All joking aside I don't think there is a lot needed to make Odsal a more pleasant experience as a summer sports ground but the pitch and that dirt track stop it from being acceptable IMO.

If you had the concrete on the away end removed. You could grass tier that end (witht he slope shallowedout down to the dead ball line. Like at Australian grounds/cricket grounds and open it as a family stand/picnic area when the weather's good. New crash barriers and cleaned concrete on the pop side.

Replace the portakabins with brick built sheds, same with the bar on the corner (or replace the rotten wood). Plant some flowers on the grass bankings behind the concourse.

But the pitch and the dirt track are an eye sore.

Depends if Sport England have the field documented within its existing pitch strategy work. If it is, then in realty no developers can build there unless it provides an alternative venue for the use of sport, hence the low valuation of the land. I tried to purchase two unprotected sports pitches, for sports use, but was priced out as the land was valued with development in mind (it was eventually sold to a property developer in 2015 for £1.5m). The footprint of Odsal is around 4 times this.

Admittedly, this SE framework is usually reserved for smaller community clubs and playing fields (i.e. amateur) but if someone genuinely had the ambition of saving the site for RL, then they would have lobbied to include it back when the leasehold was sold.

Based on my professional experience, the best we can possibly hope for is the council secures the leasehold and sells the land plus RD site for property development (something that is very much needed). In return, some of the funds would be placed towards a community stadium which would provide a lasting legacy for the community, plus a venue for the two professional sports clubs on that side of the city (Bulls & BPA).

I really hope that we as a club are talking to the university as they could be potentially a huge partner to have involved in anything going forwards. The current Director of Infrastructure was involved in improving sports facilities at Uni of Leeds in the past few years, so will understand the value of sport and activity within a developing university strategy. I really don't know if the university have any plans to expand or develop their campus but it would be silly not to have that discussion to see if there is a joint partnership that could be formed should it be of interest.

I'd argue that there could be the foundations of a city-led project that develops affordable property, community facilities, a new academic campus and community sports village. Pop some cultural aspects in there and you have a transformational legacy project that could possibly receive significant investment... if only we had something like a cultural legacy project due to happen in the next year or two???

The only problem with this is that there seems a serious lack of vision and ambition from the various parties that would need to come together, so whether or not this ever comes to fruition is another matter.

From what I hear from people I know at Bradford University the institution is seriously strapped for cash and has put all it's playing fields at Woodhall Pudsey up for sale.

Don’t know who you’re talking to but you hear wrong. The university is doing ok these days, it’s increased student numbers year on year and has increased staff numbers in recent times. Bradford being one of the cheaper places in the area to live has also helped it during the cost of living crisis. Now they aren’t going to be buying up swathes of land in the area and are subject to the same energy increases we all are but they are going ok. Regarding its sporting links they recently upgraded its partnership with Bradford City, becoming their principle back of shirt sponsor for the next 3 seasons. The Bulls have been approached previously to discuss link ups but there hasn’t been much appetite to take it further from the clubs point of view.

And if Woodhall fields are up for sale it isn’t the uni selling them, they sold them to Leeds city council about 6 years ago. Now they are an organisation that is skint so it wouldn’t shock me of they are trying to offload them again.

Didn't know Woodhall had been sold to Leeds.

My info from Bradford Uni comes from a variety of staff there who are very demoralised.

Working in Bradford can do that to a person.

The issue at the uni stems from very poor leadership from the previous vice chancellor.

Having worked for that previous VC before (not at Bradford) I can sympathise with that. However, the new VC and leadership team seem to have a good reputation across the Yorkshire network of Uni's.

I am also lead to believe that the financial performance at UoB is pretty good of the back of an increase in student numbers and positive faculty changes. They are also working up their next uni strategy so this would seem like the most suitable time to be having a discussion about any collaboration opportunities.

Talking of loans etc for buying stadiums leases, what is the situation with Wakefield and the loan from Wakefield Council? Seem to recall there being some sort of investigation into the sale of Belle Vue but it seemed to go quiet? Do Wakefield still owe the council the money?

Quote: Bully_Boxer "Talking of loans etc for buying stadiums leases, what is the situation with Wakefield and the loan from Wakefield Council? Seem to recall there being some sort of investigation into the sale of Belle Vue but it seemed to go quiet? Do Wakefield still owe the council the money?'" Trinity are paying the council, the council can call in the loan is trinity default on payment. No action was taken against Trinity by the NCA, but Manni Hussain had to pay them several millions of £ under the unexplained wealth rule. https://www.wakefieldexpress.co.uk/spor ... al-2891999

Quote: Bully_Boxer "Talking of loans etc for buying stadiums leases, what is the situation with Wakefield and the loan from Wakefield Council? Seem to recall there being some sort of investigation into the sale of Belle Vue but it seemed to go quiet? Do Wakefield still owe the council the money?'" Trinity are paying the council, the council can call in the loan is trinity default on payment. No action was taken against Trinity by the NCA, but Manni Hussain had to pay them several millions of £ under the unexplained wealth rule. https://www.wakefieldexpress.co.uk/spor ... al-2891999

Yes it’s fair to say the last VC wasn’t up to the task. But things have improved markedly over the last 4 to 5 years to a point where they are in a pretty decent place. A link up would be beneficial for both parties but the Bulls have seemed lukewarm to the idea for some reason.

I just don't get the Bulls thinking, not the council for not trying to put this partnership together.

Universities will invest capital in projects if they see great potential. An Odsal sports campus would create a stream of income to the university, the local community would benefit from increased spend from students in the local area and the council/Bulls would benefit from the facilities, increased commercial income opportunities and joint partnership opportunities with the uni (work placements, experience opportunities etc)... win-win all round.

From my experience the most obvious opportunities are often overlooked and it does seem like this is a huge one being missed.

Do Universities still adhere to the Wednesday afternoon agreement whereby there are no lectures, seminars or tutorials in that time thus freeing students for participation in team sports?

In general, yes that does still happen. Most universities take part in BUCS (British University & College Sport) leagues and cup which for the majority take place on Wednesdays.

Some university departments will try and sneak lab sessions in which makes things a bit tricky for students but on the whole the vast majority will play fixtures on Wednesdays and train the rest of the week.

The Stadium and indeed our onfield performance need improving to sneak up, or stop us from sliding down the ISG rankings.
As you can be assured that every other club will be scrambling to improve on what they can improve on..
We have scraped "The" 14th spot that would see you in SL should they go to 14 teams, but its by no means secured for when the grading actually counts next year,
I would be seriously looking at a top 4 finish in 2024 if I was us.
How you bring in a multi million pound stadium deal when you nor the council has a pot to pi$$ in is quite another conundrum. which Nige and Hirsty will need to make happen pretty damn sharpish.