I remember discussing this in about 2007/2008ish.

I don't come from Bradford and don't have any particular loyalty to the city so therefore I don't have any emotional ties to the name Bradford.

However... I would hate to see the club changing it's name for anything as cynical as a marketing ploy. The club were Bradford when I started watching them... it's not like I thought 'oh, I'll just ignore the Bradford bit...' or they mis-represented themselves! By all means focus on the Bulls part because it is very marketable and synonymous with the success we had, but... unlike Wigan (who had that remarkable spell of success) or even Leeds (who talked the talk despite not really walking the walk until they became 'Rhino's'), I don't think the 'Bradford' part sells itself in the Rugby League and especially the none RL world in the same way.

To be honest, you can't judge a city on what the local rag says - like all papers they tend to highlight the negative and, being a local paper their focus is purely on the city! Being an outsider and not a reader of the T&A (except the sports page on the website) the image I have of the city is of an incompetent council rather than a city that's any better of worse than any other. You have to remember that both new shopping precincts in Leeds were put on hold including one that, like Bradfords, had already started but unlike yours it at least looked like it was under way rather than being the now infamous hole so didn't get the bad press. Wakie also has the same situation I believe. I don't know whether Bradford will ever rid itself of the image it gained due to it's large Asian community and 1980's standups but it's up to the City to portray it as a negative thing and the club to exploit this largely untapped fanbase.

Lose the Bradford and, as has been mentioned, you leave yourself open to re-location. But the same could be said even if you keep the name if someone's wallet was big enough. You lose the sense of identity that makes local rivalries what they are. You lose the positives that a successful team can bring to a city. I know there are those on here who think the council should do more for the club but, to be honest, that's not what it's there for. Like any politician or political body I would fully expect them to jump on the back of any success but there job is running the city, not a privately owned sports club (in the same way the Leeds Council refused to loan LUFC money to buy back Elland Road)

Being from Bradford, i feel very strongly about keeping the name. The club represents Bradford in a positive light, and i would be disappointed if the 'Bradford' tag was dropped. The main argument with being against the Bradford name is that it connects us with a run down city with poor counseling etc. However, we are not the only club with a team in a city that has hit hard times. I would mention some but wouldn't want to offend. If we call ourselves Northern Bulls, this does nothing but cement Bradford's place as a second rate city, when infact by keeping the Bradford tag we can highlight the positives that Bradford has to offer and with Economic look and better political initiatives we can see Bradford vibrant again (Hopefully). I am sure the Non-Bradfordians here can accept the view that most of us Bradfordians have with our club and city, however poor both might be at the moment, long may that not continue!

Bradford's Bouncing Back, is it not?

It was a number of years ago when that slogan was coined. Maybe, superficial as it is, a similar campaign is needed today?

I cant believe that this thread has been started and commented upon by someone who relocated to Doncaster of all places, or is it a village outside Doncaster witha Doncaster Post code. Bradford is a northern industrial City that has fallen on hard times like many others. thats becuase the sources of employment that led to these towns and cities growing is no longer there! Places like Huddersfield, Wigan, St Helens, Warrington, Leigh, Halifax, Castleford, Pontefract, Dewsbury, Batley, Blackburn, Bolton, BUrnley, HUll, Sheffield, Doncaster, York, Wakefield etc..... Only Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds are growing, and thats because they hit the depths first!

Virtually every SL club would be seeking to relocate to Leeds or Manchester then????

all of thses places will have outlying districts that are very nice, but the town/city centres and some of the inner city areas will not be very nice! No Sh*t!!!

Would I walk alone in Moss-side, or Chapletown, or Toxteth after dark ??? no! nor would i walk through Manningham or Bradford Moor. Would I go out in Bingley, or Baildon, or Haworth? of course i would!

Bradford BUlls for me. I am a Bradfordian and follow them because they are the team that represents our city. end of. even keeping the name and moving the ground in to another locale would stop me supporting.

[url=http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/news_backing/"We're Backing Bradford!"[/url

Amusingly, not updated since around the time of the original completion date for the park.

Strangely, although that is quite recent, well, a lot more recent than the 'bouncing back' campaign, I don't remember it.


Maybe it's because I've become a bit disengaged and tend not read to the end of articles promising jam tomorrow? On the same theme, I wonder to myself, is my disengagement [imy[/i fault or is it the fault of the authorities in charge of leading us to paradise?

The only reason I remembered it was my bus stop where I catch my bus home on an evening is the one opposite the T&A building, and they have a mostly unmolested sign still attached to the building. If it was summer and I was regularly cycling home I'm sure I'd have forgotten all about it.

But I do remember Bob Holness quizzing a Bradford resident about Bradford's Bouncing Back on Blockbusters in the 80s.

Yeah, "We're Backing Bradford" just isn't [iquite[/i alliterative enough to be memorable, I guess.


How about " Burgers Backing Bradford's Bigger Bounce Back to Become Better"?

He wanted to see where all the beautiful people come from. That or be close to another right wing lunatic in charge of the town.



I cycled through Manningham every day for 10 years without much trouble. I walked home numerous time late at night as well. I must admit I'm not sure where Bradford Moor is exactly.