect the RFL to consider that Odsal is unsuitable for Superleague. In such case, we'd have to play at Valley Parade, Keighley or Halifax.

I'd prefer Halifax (they still need their stand completing), then Keighley (they could do with the money and we are needlessly antagonistic to each other). I think the RFL would want Valley Parade, because it would look better on the telly.

I'm not bothered whether we get to Superleague this season or not. We are a semi-pro team and would need to sign full-time players. I've seen enough journeymen to last me a lifetime. If we signed a bunch of journeymen, they'd be half-expecting relegation. We have a history of not utilising or capitalising on our fantastic academy players. I'd prefer another 2 years in the Championship, developing Superleague-standard young guns.

Playing in Bradford is a MUST IMO. 

[Wolford6]

9 minutes ago, Ovenden Grunt said:

Back where?

Back to having the spirit of Bradford in the ground. Standing close together with people who may not live in the city and who you don't know personally but we share a love of  Bradford and a love of the Bulls. Our town and our team.

Love of Bradford is why Bradford City get so many fans. City's results don't really justify their atendances; the community spirit that the club has fostered does. The bars on North Parade are buzzing before and after games; ideally, I'd like to see the same in Wibsey for Bulls fans.

[Roger York]

30 minutes ago, Wolford6 said:

I would expect the RFL to consider that Odsal is unsuitable for Superleague. In such case, we'd have to play at Valley Parade, Keighley or Halifax.

I'd prefer Halifax (they still need their stand completing), then Keighley (they could do with the money and we are needlessly antagonistic to each other). I think the RFL would want Valley Parade, because it would look better on the telly.

I'm not bothered whether we get to Superleague this season or not. We are a semi-pro team and would need to sign full-time players. I've seen enough journeymen to last me a lifetime. If we signed a bunch of journeymen, they'd be half-expecting relegation. We have a history of not utilising or capitalising on our fantastic academy players. I'd prefer another 2 years in the Championship, developing Superleague-standard young guns.

I agree the best way moving forward is to develop your own younger talent who want to play for the club the only problem is stopping the super league clubs from cherry picking.

[Vyvyan]

Odsal may be a dump but is there anything about it that falls below IMG standards?  I don't think there is.  It has covered seating for 5k.  Adequate floodlights.   I don't recall pitch size being part of the criteria.  The club have a dispensation from the RFL to play on the current pitch.  As for uncovered terraces many clubs have an issue with this.

The general aesthetics of the place may be horrendous but grounds aren't assessed on artistic merit.  If they were then SL would look very different.

[OdsalBull]

33 minutes ago, Vyvyan said:

Odsal may be a dump but is there anything about it that falls below IMG standards?  I don't think there is.  It has covered seating for 5k.  Adequate floodlights.   I don't recall pitch size being part of the criteria.  The club have a dispensation from the RFL to play on the current pitch.  As for uncovered terraces many clubs have an issue with this.

The general aesthetics of the place may be horrendous but grounds aren't assessed on artistic merit.  If they were then SL would look very different.

Couldn't agree more. People have a bee in their bonnet constantly about odsal but there are worse grounds including some in SL currently and one potentially about to be in SL

[The Phantom Horseman]

15 minutes ago, OdsalBull said:

Couldn't agree more. People have a bee in their bonnet constantly about odsal but there are worse grounds including some in SL currently and one potentially about to be in SL

There really aren't.

[OdsalBull]

2 minutes ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

There really aren't.

Opinions but for me cas is much worse and is wakefield and fev any better I really don't think so personally

[The Phantom Horseman]

6 hours ago, OdsalBull said:

Opinions but for me cas is much worse and is wakefield and fev any better I really don't think so personally

There really isn't anyone other than the most ardent of Bradford supporters who is going to defend the state of Odsal, mostof their fans are under no illusions about what it's like.

The other poster (Vyvyan) does have a very valid point though about whether there's anything about it that falls below IMG standards. That's precisely why there's unease amongst some of those who have read the IMG document about what is and what isn't considered important.

Edited October 2, 2023 by The Phantom Horseman

[LeytherRob]

2 minutes ago, OdsalBull said:

Opinions but for me cas is much worse and is wakefield and fev any better I really don't think so personally

Fev have a tidy little ground now that it much better than Odsal and now and so is Wakeys with the new stand. 

[OdsalBull]

Just now, The Phantom Horseman said:

There really isn't anyone other than the most ardent of Bradford supporters who is going to defend the state of Odsal, mots of their fans are under no illusions about what it's like.

The other poster (Vyvyan) does have a very valid point though about whether there's anything about it that falls below IMG standards. That's precisely why there's unease amongst some of those who have read the IMG document about what is and what isn't considered important.

By no means is it perfect but I just think sometimes people blow it massively out of proportion. Yes, the terrace is a bit of a state but the stand is a perfectly fine alternative for anyone who wants to sit and be sheltered. This is something that a few other grounds don't offer as is the hospitality stand which provides much-needed income streams for the club all throughout the year.

The biggest issue as some have pointed out is the pitch, we need to find a long-term solution to this. Also - cleaning after the stock cars but with this you have the question of who is responsible for this?

For me, would I want to play at Dewsbury or somewhere outside of Bradford which is probably the alternative? No. Give me Bradford and Odsal any day over that.

[bigbaldnmad]

It's called Odslum for a reason...

[Ovenden Grunt]

1 hour ago, OdsalBull said:

Couldn't agree more. People have a bee in their bonnet constantly about odsal but there are worse grounds including some in SL currently and one potentially about to be in SL

Like where?

[Expatknight]

Correct  me if I am wrong but don’t the RFL own the lease for Odsal and have done for a number of years and that is the reason it was given dispensation to host Championship Games even though it doesn’t meet the minimum standards re dimensions for adult rugby league. I am pretty sure if any other club was in that position the RFL would not have allowed them to play on a pitch that size.

[Ovenden Grunt]

4 hours ago, Expatknight said:

Correct  me if I am wrong but don’t the RFL own the lease for Odsal and have done for a number of years and that is the reason it was given dispensation to host Championship Games even though it doesn’t meet the minimum standards re dimensions for adult rugby league. I am pretty sure if any other club was in that position the RFL would not have allowed them to play on a pitch that size.

It's all o.k. so long as we keep the game's integrity intact.

[Vyvyan]

Just to clarify.  I prefer Wheldon Rd to Odsal if only because you're nearer to the action.  As for Fev it's the same but the local numpties have been putting a dampener on the welcome since the 80s. 

As grounds they're both better.  The only comparable ###### ground is Belle Vue where you used get a worms eye view in the rain on crumbling terraces with awful toilets.   Ironic that they do something about it all when they get relegated. 

But as far as IMG are concerned,  Odsal is fine.  Just clean your seat beforehand or bring a brolly.

 

[Stan Doffarf]

1 hour ago, Vyvyan said:

Just to clarify.  I prefer Wheldon Rd to Odsal if only because you're nearer to the action.  As for Fev it's the same but the local numpties have been putting a dampener on the welcome since the 80s. 

As grounds they're both better.  The only comparable ###### ground is Belle Vue where you used get a worms eye view in the rain on crumbling terraces with awful toilets.   Ironic that they do something about it all when they get relegated. 

But as far as IMG are concerned,  Odsal is fine.  Just clean your seat beforehand or bring a brolly.

 

The 80s? First time I was attacked at Post Office Road was in 1967. It's a very long standing tradition.

[OdsalBull]

Great to see that so many are still obsessed with the small bulls

[Fevrover]

10 hours ago, Stan Doffarf said:

The 80s? First time I was attacked at Post Office Road was in 1967. It's a very long standing tradition.

I was beat up at Odsal in 1973 and had my scarf nicked,only young at the time but I've never gone on about like some on here love to about a MINORITY of idiots at Fev.

[Click]

God, I didn't realise I needed to be beaten up at an RL field to become a real RL fan. Didn't know it was such a common occurrence over the years for all these minority fans that every club has...

[Ragingbull]

22 hours ago, Expatknight said:

Correct  me if I am wrong but don’t the RFL own the lease for Odsal and have done for a number of years and that is the reason it was given dispensation to host Championship Games even though it doesn’t meet the minimum standards re dimensions for adult rugby league. I am pretty sure if any other club was in that position the RFL would not have allowed them to play on a pitch that size.

Ill happily correct you. The pitch does meet minimim standards and has done for quite some time.

[Wolford6]

41 minutes ago, Ragingbull said:

Ill happily correct you. The pitch does meet minimim standards and has done for quite some time.

Sorry, but it doesn't meet these standards.

100m pitch length

68m pitch width

Dead Ball minimum 6m

[Gav Wilson]

1 hour ago, Ragingbull said:

Ill happily correct you. The pitch does meet minimim standards and has done for quite some time.

No it doesn't and it hasn't for quite some time. You get 'special dispensation', which is quite different.