Now now grumpy bum. You might not agree with the interpretation, but there are many that legitimately have come to the conclusion that the RFL are not merely the bumbling but benevolent entity some suggest. Set against their inept/sinister (depending on your mindset) interventions in our club over many years, you can see why such an opinion might take hold so I wouldn't call it rubbish or self-centred nonsense personally.

I'm fairly sure it's the conflict of interest that sets this apart.

As there is no transparency, I have no idea whether we followed procedure or not. I've no idea if the RFL said no to our request, then we forced their hand after that. Or whether we started it. Chalmers has said he's consistently refused to sign the lease. Now is that consistently for 3 years? Which must have given the RFL an inkling? Or he's misspoke and meant to say refused to sign a lease extension? Which does change things a bit.

The one opinion I have in all of this is that despite fans of other clubs saying we were bailed out by the RFL, the opposite is true. This taking on of the lease was a massive strategic blunder by the RFL and has caused significant long term damage to the Bulls and has been a significant drain of time, people and money for the RFL - which could have been spent better elsewhere for the good of the game as a whole.

You can think that the governing body are rubbish at their job. But this isn't that. The theories on here are basically pointing at the sport's governing body being corrupt.

If I have to choose between a corrupt sporting governing body and the possibility of Chalmers half-assing his application, then I'm inclined to go with the latter.

In response to the question, I might be out there on my own with this... but yes I do!!!

The RFL have a proven track record of just making crap up on the spot and this current play is nothing different in my book.

Back in 2012, the RFL publicly stated that they bought Odsal as it was quote "an iconic stadium which needed to be preserved for the good of the sport". Fast forward 7yrs and the main tenant has vacated the ground due to the unreasonable costs involved with maintaining an aging and crumbling facility.

What do the RFL do now? Sell it? They can't otherwise they will expose themselves for the real reason they bought the ground. An investment with a steady income stream and ability to borrow against its value in hard times. It was never about the ground being iconic... it was a pure business opportunity.

However, now they have their hands tied as they cannot simply sell their investment for profit, not whilst there is a club called Bradford. And certainly not whilst they are maintaining the original lie spun in 2012... its still iconic don't you know.

So whats the plan? Squeeze the club until they are forced to return by undermining the clubs stability by releasing a cryptic statement suggesting that the club are financially unsound and therefore in special measures?

No new players (not at least until most of the decent ones are signed up elsewhere) resulting in a weakened team, not overly competitive and more likely to fail in the long run. So far this has failed with AC proving a stubborn opponent (with a track record of bluffing) but its certainly split the supporter base so its not completely dead in the water.

I firmly believe the RFL want one of two options long term...

1. Squeeze the club long enough to force the owner to pull out (win win for RFL... another chosen one, points deductions keep them down longer and hey why not remove some of the central funding whilst their at it boosting the RFL coffers).

or 2. Starve the club to death... club ceases to exist, and without a Bradford club the RFL have an excuse to be able to cash in on their investment.

Not completely blinkered to understand that the actual situation is somewhere in between mine and your theories but I do feel the RFL have more to answer for in general (the whole 7 year period since buying the lease for me) than the current administration of the club.

I think it's obvious that the RFL thought they held the strings and that AC would not dare up sticks. They borrowed against Odsal, he's done one. They can't sustain the ground so 'You can have a year'.

The RFL are in a financial mess so a year they can't blag any longer than this without an income on it, and maintenance of the ground is needed or it's losing value. If CBMDC ensure their tenant carries out any major repairs they are sunk. How many landlords let you shag up the place and walk away without making repairs?

In debt against their property with no income from it to maintain it. Yet they're crying financial irregularities against AC at the same time not learning from the Bulls 1.0 and 2.0 that the ground is a club killer.

So I think the RFL are in a panic. If they aren't they are truly stupid, AC doesn't have any emotional ties what so ever and is, in my view, less likely to blink.

What makes it clear for me is AC tells the RFL we can't afford Odsal so are cutting costs to stay on the right side of the line yet they pull the special measures move.

Pound to a pinch of if we were staying at Odsal and touching the forelock like good servants we'd have half the 2020 squad announced by now but they'd be Halifax's cast offs.

I'm slightly puzzled as to how the RFL, "cash in on their investment". The 'own' a lease. All they can do, independently, with that is let another club play rugby at Odsal and I can't, in my wildest dreams, see a queue forming - even if the running costs were one tenth of what they actually are. Even worse the suggestion gives the impression that the RFL could organise a social event in a brewery and I'm far from sure that is the case.

Quite obviously every snippet of information is based on either speculation or "what if" Statements are given by AC or the RFL (very short supply, I might add!) but our supporters are once again in the " Can we believe what they say?" or "They would say that, wouldn't they?"

Some of us know certain things about certain people involved! Of course proving it is another thing, and whatever has, and will happen, is in the lap of the Gods insofar that the past is gone and unlike the good points in our history the behind the scenes situation has mostly been bad or negative? As for the future we now don't know much, mainly because of the styles of management we have from the RFL and indeed at our club level. Unfortunately it's not persuaded the supporters that they should wait to see what may happen! Not all supporters obviously, because I have seen the ultimate faith shown by people who have bought Season Tickets, unfortunately a statement hasn't been put out to say how many have actually been sold or even pledged, after all it's very early before the season and if they said we have already sold say 1000, it would begin to generate some enthusiasm, and tell the RFL that they need to see that the Measures (what they hell is special about them is debateable) in place should be lifted quickly.

What upsets me personally is the "Mushroom technique employed!" ie keep them in a darkened room, and throw in a bucket of S...

We deserve more if we have to move forward.

Now the covenant for playing sport at the stadium has expired, the land is essentially available for development opportunities.

Bradford Council cannot move on this opportunity unless they regain the lease so would have to pay off the RFL. Depending on how valuable th land is, the RFL could make quite a bit of profit.

The fly in that particular ointment seems to that, according to the financial press, we're heading towards a downturn and possible recession - it's certainly true that the 'money people' seem to be keeping their powder dry at the moment. Though, I suspect that If anything was likely in the near future then the club would have been advised to stick to their own lease and cash in as well.

Ultimately, as freehold owners, it's up to Bradford Met what happens and if their tenants make changes they don't like they would presumably oppose it.

Anthony England has just been released by Wakefield and could be a useful signing for us. A big unit (6'4"icon_wink.gif with plenty of experience. He wouldn't cost the earth and could be an enforcer type prop we need even if just for a 1 year contract as he is 32 years old. Deffo worth thinking about.

Seems daft posting in this thread whilst everything up in the air.

We don’t have a senior hooker signed up at the moment.

Hopefully we manage to retain Hallas and Flanagan. Flanagan has his flaws but at this stage I think we’ll need him.

Otherwise, if we manage to keep Keyes then maybe Lilley can play 9 with Keyes and Milnes in the halves?

Keyes himself has played hooker too (for Ireland).

If we emerge from this debacle with Keyes still at the club I'll give a tenner to charity and eat a worm.

Can we have a video of the worm eating?

Wouldn’t be surprised if Keyes is one of those who have terminated their contract. He’ll be in demand and I wouldn’t blame any player for taking another option given the circumstances.

Whilst Fax still have an interest in Keyes, London would be favourites now I would think