I'm close to tears again now after Cookie's post. This club means so much to so many.

You might want to re-phrase that bit matey .

Some very touching , emotional posts on here over recent days . It really does bring home how much a team can mean to a fan . We cheer them through the highs , slate them through the lows . Rain or shine . Sleet and snow . Regardless of results the team are forever a part of you .

Us fans seriously ain't right in the head . We can't be .

When we used to drive to see grandad, my dad would have the radio on and we'd listen to the game reports. He'd tell me that the best player in the world was ellery Hanley and that he played for Bradford Northern. We lived in Shipley then.

Fast forward to 89/90 and I start to fall in love with the game watching exciting games on grandstand. So living less than 2 miles from Headingley, I have to decide who to support. It's no contest, I support my town of birth, bradford. But how do I get to games? I had to get the bus from north Leeds for the first season which was no mean feat. Once I walked as far as thornbury roundabout after missing the last train on a boxing day match. Regularly walked to the interchange.

I went to Manchester poly the following year and some of my team mates recall a skinny young lad coming to training in the ellgren websters RAAB v shirt. Back then I could turn a conversation to rugby like that! Bullsboy and ewwen had nothing on me for enthusiasm .

Had a few ups and downs, almost getting relegated, the second coming of Peter fox. being asked by my dad what I would name my first born, answering Karl or Gerrald, being told that's what your brother said. Accidentally telling my dad I'd smoked marrujuana by saying its not that bad when we signed dave Watson
Bull mania full stop. The first trip to wembley. Trying to cry (because I thought I should when we lost).

Probably not even the half of it

Last Sunday I was standing at the top of the banking with my 3 year old granddaughter towards the end of the Salford game as we waited for her Daddy. I was telling her how I used to roll down the bankings in the 1950s whilst waiting for my Daddy and how the cinders on the terraces used to get in my sandals and the wooden crush barriers left splinters in my bottom. As the conversation went on I told her how her how I used to bring her Daddy and his brothers and sister to games (no easy task with four little ones, a pram, baby bottles up and down all those steps - especially as my husband never came with me as he didn't know one end of a Rugby ball from the other). That's why Bradford Bulls is worth saving - because one day my three year old granddaughter will have children and grandchildren of her own and will be able to tell them how her granny stood at Odsal on the cinders a hundred years ago and loved Bradford RL all her life.

Or that I used to follow fax when I lived in shelf, but then decided to support bulls for a decade. Everything went tits up so I now support fax like my granddad used to before I decided to support bulls and that is basically why there is no team in Bradford and you support fax. Like your great grandfather did before we chased success and failed.

Born in Leeds, grew up in Leeds, so I don't really have the same hatred most do for Leeds. There's no family history to do with rugby league. Family friend took me to my first Bradford and rugby league match ever in 1993-94. I didn't understand it but i loved it.

Simply put the Bradford are my team. Can't let my team die.

Seems I'm not alone in the fact that when I first started going to Bulls game it was alot of effort to get there myself.

Used to walk from Bramley to Odsal and back. Not a nice walk in the rain, but I did it. Remember a time about when me and a friend (not being too familiar with the area) thought we'd take a shortcut so we could get on the 72 as we were knackered. Figured it wouldn't be too hard to navigate our way through.

We arrived home several hours later having missed the bus, spent our last money on drinks (come to think of it, not even sure I had money left for the bus, as I'd spent money on a programme, which my mum had given me in case I had to get the bus) Think Leeds had just won at the time aswell as I seem to remember walking past Jug & Barrel and Waggon and horses getting loads of abuse in my Bradford shirt.

Wouldn't swap those memories for anything.

Lived in Woodside, then Wibsey all my life until last year. Was a City fan since the age of three, but was Dragged to Odsal in 86 aged 9 to watch the match against the touring Kangaroos because my best mates dad was a mad Northen fan. came to a few matches, but not regularly until about 1990 when I swapped a union jack I had for a season ticket with my mate and have been hooked since.

Worked as a greeter in the first SL season and remember Brian Smith buying every member of matchday staff a pint on his birthday! remember crying with joy when we beat leeds in the cup semi, the going to Wembley twive in a month with City and the BUlls. the sunday night quiz in the top house with SOnny NIckle and Jimmy Lowes, August 97 at the Don Valley, and London after the death of Diana.

Murrayfield, Twickenham and Cardiff in cup finals, and spending fortunes in the club megastore at Old Trafford every October!

Then Valley parade, back to Odsal and 2003! My son being born and missing Wigan away the week after Cardiff. getting bashed playing for the Replacements!

Following Northen/BUlls has punctuated my life. I feel that whilst the current situation is beyond sad, whatever the outcome of the pledge appeal, we can overcome and RL in Bradford will still be here, even if it has to be reborn.

The spirit is within the fans, not just a group of players and the board.

One way or another there WILL be a team to watch next year, be it in SL or CC1. Too many people care too much for it not to happen.
If there worst happens and we go bust will Bullbuilder be organising a fund to assist in the creation of a new team in CC1? I would be more than happy to contribute. When Donny went pop three years ago it was down to the drive and enthusiasm of Carl Hall to virtually reform a new club on his own ,with very little finance compared with what would be available via the existing fanbase at Bradford. Even in CC1 we should be able to pull in a least 3-3,500 gates

Born in Bradford, grew up in Bradford, and left at the first possible opportunity

But seriously, and despite being brought up to support Leeds, the Bulls/Northern still form a little part of who I am. Perhaps the derby always had extra significance for me due to being surrounded by Bulls fans at school (1996-7 will live long in the memory, I was 16/17 at the time), but in the end it just made it all the sweeter when Leeds did occasionally manage to beat Bradford - and then win the odd trophy. My enjoyment of RL is already weaker due to the generally poor quality of recent derby games - if the Bulls ceased to exist at all, there would be no longer any hope that those halcyon days of the late 90s/early 00s could return. Cas and Hull don't quite live up to it as alternative derby options!

Because they have passionate fans, like other clubs,who deserve a team.The past records show they are worthy of S.L.
I hope they pull through this crisis (Even though I still havn`t forgiven them the 71 -0 )

Memories and experiences...short version
Being chased half heartedly off the pitch by the stewards after trying to get the players sock ties ( ) following a Yorks cup (?) win against Leeds 1983/84 ish (tbf, we were only 10)...going onto the Headingley turf to celebrate the Yorks cup win...Barry Seabournes programme notes about how he felt for all of us following a particulary rain sodden home game circa 1988 (aganst Widnes i think)...the wang shirt( )...the 1990 premership final when, despite getting beaten the Northern chant filled O.T...

being given the rounds by an ex-gf for staying in to listen to the radio for confirmation of the Deryck Fox signing...Peter Fox marching onto the field at Halifax to give his view to the ref about a particulary bad piece of officiating lol...the League title that got away...being sent out of the house to go the Leeds away game the night before my old girl died...

the guys coming over to applaud the fans after a fog bound trip to the Valley...My non League mate sat next to me at wembley who uttered the immortal words 'you've got this now son', just before the bombs started raining down....Robbies hat trick...Matt Callland(?) diving in at the corner at Central Park...the comeback win at the now defunct Thrum Hall...the atmosphere at Sheffield away and PSG at home in 1997..

Apologies for the wall of txt, but MrsD would like to add the sight of topless Brian Mac and John Scales after catching them sunbathing following a wkday visit to the Club shop

Lots more and loads missed out...but this aint a wake and Bradfords bouncing back...

Coyb.

Steady on

there is an auction on deadline night at Odsal of items donated to the cause. Items includeBrian Mc Dermott's 2000 Challenge Cup Final Shirt and Winners medal
Jamie Peacock's 2003 Grand Final Shirt and Ring -
Stuart Fielden's 2005 Grand Final Shirt and Ring -
Leon Pryce's 2003 Grand Final Shirt and Ring -

I find it both humbling and awe inspiring that these men, to whom those items must have such incalculable personal sentimental value, are prepared to give them for the cause, of a club they are no longer connected with.

If they can do that, then it beats me whey any Bulls fan would still be able to not pledge.