I feel for you guys in this I really do, it's always the fans that end up suffering. Hope something can be salvaged but it looking extremely grim at present.

Something must have happened in the last week or so which has lead to the speeding up of this process though. Talking to a 'member of the establishment' at the game last weekend last weekend it was the belief that the club had until the end of the month to sort the Barnet deal out (so after the world cup) before matters would come to a head in this way. David Hughes was to pay this months wages, along with the serverence agreements of those players released early, out of his own pocket and the RFL were involved as a go between in this and the Barnet negotiations. So I would have expected nothing to break for a couple of weeks yet.

It's this that worries me and maybe there is truth in the growing rumours that barnet have given up on the deal as that could well act as a catalyst for this action. If so then it probably is the end and I hear today from a third party (so uncomfirmed I grant you) that the clubs academy set up is to finish for good this week? What should happen is a statement to the supporters from your CEO outlining the true state of play should be released. I have a feeling we maybe waiting a while though. FWIW I think (maybe hope) DH will pay the wages one last time this month then call it quits. But believe me to those that think it is, this is no stunt to just clear the decks and start again, it is a serious situation and the club is staring into the abyss. I hope something crops up in the next couple of weeks that at the very least saves the club in some guise. Good luck.

Well the very latest from "Sporting Life" issued just before 5pm


London talks continue

Last UpdatedTalks with Barnet FC chairman Tony Kleanthous, who has expressed an interest in acquiring a stake in the club, recently broke down but he is now thought to be back at the negotiating table with Broncos owner David Hughes.

It is thought Kleanthous is not the only other interested party but is the Broncos' preferred option since it would provide the club with a new home at The Hive.

The London club effectively became homeless when their rental agreement at the Twickenham Stoop ran out at the end of the 2013 season.

Hughes, who has personally bankrolled the club since Richard Branson ended his interest a decade ago, is thought to have threatened to withdraw his support after failing to receive guarantees over the club's Super League status, following the decision to reinstate promotion and relegation from the end of next season.

The Broncos' inclusion in this week's Super League fixture list for 2014 was seen as a positive sign but then came a new twist in the long-running saga.

Head coach Tony Rea and chief executive Gus Mackay are thought to be overseeing a skeleton staff after a raft of redundancies were made at the end of last season.

The majority of last season's squad have departed, leaving Rea with as few as five players left on the books, and the club would need special dispensation to exceed the overseas quota to enable them to put together a side in time for their opening match at Widnes on February 16.

If the club go into administration, they would be certain to start the new season with a points deduction, which would make them firm relegation favourites.

The Rugby Football League, who have seen Wrexham-based Super League club Crusaders go to the wall and Bradford, Wakefield and Salford all flirt with financial disaster in recent years, is said to be involved in the rescue talks.

An RFL spokesman said: "London Broncos have kept us abreast of developments and we are working with them to provide support and assistance.

The fact that there are two interested parties is interesting. That gives us some hope if the RFL are willing to give us assurances for those investors interested. I can understand DH's preference for the owner of the Hive as it means our owner has his own ground and can probably make it work financially as long as he doesnt have to worry about relegation and can get a deal from the RFL which ensures we can get a competitive team to get the fans in to pay the bills. Im baffled about where an alternative investor would want to play if they have to rent it. With our shattered fan base we will not be self sufficient if we have to rent and unless he has some very deep pockets id be surprised to find anyone around who would take us on.

I wonder why Kleinhouse is back at the negotiating table with DH? if they have not got some assurance from the RFL about what they need to make it worth carrying on then Im sure Kleinhouse would have not been interested and walked.
What has changed. Does he want some financial guarantee from DH to cover any losses from say 2/3 years if crowds don't cover the costs?

The Super League were set to buy Bradford last year. I wonder if they'll do the same for London.

Would I be overly cynical to see this as an attempt to secure the Broncos' future in SL by the back door?
Step 1 - let as many players leave at the end of the 2013 season as possible;
Step 2 - enter Admin/plead poverty to gain dispensation to recruit overseas players beyond quota;
Step 3 - put a squad together that's strong enough to get enough points to overcome any deduction and avoid any relegation.

I genuinely hope that London survive and can at least be competitive next season, but whatever the outcome it should be on a fair playing field across SL.

I suppose it makes no difference if the club swing an exemption to relegation. Can't see myself supporting a club that wants to define its own rules as a solution to its incompetence.

As I said on another thread - We're not in admin, 9 working days away from it, so if we get sorted in that time then no deduction.... maybe?

Anyway, I'd take a 4 point deduction and playing matches in Croydon at the mo.

What would they be buying exactly?

Broncos have no home, few fans, few players and no assetts. The only thing they have of value is their SL licence (which the RFL gave them).

Looking back at past examples (Wakefield, Salford and Bradford) there are signs to suggest something positive will happen. I haven't seen anything yet from any former players regarding the running of the club as there was with the whole Crusaders debacle so thus far, I wouldn't like to compare the two situations.

In Wakefield's case, after a year of consolidating in 2011 (when they won 7 games), they finished in the play-offs in 2012 in 8th place and finished this year in 11th, a finish that most Broncos fans would snap your arm off for.

Salford have had a turbulent year and did finish bottom on a technicality but they have signed some very good players for 2014 and although it remains to be seen how well they do in 2014, they've signed players that London could only dream of.

If Bradford wouldn't have had points deducted in 2012, they'd have finished in the play-offs. Even in 2013, they've not had a bad year on half the salary cap and weren't far off the play-offs.

However, it will remain very hard to sign players to London even more so than past years because of the money issues but there is light at the end of the tunnel. It's just reaching the end of that tunnel that is the hard part at this moment at time.

There's also an argument that now isn't the worst time to go bust because of the fact that we're having a World Cup that is catching the imagination and with 70,000 due through Wembley's turnstiles, maybe there will be a Marwan Koukash watching that wants a route in.

I thought the same......although I don't think the "fans" were part of the Bradford proposal last year...nomatter how many of them there were

Have to say, it would appear that the RFL spent more time and effort in attracting a 7k crowd to Bristol than they have done in promoting RL in the nations capital over the last 18 years.....and I hold out little hope of them doing anything of substance to help London Broncos in its current guise.

The RFL have done quite a lot to assist. Some of the exemptions we asked for required the backing of the other SL clubs. There was a majority for the initial proposal, we then asked for more. At that point there was a majority of SL clubs against us. Not much the RFL can do about that.

The RFL were heavily involved in our provisional recruitment and helped broker a deal for the man who would have been our player coach had the AGM gone ahead and voted for us. What they haven't done, and probably can't do, is sink in the sort of money we now need.

What the RFL should have done is face the IL rebellion head on and deal with it straight away. As a result of their burying their heads in the sand during the RLWC (except when it comes to Bradford....we can't odsal empty) they have caused London to force their hand or risk losing investment.

The RFL have had pretty much FREE expansion in London for 18 years...it really is time they stepped up to the plate........because without a pro team in the region, RL development is as dead as a dodo!

Mr Hughes has pumped millions of pounds into the club over the years so to be slaughtering him now is absolutely ridiculous...what else do you reckon he should do ? drive round the streets of London dragging people out of their houses to go to the games.....The Mackay guy I agree is a complete clown but David Hughes you are having a laugh...would you continue to throw away millions as he has done for more than 10 years ? Get real

Julie Stott raises her head once more in The Daily Star! again she is so bitter against Rugby League in London, she seems to suffer amnesia about failure in Bradford.


End fiasco of London Broncos

EIGHT years ago London Broncos avoided extinction with just hours to spare

By Julie Stott/Daily Star Published 22nd November 2013

HOMELESS: The London Broncos are currently without a home

They were saved only after the RFL persuaded enough rival Super League clubs to support them.

The fact that London got away unpunished for writing off £3m of debts left a bad taste in many people’s mouths.

The various companies which supplied the Broncos are probably still sick about not being able to get their money.

Fast forward to today – and several seasons of dire ­performances on the pitch – and London are in the same position, heavily in debt and prepared to go down the administration route once again to save their skins.

Barnet FC owner Tony Kleanthous is understood to be ready to buy a stake in the club – but only if it is debt-free..

SHAMBLES: London are in the same position they were eight years ago

“The fact that London got away unpunished for writing off £3m of debts left a bad taste in many people’s mouths”

I’m sure the debtors are dancing in the streets at the news that London may be allowed to escape their creditors again. And for what exactly? Even if they do survive, under a new debt-free company, they will be the league’s whipping boys next year.

Coach Tony Rea only has about half-a-dozen players left, after the rest jumped ship, appalled at what was happening at the club.

The Broncos do not have a home and, worryingly, with the season less than three months away, most of the backroom staff have been made redundant.

The situation couldn’t be a bigger mess.

Surely it’s time to admit they are failing Super League and say enough is enough.