Ta for update.
If AC supported Leon I respect the guy for that.

Followed it on the T&A blog where it said Rimmer claimed that the RFL were a very professional organisation actually, "cue hysterical laughter in the audience".

Credit to him for going but I suspect he didn't quite know what he was letting himself in for

I know we all may not always agree on matters with club direction and actions but fair play to AC for that. The way Leon embraced him at end I'd suggest he's grateful.

No probs on update. Sure there were other things I've missed but tried to cover the main points.

The room erupted with laughter when he said that... talk about self importance and pats on back!!!

No real groundbreaking announcements then. Did the RAB tinted brigade slash Rimmer's tyres?

Thanks BEIML for the updates.

Rimmer is totally disingenuous. There is nothing in the rule book saying that a new applicant has to be deducted 12 points to gain membership of the RFL. That applies to existing members that have an insolvency event or whatever the terminology is. the rule is that the RFL can put such conditions on membership as they want. Which implies CHOICE. Sorry about the shouting. Blaming the rules is the first defence of a jobsworth.

Is there any explanation as to why it would be unfair on other clubs that we end up in C1?

Any explanation of the shenanigans around the rejected offers leading to liquidation one day and the RFL hanging out a healthy looking carrot riddled inside with tape worm as bait for their "friends" the next?

Any answer from gerbilchops on why Cha added that rumour-creating qualification to his statement that we are in C1 next year? Has Cha been following Mick on witter and had his brains melted like chinchillachops?

Dampnation, missed one there. BEAVERchops.

So the point of Rimmer being there was??

To suggest to the Bulls fans that the RFL were not to blame for the minus 12, wrong league, fixture protecting debacle?

He suggested the blame should be aimed toward;
1. The rule book
2. The other clubs
3. The players going to ET for unfair dismissal

So the RFL are scott-free in all this - Well thanks Ralph, its nice to know you're here - now phuqq off

That's exactly the impression I got too. It was effectively a "it wasn't our fault" to everything. From the sounds of things, not many people bought it.

agree on points one and two, per my previous post, but point 3 lets face it, a litigious solicitor is involved who will get his cut whatever happens despite nowinnofee candyfloss to lure them in.

despite my reservation on 3, I fully agree with your conclusion. F O Ralph.

Best outcome is that our unpaid lads get the money from the RFL but paid direct and the slime-icitor gets nothing.

From the T&A article ([urlhttp://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/sportbulls/15593763.rfl_chief_ralph_rimmer_confirms_bradford_bulls_relegation_to_league_one/[/url



Makes you wonder how many of those obstacles were directly attributable to the laughable way the RFL dealt with the situation? Most of them from where I'm standing. And the others could have been alleviated by quicker and more decisive RFL action. At least RR is happy with the way AC has dealt with them.

"Good dog Bobo! Now we have wasted a year and exploited your already long suffering fans, here's a pat on the back."

Well I think it was fairly obvious early doors that we remained in the Championship to benefit others. Complete stitch up and it has left a very sour taste in my mouth. Pretty much every Bulls supporter wanted a fresh start in the 3rd tier rather than this absolute car crash of a season that I suspect has done massive damage to what was left of our fan base.

I've not made many games this year and I haven't missed it all that much if I'm honest. Been wondering whether I should just remove myself from forums such as these and save myself getting wound up by it all.

I didn't go but from reading tweets and posts from people there. My thoughts:

I'm under the impression Ralph Rimmer has been extremely naive and hasn't expected a backlash from the fans. He's interpreted the anger as blaming the RFL for everything which shows his lack of understanding. We're angry as we dont feel the RFL have handled the various admins/liquidation well and could have been avoided.

Certain people seem to have seen/heard too much of Mick Gledhill recently and have been causing mischief on social media by taking certain segments they've seen on the twitter feed and whipping everyone up into a frenzy. Marwan Koukash saying bulls fans blaming RFL for liquidation (literally every single reply proved him wrong) a few others picking on the quote "We BELIEVE a form of licensing could return" and twitters gone into meltdown with various chairman been asked to explain. I also believe a form of licensing will be in place, not like in 08, but a hybrid of promotion/relegation + licensing. Doesn't mean the RFL have told me. Think fans have misinterpreted.

Anyway i think the chances of odsal or a new stadium across the road are starting to gain momentum. I know we've been here before but i feel a real urgency from Chalmers to get something sorted. There is an opportunity there as well. I won't believe it until I'm sat in it, but i think there is a real drive to sort something.

Whilst you are absolutely correct that fans have misinterpreted a lot of things (and that causes a lot of the arguments on social media), I don't think that's the case with Gledhill. He seems to take a look at things, form his own opinion on what might be happening by putting 2 and 2 together to make bloody 200, then comment on it like he's been told something and that he's "in the know". Unfortunately there are a lot of very naive people that see him refer to himself as a "broadcast journalist", see the fact he used to commentate for BCB and now does the other audio feed, and see him up at Odsal every now and again through the week so think he does have a line into the internal goings-on of the club. So they believe what he's saying. Other journalists like Ross Heppenstall & Aaron Bower who have more than just a passing interest in Bradford Bulls are more reserved and will only mention things if there's some degree of evidence. So people think that's the same with Gledhill. Unfortunately it's not, and that means he gets fans hopes up about something that hasn't come to pass, and IMO owes those fans who have hung off his every word an apology.

You will never get an apology as the individual in question will swerve around every accusation made (our very own RR).

Been going on for years now. Anything news that comes from that poster should be treated as his/her own opinion, not fact!

My thoughts too

You're being unfair on Mick, he is part of a double act with Duffy and one similar to him being Orville to Duffy's Keith Harris.

Sounds like I was about right, if I underestimated he's naivety about our collective take on the situation and our memory of events being better than his. Glad the people there took him to task.

One positive from last night. We are in league 1, so everyone spouting insider knowledge about us not being relegated can keep quiet and take off the tin foil hats, or stop making mischief. Now we can just focus on getting a squad together to get out of league 1 at the first attempt. Also positive that it will be a straightforward home and away fixture list with maybe 15 home games and no stupid summer bash!

For anyone who went, did Ralph Rimmer actually say the below regarding licnesing or is it just more lies...

"
Ralph said it would be based on four key areas: crowds, development of players, generated income and attraction to the broadcaster."

I never believed we would be saved from relegation until RR confirmed we were relegated. After all he is representing a professional outfit.

I think the main problem was that, after the first question which, imo asked pretty much everything I wanted to know about the important pre season shenanigans , the mic was then passed to people who let him off the hook by asking about other topics.

He totally failed to answer the first question adequately. They 'followed the rules with the minus twelve', he said, but failed to say why the rules apparently didn't matter a jot when we were left in the Championship. There was obvious scope for follow-ups which failed to materialise. Instead we got stuff about Iestyn Harris and whether other clubs paid rent etc - all little or nothing to do with the RFL and it was a glorious chance to hold him over the fire and we missed it.

He claimed, 'it wasn't fair on other clubs', to let us start in Champ1 (despite the rules saying that was [iexactly[/i where a new club [imust[/i start). There was 'no alternative', though we all know that Whitehaven had already stated that they were perfectly willing to go up. Despite telling us (during the bit on the lawsuit) that there was clear daylight between the folding of the old club, the contracts being voided etc and the new club being formed, he failed explain why the -12 was made in the first place - other than 'it was in the rules'.

Either the club is 'new' or it is a continuation', they seem to be saying it is 'new' for the lawsuit but that it is a 'continuation' for the league processes. Cake and eat it - the RFL are an embarrassment.

Sounds a bit like he was let off the hook regarding some of his answers. Having actually had him at a forum to do the one thing we all wanted (i.e get some answers as to what actually went on) and then we letting him out alive without asking the right ones (i.e. where in the rules does it say clubs are docked 12 points but not relegated) I think we should now draw a line under the situation and move forward. Much as I hate saying it.

I think this is exactly where I am with the situation, although I doubt I'll be able to forgive or forget the mess that went on, albeit behind closed doors. RR had a perfect opportunity to either explain why the 12pts deduction was imposed, or hold hands up and say that it was a situation the RFL were unprepared for and that they got it wrong (which is personally what I believe rather than much of the conspiracy theories). In fact he did neither which alienated himself from most in the room.

I am in no doubt the the last paragraph of Bulliac's post is exactly why the new club et al find themselves in a precarious position facing 47 claims as the waters have been muddied and I don't think the acclaimed 10,000 page document will exactly help.

Do the rules say that clubs that are financially mismanaged and require a process of administration are subject to a 12pt deduction... apparently yes.

Do the rules state that any newly formed club should begin in League 1... apparently yes.

So if the 2017 Bradford Bulls are a newly formed club without any ties to the old one, why the points deduction and Championship status?

That is the legal case in a nutshell... I can't see any other way out of this other than a settlement, and its all because of the "very professional board" at the RFL f*cked up in a very big way!!!

Indeed. If the case was watertight "and of no merit" why try and settle?

The RFL know they're in a pickle.

We are where we are as a club. It's a rubbish situation but we can't turn back the clock. We blessed with the RFL as they are too.

I do wonder who's idea it was to invite Rimmer. It was naive to think that it wouldn't end in bloodbath.