The full statement is worth a read. Very well written imo and makes the very valid (but often overlooked) point that all of the other RL stadiums around the country have needed help from local councils before they could happen. Bulls quite clearly calling out Bradford council to actually do something about the current state of Odsal and using these gradings as a clear demonstration of how the stadium is holding us back.

I was hoping the FA could pump in some money if BPA were involved but it turns out they offer 100k every 5 years as stadium grants. That's not quite what I had in mind...

Unpopular opinion maybe, but I'd rather be a good Championship club in a stadium that feels like home than a mediocre SL club feeling like 2nd class citizens at VP.

And that doesn't necessarily have to be Odsal but VP isn't for me.

Please excuse ignorance, but why are Bradford Council so skint?

The amount of money authorities have to spend from government grants, council tax and business rates – fell by 17.5% between 2009/10 and 2019/20. Inflation has gone up a lot too.

That's why many councils are skint. Think double figures are in special measures or bankrupt in other words.

Disproportionally Bradford has the largest % of under 18’s in a metropolitan district as well - I’m not sure if England-wide but definitely in the North which has council cost implications as well. The other side of that coin is why everyone wants to attach Bradford to improved rail links as Bradford will have the biggest available workforce over the next 20 years and they need to get to Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool and Hull easier to work….