If anything I think they might be tempted to counter the criticism of their handling of the meeting quoted in the Bradford release, if indeed there are grounds for countering it.

Gale didn't make any bed we could not sign him because Miller would not move on or be paid off and we had no cap space left Gale would have been here like a shot if we could have made it happen

Really feel sorry for the Bradford fans and players, however I don't think they have any right to complain about getting a points deduction, as its only what other clubs got when they went into administration. They could make them points back up doing the season, if someone buys them.

RFL not happy www.therfl.co.uk/news/article/29 ... ford-bulls

RFL not happy www.therfl.co.uk/news/article/29 ... ford-bulls

What a mess. While the truth is certain to lie somewhere between the two statements, it looks like the prospective buyers were in fact chancers with no cash of their own. The RFL's main fault in all this, IMO, is carrying on as long as they did and allowing the Bulls to start the season.

Do the RFL have to sanction the sales/owners? If so they have to take some share of the blame, I'd have thought

They must have had a fair idea from the 7th Feb onwards that this would be the likely outcome , indeed the RFL statement seems to suggest as much ,and should have had the b@lls to do something about it then rather than just hope it would work out. The fact is anyway that their decision today was to let these guys with no money take on the club and somehow make it OK by deducting 6 points and preventing them from strengthening! Hardly going to help them pay their bills and survive. And then they'd have to go through it all again in another 6months or so.

That process started on the 7th Feb at the meeting between the newco and the RFL and the newco were awaiting the outcome I think having had their offer accepted by the Administrator. It seems the RFL knew what they were going to do and probably should have known what would happen. The Bulls 2014 were expecting something less that the standard penalty whilst the RFL were anticipating doing exactly what they did. Amazing that no one thought to broach that worst case scenario situation , ie , what will you do if we do this..............?

Meh !!! All this bulls stuff is just getting boring now , I'm all for giving clubs a chance but how many chances are enough ? Feel for their fans but I'm sure fax , fev Donny etc etc must get ed off with all the help they have had off the rfl

Well at least the RFL can get a really good 'pay off' by selling Odsal which they own.

The RFL have tied their own hands, when they first started franchises they should have stuck to the rules, which where clearly set out, after years of fudging to keep the blazers in power they now find themselves between a rock and a hard place. Kick Bradford out, go with 13 and a bye for the odd numbered team, if London or anyone else go pop, kick them out too, even mid season.

Natural selection needs to be in play!

I agree. london, wakefield and bradford should all have been kicked out of SL for breach of their licence agreement and other clubs given a chance to prove they can manage their affairs effectively

Yes I agree with a lot of that, as the RFL bought the lease to Odsal to help Bradford last time for me it begs the question how deep are they into propping up other clubs and how many other clubs?. The belief in these parts are that Kath is the RLs inside man at Wakefield looking after there investment and if that is correct how many more are in the same boat

The key point for me is that we have been told that the staff had been TUPE'd across. MY question is to where I hope to god it's not to 'Bradford Bulls 2014 Ltd' as that will be VERY, VERY messy.

I do feel for the Bradford fans and staff over this.

You make a really good point!

Well I can't see it being anyone else but BB 2014 can you? There isn't anyone else now, unless they have been TUPE''d to the administrator!

What about Gales new contract too who is that with? I feel for the fans and the players but you have to wonder how they will continue to function.

However I think the RL has a lot to answer for, buying a ground, letting at least 3 Clubs off the agreements they signed up to about new grounds and ground improvements, handouts to Clubs its hardly surprising really is it?

They should have grown some, because licensing allowed for all these things to be policed, but Clubs have flaunted the rules and by allowing them to, lending them money, buying their grounds and giving out advances the RL have been complicit in the problem. JTP and Standee are absolutely right here I think!