Bradford Enter Administration

[Kittwazzer]

I'd love to be a fly on the wall at this meeting!

http://www.loverugbyleague.com/news_950 ... um=twitter

Fans of struggling Super League club Bradford Bulls have organised a crisis meeting this Monday, 2nd July.

The five-time Super League champions entered administration last week, and could face liquidation if investment isn't found in the next few days.

A meeting between fans has been arranged at the Guide Post Hotel, Common Road, Bradford (7pm) to discuss ways they can help the club.

A spokesman said: "If we get an investor we need to ensure we as fans set up something to safe guard the club so it doesn't happen again in the future. 

"If we go into liquidation would we as fans be able to have the resource to reform.

"I need to stress to anyone that wants to attend this meeting isn't about casting aspersions on who's to blame and is not a slanging match."

The administrators of the club are due to be in attendance, along with local businessmen and MPs.

Fans can find out more by searching for the Facebook page, Bradford Bulls fans crisis meeting.

[Nezza Faz]

My thought on the situation is that with no-one buying the club and therefore able to repay their debts, the Govt (thru' their Administrator) are writing off the considerable different Taxes they are owed by the Club, so that at least investigations can begin into the directors actions and how they ran the club - with criminal consequencies a distinct possibility against any or all of the previous board.
Interestingly, Fielden called them all a bunch of liars and cheats !

[Kittwazzer]

My thought on the situation is that with no-one buying the club and therefore able to repay their debts, the Govt (thru' their Administrator) are writing off the considerable different Taxes they are owed by the Club, so that at least investigations can begin into the directors actions and how they ran the club - with criminal consequencies a distinct possibility against any or all of the previous board.
Interestingly, Fielden called them all a bunch of liars and cheats !

And with good reason. He and other former player gave up personal memorabilia towards that 500K. If it turns out it was just to give directors their money back, they have obtained money by false pretences. It is fraud!

[Kittwazzer]

All over Twitter now. Mick Potter and rest of coaching staff shown the door!

[southernpie]

and on BBC
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-league/18675339

[DaveO]

All over Twitter now. Mick Potter and rest of coaching staff shown the door!

Yes all the back room staff sacked.

Over on the Bull's forum on rlfans conspiracy theories abound that this is to clear the decks so when a "white night" surfaces to rescue the situation he can appoint who he wants with Noble tipped to be the new coach.

If they had kept the staff on then the new owner would have to pay them off if they wanted different people doing the jobs. Now these staff are just creditors low down the pecking order.

It will be the administrators who will have sacked these people and they should be acting solely as administrators but as I said conspiracy theories abound and so the suspicion is this has happened to clear the decks.

Lots of fans asking why the staff could not be kept on for another week on zero pay to see if said white night arrives but they reckon whoever it is wants his own men in place and this is a cheap way to sack those they do not want.

[Kittwazzer]

It does make sense now Dave. Saying on Twitter that Noble could be there as early as tomorrow!

[OJ]

Sounds like they couldn't run a school tuck shop over there and very sad for all involved, I cannot imagine how past players who donated medals/shirts and items which were probably of sentimental value to try and save the place only to have this happen and Steve O'Connor must be well pleased after giving them 20 K, probably a lot more done similar things that I don't know about.

In slightly facetious mode we could help them out by taking Jarrod Sammut off their hands until the end of the year

[Matthew]

I think that the bulls fans (quite understandably) are waiting for a miracle that won't happen. If there were a "White Knight" on the horizon, then surely he (or she) would have stepped in before now? It's a relatively small amount for the staff (outside of Potter) and they will have to be replaced by the new owner. Any potential owner is going to have to have an awful lot of cash that they want to get rid of - because the club has no assets and a lot of outgoings.

So Noble comes in and manages the club for free in the short term - then what? No big cash backer equals no future.

Even if the club survives (which is not a given) then I would suspect that they will become "Bradford Northern Bulls" or similar and follow the Crusaders into a lower league.

I expect the other SL clubs to cherry pick the best players from the squad and the rest to go into NL1. Are the players (that aren't signed elsewhere) prepared to finish out the season for free? If not, then I expect all of the Bulls fixtures to be removed from the league.

It's a sad day when a club as big as Bradford goes down the tubes - worrying for smaller, less successful clubs.

[DaveO]

I think that the bulls fans (quite understandably) are waiting for a miracle that won't happen. If there were a "White Knight" on the horizon, then surely he (or she) would have stepped in before now? It's a relatively small amount for the staff (outside of Potter) and they will have to be replaced by the new owner. Any potential owner is going to have to have an awful lot of cash that they want to get rid of - because the club has no assets and a lot of outgoings.

The theory is the "white night" will only step in when they judge it right to do so. Caisley is one of the biggest shareholders yet let it go into administration rather than help secure its future when Hood and his colleagues were trying to raise the money.

As it is already in administration they may as well use that to clear the decks for free.

I put "white night" in quotes because I don't think the Bull's fans view this scenario as anything other than underhand dealings even if the "white night" delivers them a club of some sort.

So Noble comes in and manages the club for free in the short term - then what? No big cash backer equals no future.

Even if the club survives (which is not a given) then I would suspect that they will become "Bradford Northern Bulls" or similar and follow the Crusaders into a lower league.


I expect the other SL clubs to cherry pick the best players from the squad and the rest to go into NL1. Are the players (that aren't signed elsewhere) prepared to finish out the season for free? If not, then I expect all of the Bulls fixtures to be removed from the league.

Last week the headlines were the club would complete its fixtures run as a supports trust. I took that to mean the RFL would pay the players wages until the end of the season.

If Noble does the coaching for free then sacking all the coaching staff (its 16 people apparently including the likes of Stuart Duffy the football manager) is one less not insignificant expense for the RFL to bear.