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!

I've just spotted this on the RFL website dated 31 January 2014...

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Sounds like BB2014 (or the Administrator) hadn't done their homework properly.

Gale used our name to boost his money, nothing more.

Personally, I'd let Bradford fold. They've had their chance. Putting any more money in will be like setting fire to it. Let them start again in the bottom of the lower league.

If they hadn't risked all or nothing on Noble and his big names, they'd be a lot safer. They had no youth policy, preferring to eat jam today.

I've put money into their collecting tins, that went nowhere. Caisley is the man to look at

No youth policy? 3 of the burgess boys, bateman, whitehead, kopzcack to name a few who wouldn't look out of place in any SL team

all very sad - ultimately they are paying for spending big on players in the pre cap years - very similar to portsmouth in football. plus odsal must cost a fortune to run and maintain. fair enough, they won trophies but at what price now?

Bradford should have being kicked out, bought success now they are funked wire will eventually follow the same path when the owner gets bored.
The Leeds chairman will be s hitting himself miss out on a big derby pay day.
London will win 2 games at the most and wakey looked like an amateur team so they may survive.