Are they paying off debts or just paying ongoing costs to keep the league the same until the end of the season?

It's all gone a bit vague - but then again the whole thing has been vague from the start!

The Epic saga goes on,for all the club got themselves in this mess and it appears the rfl are bending over backwards to help them it cant be good for the genuine fans not knowing what the outcome will be.

What makes you think this?

I dont think SLE will clear the historical debt. Why should they ?

The RFL has 4 bids on the table, i'm assuming included in these bids will be an offer to pay off some of the outstanding debts?

Why can't they choose one before the end of the season and we can move on! while in limbo the club cannot agree new contracts with any players or plan for anything, or maybe thats the plan?

Remembering that CC is a fairly astute bloke, you have to wonder just why he would set the wheels of administration into motion if he didn't have some kind of view on how it was all going to pan out. Let's be honest, if the club is wound up, the debts are likely to be higher than the assets and as the major shareholder he would be, in financial terms, the major loser. His best interests would seem to have been better served by letting the previous board soldier on and hoping for the best.

That, in a nutshell, is what I find most difficult to understand; without a 'plan': why?

Nope, [ithe administrator[/i has 4 bids on the table, but his problem is that any buyer of an SL club has to be approved by the RFL, as to directors/owners etc.
Each offer won't "include" an offer to pay off any part of the debts, each offer will simply be a one-item offer - "I will buy the club from you for £X". That will translate into a certain % in the £ to each unsecured creditor, from whatever's left in the pot after the administrator's fees etc.

If £X is less than 100% of the debts then the creditors have to agree.


This is the most ridiculous aspect. I wonder whether any of the bidders will still be around "in a few weeks time" when the ship may not have actually sunk but pretty much everyone will be in the lifeboats or the water.

This is the most ridiculous aspect. I wonder whether any of the bidders will still be around "in a few weeks time" when the ship may not have actually sunk but pretty much everyone will be in the lifeboats or the water.'"

Fair enough, its just so frustrating that the powers that be still seem to be dragging their feet to resolve this whole mess. The longer this goes on the more suspicion grows....Has the fate of the Bulls already been decided whether a new owner is secured or not? time will tell but if this is the case its a disgrace.

FA has it spot on.

For some reason, all the RFL and SL clubs can focus on at the moment is getting Bradford Bulls to complete this season's fixtures.

If no financial backer comes along with plenty of money, Bulls will be excluded from Super League next season. It will then be open to anybody to re-form Bradford and start again in Championship 1.

If that happens, I hope the RFL immediately puts the following in place:

1. For all clubs, somehow require at least 13 of the 17 players named for each match to be EU born or raised players

2. Automatic promotion and relegation between the leagues (even if only some form of one-up, one-down)

3. Limit payments to players in a year to no more than 50% of the club's annual income in the most recent audited accounts.

Leave that in place for 10 years and the game will be booming again plus there will be a clear, transparent and fair route back to Super League for Bradford within 2 seasons.

From Bulls facebook page

RFL Statement: Bradford Bulls

The RFL remain positive about the future of Bradford Bulls following a productive meeting with the club’s administrator, Brendan Guilfoyle on Wednesday afternoon to discuss the four bids currently on the table for the Stobart Super League club.

RFL Chief Operating Officer, Ralph Rimmer said: “We had constructive meetings with all the consortia that have submitted
proposals to the administrator and we’re optimistic about the future of Bradford Bulls.

“There are now four confirmed bids for the Bulls and each consortium has been asked to submit business plans to us by Tuesday August 21. Due to the sensitive nature of the current discussions we are unable to confirm who the bids are from at present.

“However, it does appear that this renewed interest has come as a direct consequence of the offer from Super League Europe Ltd, which remains on the table.

“We understand the frustration regarding the on-going process but it is vital that due diligence is carried out on all the bids and that ultimately the right owners are found for the good of the club and the sport as a whole.

The RFL remains in open dialogue with the administrator and the club and will continue to provide what practical support it can.

Brendan Guilfoyle, joint administrator at Bradford Bulls and a partner at The P&A Partnership, says: “We are pleased to be working collaboratively with the RFL to agree on a purchaser and sell the club. We now have all the ingredients that the RFL has requested and funds proven from three bidders plus the Super League Europe Ltd offer.

“The RFL will consider the bidders’ business plans which are to be received by the Tuesday deadline, and all concerned do understand the need to bring this to a swift conclusion.”