Correct. This is what the exspansionists don't get. For the game to be strong and expand all it's existing clubs from amateur to pro need to be strong. Bradford are an important club in that regard but no more iconic than any other clubs. All we demand is a level playing field!

It does need all its teams to be strong.

I think now whatever happens with the Bulls, they need to realise that is is difficult to get back into super league and in their current situation.

With this in mind, I do think their best option if possible would be to review their playing rosta, revert to part time and build up again. Maybe even offload players above a certain age and replace with youth.

Isnt that like what Glasgow Rangers did and just a few years later they are 2nd in the Scottish Premier League.

Wonder if those thousands of fans that went missing when the Bulls were relegated have disappeared from the game altogether or distributed themselves amongst other clubs. I've a bit of sympathy for some of those less arrogant fans, but no way do they have a divine right to the Super League or even the Championship. At least Trinity pulled their socks up through their own endeavours.

Don't think you can compare Rangers to Bradford, in any way shape or form.
Rangers are an attractive investment, Bradford aren't!

Think with Bradford, it was called 'denial' and an unwillingness to accept they were not a 'force' anymore.

Bang on mate.
The ideal would be, as per the franchise criteria, for all clubs to be financially strong, playing out of modern stadia and playing in front of 10,000 plus fans.
Sadly, only about 3 or 4 of the top flight clubs tick all of these boxes.

And none of the clubs in West Yorkshire fill all of those criteria

I have to say I feel very little towards the Bulls. Their supporters had the good times and let everyone know about it. But it was all from cheating the cap and paying above the odds. The arrogance was awful and I'm a big believer in karma. They won't have a sniff of SL for 5 to 6 years imho.

I was more comparing the Bulls to Rangers in sense of dropping down to the basement and how quick they have turned things around.

The offloading of players I was thinking back to when we did that in 2000. I think was it all players over 25 went and we completed the season using the younger players.

Again, the difference between Rangers dropping to the basement and Bradford dropping to the basement, is that Rangers still had the fan base and always would have.
Rangers could bring players in, who would still be head and shoulders above anything they were playing against.
If Bradford dropped to the basement, the pool of players isn't there to pick from, the crowds would drop off even more, probably leaving them with no option but to move away fron Odsal.
I'm like Mable on this one, I'd like to say it's sad but 3 times in 4 years is a different type of sad, or stupidity.

Im not bothered about Bradford mainly due to caisley and their arrogance in their unsustainable bullmania years, I do have sympathy with their genuine fans but they will come back stronger whatever happens in the next few days. Bradford were a average club before a few years of "bullmania" winning everything getting big crowds,most clubs would get big crowds winning trophies every year. They couldn't afford it stopped winning trophies they were back to being an average club again but for some reason thought they were a big club and became the mess they are now.

Do we honestly judge a whole club, its infrastructure, the people who work there, the volounteers, the fans, by the actions of a chosen few who have made some horrendous choices, or been given terrible advice?

I could wish nothing more on them to have the fortune to find people like own owners, who took a basket case of a club and worked it like crazy, but using means that were at their disposal and without giving us false optimism.

It is beyond my comprehension that there is no Bradford. If they fold, a new club will surely emerge, and it still has time and support to make is successful once again, but in a structured manner and at a reasonable pace.

The current situation is crap and I genuinely hope it is resolved asap - for all concerned!