Somewhat change of tact by AC in this weeks column,where he talks about one day of returning to Odsal(something he,s dismissed before).He talks about us all been in it together and working together to try and find a way back.Im sure someone far more savvy than me can get the link up here.Be warned,have a hankey at the ready its emotional stuff.!!!

The link is here: https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/ ... ions-fans/

The link is here: https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/ ... ions-fans/

The cynical part of me wants to say the true message here is [i'Listen up people, I don't really have a longterm plan to get a new stadium in Bradford. Maybe if you all put money into it, you can save Odsal, because I certainly don't have the money to do it'[/i

Is that too cynical? I dunno. Perhaps he genuinely had a change of heart after being there last Sunday? But it's interesting how this latest article doesn't mention 'boutique new stadium' even once.

Either way, I don't think there is any realistic way that a 'Guardians of Odsal' supporters trust could raise the millions that would be needed to refurbish Odsal in the longer term.

Honestly, even the hardest of men would have found it difficult not to be moved on Sunday, I wept like a child on my way to the pitch.

Let’s give the man a break, he’s never claimed to be a sugar daddy, never claimed to have deep pockets, he speaks from the heart and that sometimes gets him into trouble, better that than the snakes we,ve had in the past.

Unless there is some serious investment Odsal won’t happen, she can be saved but at a cost.

My real fear is my beloved team, Northern/ Bulls, will never play in Bradford again, but this is not his fault, think of Caisley, Hood and Green, there’s where the blame lies. If we hadn’t made a stance on the rent there wouldn’t be a Bulls to support next year.

Well that is not what I want to read from Chalmers right now AT ALL.
How about addressing the special measures and how you plan to get us out of it? Surely he must realise the crippling damage it's doing to both season ticket sales and also the squad preparations for next season?
Also, what happened to his proposals for a boutique stadium and his discussions with third parties? All of a sudden he has no ideas and needs us to somehow end up owning Odsal? What?!

There was nothing useful in that column at all, just some sh*t anecdote about him moping around listening to Coldplay.

My patience is quickly running out

I have really enjoyed AC columns but considering your situation this was unnecessary emotional tripe. To me it read only as ‘ oh woe is me, look at me everyone I’m so upset ‘ I thought it had the feel of crocodile tears and in the middle of it all was a thinly disguised ‘I’m going to be leaving soon, back over to the fans, supporters trust.’
Considering what he normally writes this read as a goodbye.

All that post has done is confirm there is no stadium plans in the pipeline , so no return to Bradford in the nr future

Where is Koucash, he wanted to buy the bulls and surely Chalmers has had enough ... Koucash wanted to own 100% of the club

so sell him it Chalmers !!!

I suppose, now we’ve given up the lease, Chalmers can now put out suggestions for the Rfl and council to consider. But other than that, I agree with the above

Agree with what's being said. I personally think we'll end up at Horsfall in 2021 (if we're still around)

Worrying Chalmers didn't address the special measures. This really is of utmost urgency as fans simply won't buy ST until resolved.

While we may not know what's going on, John Kear is no fool and I'm sure will be getting answers from Chalmers and will be pressing him to sort it. I have this uneasy feeling it will go on and on though and Storton and Milnes will get snapped up by others. I'm not bothered about us going for promotion. I just want to see a team with some good home grown players.

If we have to cut back, that's fine.

Kind of agree... or at least invite Koucash to be a major shareholder with a view to handing it all over at some point in the future... But like has been said before, all this must be hurting season ticket sales, the special measures is the most important thing ATM. without that being lifted we are shafted for next season... 2 superleague players i know were approached by the club months ago with a regard to signing for us... then they heard nothing else...
Going to be an interesting closed season yet again.

If he wants fans input then he could start with telling us what needs doing to the facility to bring it to a standard that doesn't cost £500k P.A to maintain.

What repairs need doing? Why does it cost £500k to maintain? It's obviously in need of more than a lick of paint.

If we cough up for the leasehold can he pay for some of the repairs that are needed?

Give us a starting point, at least let us know what we can do to help.

Just watched rl backchat featherstone have fans pay £10 A month to help raise funds to help buy players and hope to have 200 fans join maybe we could do something like that to help with upkeep of stadium but god knows how many of us it would take to help

I really do hope that the sentimental tosh being spouted by AC is just that - heartfelt words which sum up the Bulls' present situation. However, I do feel that there's more than a little "forewarned is forearmed" to his words.
This doesn't sound like the defiant, almost petulant, hard nosed owner fighting for the survival of his business. It comes across as a plea for a few quid from well intentioned fans who are emotionally attached to both the club, and the ground where they have played for so many years.
Let's get real about the situation. We've left the hole in the ground, and nobody with an ounce of business sense is going to return to operate a sports team in the present situation. Can any of us honestly think that the following criteria can be delivered:
A) ongoing financial backing from a deep pocketed sports investor
B) a massive amount of goodwill from the local authority
C) a stadium improvement and upgrade programme the likes of which would rarely have been seen
C) a diary of supporting events which offer extra income above the maximum amount of home games playable in a RL season
D) a business plan to which the RL has no input, but to which they can only agree
E) a continuous expansion of the game to ensure the future for both the club and supporters
If the answer to any of the above is "NO" or even "DOUBTFUL", then it becomes disingenuous for AC to even hint about an event which is clearly not going to happen. Most of us are totally gutted that Odsal is now consigned to mothballs. But such things happen in life, so let's accept this and move on.

Ive never been one to bag the chairman and will always be greatfull for the fact he saved us and the work hes done up to now but ive just about seen my a**e with AC now.
Not because of the decision to leave but his complete lack of leadership since making that call.
Arguably one of the biggest decisions in the clubs history and rather than lead from the front, front up to the meadia or apease all our fans concerns, he cowers off straight back to NZ.
Then when he does get back he hides in the shadows of the top tier of coral stand and now we get this sob story statement this week that also highlights hes got feck all idea of how we get back. Also no mention of the special measures bull s**t, why we are in it and how he intends to get out of it.
Real leaders front up when the chips are down, not bury their heads in the sand orrun away.

Ive not missed a single game for over 6 years, but ll be honest, ive lost all faith now. AC is not the man to take us forward. Im consiged to the fact its Dewsbury untill we die or are saved by a multi millionaire. I hope beyond all hope im wrong.

What Chalmers is saying to the RFL is that in the current circumstances it is not financially viable to have a club in Bradford. OK put a million in, Green put a million in, he has put a million in. The RFL should have learnt from that. Odsal is a money sucking hole for a championship club, all credit to him for telling the RFL that. Forecasting income is the most difficult part of forecasting, and with the right will costs are so much easier to control. Chalmers has challenged the RFL to accept these facts, and yet they respond by sticking their heads in the ground. How many groundhog day repetitions before the RFL wise up? You can only make decisions about the future, because the past is gone. Chalmers quite sensibly is saying, the past is no help to me getting this club to where I want to get it, but if you fans hold the past in such veneration and want Odsal as your home venue, then put your money where your mouth is. in other words, grow a pair of £ millions cos im not throwing any more money down the black hole. Chalmers is the best thing to happen to this club in 10 years, the RFL buying the lease the worst thing.