be allowed to stay in SL owing this money? www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/sportbulls/

be allowed to stay in SL owing this money? www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/sportbulls/

No they shouldn't. Its disgusting that they can walk away owing money. I really feel sorry for the creditors.

They will be in S.L next year....to listen to some people the Bulls are Super League

I feel sorry for the creditors who won't see a dime...the "People's Team" will leave plenty of people out of pocket.

No

I have said this loads of times before - if the Bulls was a shoe factory in Odsal, a Pub, A theatre company where people paid to see their shows and loved them - but they spent more than they had negligently and went pop becuase not enough people spent to support the business -
I would argue that nobody except T and A readers would know and similarly, there wouldnt have been pledges and so many special accomodations. It would simply be a case of Market Forces and it is tough out there - the business contracts, premises get smaller, less staff and try and build again or just wrap up.

How a sport can positively bend over backwards to prop up broken businesses is to be credited to a point. But we have now created a situation where Wales and London were and are hugely differently treated. Secondly the last three clubs who went into admin have arguably improved their position - Widnes, Wakey and now the Bulls.

A tactial pre-pack admin looks a great option to lower middle clubs to expunge debt - the on field franchise is not compromised, new-co has exactly the same income, no sanction except current season playing points and starts the following season improved.

Creditors, local businesses in a lot of cases and not huge corporations are lucky to get 10p int he £1 for their faith and credit.

Cannot possibly be allowed and actually rewarded? Surely - although I expect that to happen, but with a hasty off season rule change to mean that anyone else in the Bulls situation is treated extremely differently in future.

Excellently put there

Except that Widnes and Wakey took their medicine and worked hard to recover - we've yet to see if Bradford will do the same.

I remain flabberghasted that they've emerged from all of this not having sold a single player and are being applauded for battling for 8th spot, despite doing so with players that are only available to them through the largesse of their fans, the governing body and a significant cohort of past players, not to mention the assistance of other club chairmen. I can only assume that as Eddie keeps reminding us, SL [ineeds[/i the Bradford Bulls.

Cheers Chris -

Bren, I agree Widnes and Wakey had more medicine to take seemingly, but it is not arguable that they have improved their franchise and "on field" position by removing debt and forming new-co.
SL needs the Bulls like the SPL needs Rangers, The Premier League needed LUFC, Pompey and like the football league needed Wimbledon.

Yes the governing body (and others) really have bent over backwards for the Bulls, this great game of ours was formed on fair play,honesty and integrity and is now being ruined by the muppets that run it.

I won't visit Odsal again thats for sure.

You and me both....I can only assume SLE had a quiet word with clubs about the view to be taken on any 'exploitation' (for Wakey/Crusaders read capitalisation) of Bradford's situation.

i agree with all ive read on foram we all seem to be thinking the same. i have said before on a foram I WILL NOT BE GOING TO BULLS GROUND AGAIN,ive been to odsal to watch many a game not only cas.all ways enjoyed going but not any more.if the bulls stop in super league they are making a mockery of the game.the clubs in the championships must be laughing at clubs in super league.with what is happening in rugby league at the moment its a joke.no wonder LOYAL FANS are WALKING away from the game and the CLUBS they love.

It's arguable certainly, but I'd suggest that neither Widnes or Wakefield have done so without a significant amount of pain; I don't know the ins and outs of Widnes' journey back into the top flight, but I certainly know Wakefield's - we watched our most promising players stripped away for peanuts, were widely earmarked as the club that would lose its licence to make way for Widnes, prepared for champ rugby to the extent that Mr Glover presented two business plans as part of his due diligence exercise with the RFL; then were rescued at the 11th hour, leaving us with a few short months to change our plans back towards being a SL club. All of this was done without any assistance from the RFL or the 'RL family' and to boot, Mr G chose to pay enough of the oldco's debt such that the penalty for our insolvency event was reduced to a 4 point deduction.

I don't expect a medal or even a balloon, but the wailing and gnashing of teeth coming out of Odsal in recent months, you'll understand, leaves a sour taste in my mouth.

Helium or air filled?

It's criminal that the Bulls won't have to pay what they owe (as it was with Wakey, Widnes and London), OK Wakey lost a couple of their better players, but started this season with a clean slate having left creditors owing over £1million, but now have a healthy bank balance, so how is any of that fair? It seems totally unfair when clubs such as Castleford (and Salford) are doing things the right way, we are losing some of our better players because we play by the rules and live within our means, but clubs who have "cheated" will finish above us in the league and in Bradfords case, with their team intact, how is that right?
The penalties for going into administration haven't been tough enough, clubs should lose all of their points, as happened with Melbourne in Australia, as any points they have amassed have been as a result of a playing side they clearly could not afford.