Hasn't this happened to The Bulls three times now? surely there comes a time?

Whilst I can agree with you on the one hand, I think that it is those who ran (mismanaged) the club that should be punished. Not the club itself, the ones who bailed them out, or the fans.

Now that the club has survived that, everything ought to be done that can be done to sustain and maintain them for the sake of the club, fans and the game as a whole.

We need to be building our game up, not bent on knocking it down.

Once AFAIK around 1964? but thats hardly relevant to the present day, please explain.......

Good point, I suspect that the OK Bulls could be operating under severe financial contraints in 2013 (Sky money already advanced to previous owners / administrater, RFL sanctions) OOC players in 2013 could well be looking to secure a move by April / May depending on how things go in 1st few games of next season. Although if the top clubs have already spent to the cap (including FC) then their options could be limited.

Bateman / Whitehead are you listening? best jump ship now

Featherstone's Pragmatic view...

Featherstone Rovers have reaffirmed the club's desire to take its rightful place in Super League despite not being given the opportunity to replace Bradford Bulls in the top division.
The RFL have today awarded Bradford a probationary licence for next season rather than measure Rovers and other Championship clubs against the Bulls, a decision with which Featherstone are entirely at ease.

Rovers Chief Executive Craig Poskitt said: "Whilst I understand the frustration that some of our fans will be feeling, Bradford being in Super League next season is something out of our control at the present time"

"There is no way with the delays in the decision that we would have been in a position to step up in 2013 if we'd been given the chance. It's a completely unrealistic proposition considering the timescales which would have undermined all the progress this club has made in the last few years, we are doing so much hard work that I will not risk this club falling flat on its backside. The plan we have will enable us to enter Super League on merit with a business model that will be sustainable."

"Our focus remains on entering Super League in 2015 or hopefully before on our merits, be that through licensing or promotion and relegation.We have made no secret of the fact that we believe the sport should return to promotion and relegation.

"Bradford's experience has highlighted the inherent weakness of licensing and I am sure that will be taken on board by the RFL in the strategic review of licensing that is currently taking place.

"In the meantime our fans should be assured that Destination Super League is on track and I would urge everyone to get behind the club as we look to defend our Championship title at Warrington in two weeks time."

I'm pleased Bradford are staying in SL and happy for their fans. I don't agree with the decision though. For me it doesn't send a strong enough message and 6 points isnt a strong enough punishment.

The Bulls were the club to embrace the Super League, they remain in terms of club size one of the largest clubs in the league in a city much larger than the small town of Featherstone and carry one of the largest fan bases in club rugby of either code in this country, we would have made the play-offs but for the points deduction, (not the players fault we were in this mess). Let me tell you the Bradford fans have stuck by our team when we have had uncertainty all this year. Another thing Wakefield and London have been in admin are still in league, to me it seems like jealously from some fans about the Bulls successes they wanted us to suffer. I have had a terrible year whereby I have two redundancies and have stuck by my team throughout this process, luckily I managed to find a another job on a larger salary and my team are safe, but the league is much stronger with the Bulls, just speak with the bosses of Leeds, Warrington, Wigan and St Helens.

Do you feel the Bulls should of been punished for going into Administration?

If so how?

I like the Bulls and I am glad they have survived as a club but something is wrong, what administrator doesnt start selling off the assets? I.e The players!

Care to point out where I suggested any such thing?


If you want a level playing field why are you demanding that Bradford should be treated differently to Wakefield?

And if any other club really thinks they'd be better off going through the same process I'd be surprised. But they're welcome to try.

Bradford's probation lasts for one season. By the time it's up for renewal we will most likely be operating a different system. The RFL have basically put SL into a holding pattern until the review reports back.

Neither Bradford nor Wakefield did anything at all. Their respective [iadministrators[/i took such actions as they saw fit - not the clubs or the new owners. So what happened in the two different administrations is irrelevant. Wakey got a lower points deduction because their new owner repaid more debt than the Bulls new owner BTW.

Now if you have questions about why Guilfoyle took the actions he did (or didn't) then you're not alone. But it has precisely nothing to do with any sanctions applied against the club as the club had no say in what happened. Neither did the new owner.

The Bulls have been punished according to the rules currently in place. Demanding punishment that goes beyond the rules isn't really all that useful. Rather than blaming the RFL for simply doing their job perhaps your ire should be directed at the other SL clubs who all voted for the rules as they stand.

Yes there were and they've been followed. Whether or not people feel that they're adequate is a different conversation.


No they haven't. And no they won't.


It's no surprise that people who make fools of themselves because they don't actually know what's going on but have a rant anyway try to deflect attention in this way.