I like the line about saving an evocative old stadium. Is this the same type of evocative old stadium the RFL are wanting rid off in favour of concrete lego stadiums?.

I had some good long chats with all four of the Bulls' senior management team tonight, including the Chairman. I really don't know any easy way of breaking this to you gently, dear readers, so I won't try. It is my duty to report to you now that, it transpires, the RFL press release was actually pretty factual. It was not really spun much at all.

I know, its a shock.

But it seems it was indeed substantially the truth.

I now have a much clearer understanding of where the threat to the Bulls' continuing tenure at Odsal came from, and of the background to the RFL's intervention and their interest in Odsal. And, if you are a Bulls fan, its a hell of a lot more positive than anything we have had served up to us in many a day.

It was ' substantially ' the truth, so not completely the truth, so what makes you think we believe what you were told or what you are telling us is the complete truth?

Sorry Adey , it matters not, you were ' bailed out ' , hopefully you wont need bailing out again

If I was a Bulls fan I would be ecstatic as they have been saved, their stadium is secured and all paid for by the Governing body who are funded by???
The rest of the sport called RL.
Nice one.

Many clubs in football have got into trouble with their landlords in fact two have only recently Northwich Victoria and Darlington and the football governing bodies have quite rightly kept out of it as it is not their concern as its up to individual clubs to ensure they have a home to play in, taking on a stadium liability is not what the Governing bodies are for end of story.
This I repeat is morally wrong and the RFL are smoke screening it that it is about a 'historical stadium' when in fact it is just a ground where one of their members plays in.
Odsal has never become what some have wanted it to be in its near 80 year history even despite numerous grand plans and lets face it that it never will as it is in the wrong place and it would cost far too much.
I am still annoyed that the RFL yet again do just what they want without consulting the wider membership as they have total control and jhen try justify it with bull that its a good deal and all that claptrap.

Adey,that reads like an rfl press release

Some of you lot are going to look very silly in years to come, you know. Write that down someplace so you don't forget.

The RFL intervention saved Bradford from the probability of having to abandon Odsal to the developers, and move into the hell hole that is Valley Parade, as very unequal partners slowly withering away starved of resources by new owners only interested in the soccer. The only thing any "interested party" was interested in was getting their hands on Bradford City and getting their hands on the Odsal site for development, to pay for it. Bulls were - as in 2001 - the sacrificial lamb.

"Bailout" it was not. "Rescue" it was not. Saving the club from escalating decline and eventual death by neglect it certainly was. Saving the game losing yet another non-soccer stadium, and especially one of such strategic importance for the future, again it certainly was. Hell, even the bloody council is happy with the outcome!

Anyway, I am now quite satisfied with what I have been told, and I do not believe the RFL has done anything to disadvantage the game or any of its constituent clubs. Indeed, quite the opposite. And so, quite frankly, I no longer care whether or not some of you choose to believe or disbelieve me.

Surely those are one of the same?.

j,c - "Bailout" and "rescue" - words used by others on these forums - imply very urgent action is required. "Saving the club from escalating decline..." indicates a much more protracted process - sort of death by a thousand cuts. More to the point, it indicates that having to move out of Odsal was seen as being the start of a slow, irreversible decline.

bren2k - thanks for the picture. Must admit I had you down for someone a bit younger though. Nice hat.

All hypothetical of course 'until the figures leak out' but if its true that the lease was bought for a million pounds,what happens to SLE in 2013 when/if Bradford start signing players of the same calibre as wigan,warrington,leeds etc when they've been signing scraps for the last few years?, the same as most of the rest of SLE?.
Surely the rfls intervention in Bradfords predicament woud then have altered the co of the league?.

Er, no, I don't think it will have altered Hetherington in any way at all.