IT WAS almost 12 years ago when Bradford Bulls first went into administration in June 2012.
At the time, the Rugby Football League (RFL) announced that the company had been wound up but that the team would be allowed to complete their fixtures for the 2012 Super League season.
Local businessman Omar Khan ended up taking the reins at Odsal, with the RFL granting the club a one-year probationary licence enabling the club to compete in Super League in 2013.
It became three administrations in four years before the Bulls were relegated from the top flight in 2014 – and they haven’t returned since.
But, even in 2013, Bradford still had the likes of John Bateman – a meek teenager at the time – and Elliott Whitehead in their ranks.
Now Bateman has lifted the lid on his experiences of Bradford’s administration.
“We heard on the radio that Bradford were going into administration but none of the players knew anything about it. So I’ve been dropped off at training and there were loads of cameras there. We’ve gone straight into a room and they told us the club has gone into administration,” Bateman said on The Bye Round podcast with James Graham.
“They were sorting out what needed to be solved but people were coming in and taking weight equipment as that was part of the debut so anything the club owned, went.
“That week we played Wigan and we thought it was our last game, but all of us couldn’t train because we weren’t insured. I don’t think they paid us that month.
“Being young, I was spending money willy nilly so I needed an overdraft. Some of the boys had mortgages which, thankfully, I didn’t as I was young.
“But we played Wigan on the Friday and the club rang us on Wednesday and told us they could insure us for the game.
“We beat Wigan and then it turned out the week after that the club was back up and running. It just went like that for quite a few years.”
Bateman also explained how the move to Wigan came about despite signing a four-year deal early that year.
“I remember Omar Khan, I think he owned a curry house. I don’t know how he got registered to buy Bradford but he bought the club and signed Elliott Whitehead and me on massive contracts.
“The figure would still be massive now. I was 17 at the time and signed for over £100,000. He signed up both up and gave us overs to keep us.
“I had only played about ten games so we were like ‘what’s going on?’ We had a bit of interest from other clubs when Marwan Koukash came to Salford. He tried to get Elliott.
“But Elliott signed a new deal and then I signed a four-year deal. About six weeks later, I got a phone call from my agent – and Elliott did too – that he was being sold to Catalans and I was being sold to Wigan.
“We were classed as prize assets being two people on the biggest contracts. Bradford got a transfer fee for us both.”
Click here to purchase a digital edition of League Express.
Click here to purchase an online edition of League Express through pocketmags.com.
Click here to listen to our new League Express Podcast.
League Express is widely available from local newsagents across the north of England.
