From looking at the statement from the new BoD, with emphasis on the new.
They have come in and looked at the club from top to bottom or root to branch as they stated.
The aim would be keeping the club afloat in the sort term and sustainable in the longer term.
This would mean a huge amount of work and TIME that would involve an order of importance.
Initially they would not really know what could stay and what had to go or what could be sustained and what could not.
As time has gone by they are now in a more “informed” position to make the appropriate decisions.
This would apply to the reserves that were part of what they inherited and likely looked a good thing and consequently they applied to be part of the new set up, which by the way if they hadn’t done so they would have been heavily criticised.
Now with a deeper knowledge of how the club stands and with the bigger interests in mind they have made the decision (very reluctantly I bet) to cut the reserves.

I actually wholeheartedly agree with the decision that the BOD have taken. Let's be honest, the reserves is a lovely option to have if the competition was valued by the whole of the RFL. The trust has say raised in excess of £250k to fund the team over the last 5+ years. What players has the reserves actually produced from the scholarship, through the reserves and into the first team that are good enough and in the team week in week out.... None!! Rawsthorne was on trial, RM wouldn't sign him and we lost him to Hull, Butler was picked up after losing faith in the game after rejection from several SL clubs, Moore was signed from Cas, JWH was a product of London as he was rekeased to pursue his Education at Leeds Uni... The reserves has never produced a Maguire, Edwards, Murrell for that matter since the club had a proper scouting function in SL when we unearthed and developed the likes of Chris Chester, Danny Tickle etc... The club still has the pathway from Calderdale College and if your good enough, your old enough, just look at Siddal product Morgan Smithies. In all honesty anybody with any promise will be scouted by SL in their early teens....

I think the club needs to get it right both on and off the field but the 1st team must now take priority. I'd rather people come together for a truly fans sponsored player recruitment programme, similar to squad builder in Fax1. If you were to theoretically blend the Trust and Fax1 together you have the perfect Supporters Club as both attract different fans to them.... I know this ad a founder and former Chairman of The Trust. Both do a great job but both can still contribute greatly to the club if communicated with properly.

Well done Fax for taking a tough decision but it's absolutely the right one for the club right now as I think the money spent on the reserves in hindsight couldve been spent better elsewhere.

Apart from the funding to be able to run the reserves of course you need the players.
As the BoD pointed out as the weeks have gone by since they took over it’s become clear that Fax didn’t have access to enough players of the right age and ability to be able to compete against their SL counterparts in the new comp.
What would be the point of getting hammered both results wise and physically every week?

Sustainability goes beyond finance but I’m sure the fund raisers will be trying their best to keep that aspect of the income streams alive and we can all decide wether to buy into it or not.

There are a number of issues here, firstly the club needs to keep going financially otherwise even if we had a reserve team that would fold along with the club.
In terms of getting the players in who are good enough, all the top level quality youngsters get cherry picked off by SL clubs, just look around SL now and there are plenty of Fax lads playing, there are at least 3 in the England Knights team today. None of these lads have been near the Fax setup unfortunately and that is why we won’t have the quality of players to compete with the SL reserves.
If we were in a league with Championship reserve teams it might be a different matter.

Hopefully we can revisit the reserve setup in the future.

Agree 100%.

It's fair to say its a massive slap in the face for coaching staff, players and volunteers.
The vast majority of players gave their time for gratis. The most upsetting aspect regarding the squad is that some players for certain have turned down options to move onto these other SL reserve grade set ups, with an option of better financial options because they believed more in the Halifax ethos. Some of these lads may now be left with proverbial pee making its way into their tents.

I wish all the lads who have given their all the very best of luck in finding a new home. It's a very fickle sport RL and not one you should plan your life around unless you have the very very luckiest of breaks and you there right time, right place.

I agree 100% with Chris! Which is a first.

It is a level playing field though. If Bradford run a Reserves they will get no central funding to help. There's a difference between Reserves and Academy....

But the Bulls did run an academy rlhttps://www.bradfordbulls.co.uk/match/league_tablerl (change the drop-down to "academy"icon_wink.gif which is why they get funding for a reserve team. Or am I reading it all wrong?

Every year, the same clubs are in Div 1 of the age groups junior Yorkshire league. Siddal are always one. A magnificent junior club. I don't know what else you can do to maximise your take from Siddal

Nothing as pretty much all the players get picked up at SL level, we can only wait and see if some drop out due to travelling etc.

HX Sparky. Could the reason That team who played at Odslum get reserve funding is:
The EX (but still) Fat Controller has outed himself as one of their supporters,and is still pulling strings at Red Hall?

Level playing field ? As Jim Royle used to say My Ar*e.

That's the way I see it. Besides, if anyone thinks the bulls play by the rules they're living in cloud cuckoo land.

They don't break rules as they are tailored by the FC and co-horts to suit all their needs.