To me it now looks more like fire fighting to ensure superleague fixtures were fullfilled.

A master class in irony if ever there was. Do you not read this board?

He held a couple circa 2001/01. I got the impression that they were really Abi Ekoku's idea, Caisley looked as if he would rather have been anywhere else and was seriously ed off when any criticisms were made. Ekoku clearly saw them as a means of getting the fans to lobby MPs for the stadium redevelopment. Told us we should follow the example of Arsenal fans who had raised 40,000 signatures for a petition for their new stadium. The first one was held about the time that Ekoku appeared on Question Time.

Caisley reeled off a list of urgent repairs which he said would cost £10m. The main item was £2m for a new roof for the main stand as the existing roof was about to collapse. He made the claim as part of his justification for moving to VP.

It did seem to me that "Odsal's excessive maintenance costs" was really part of the strategy to obtain support for the new stadium and perhaps has just become accepted wisdom. The terraces aren't crumbling, there rarely seems to be any work going on at the ground.

If we can re-negotiate the rent when we are relegated I hope we can stay at Odsal. Its a huge ground for a Championship club but if the terraces could be mothballed and we just used the main stand would it be that much more expensive than the alternatives?

I think we might be able to survive relegation and we might be able to survive leaving Odsal, but not both.

According to your coach you can see 90% of the pitch from the car wash next to the ground. So at least we wont have to pay.

Might get wet though

Just one point there, the middle 8 in 2015 do not play for the championship final, and if we were in that position it would mean we finished below the 4th spot in Championship, which gives us the opportunity to in be in the final but from the 3rd 8 of the new set up!
Personally I say sod the championship final, lets be in the top 4 at the end of 2015!

top 3 .......4 v 5 play off for the last place in SL in 2016

Unfortunately I have to AJ.

I don't lump you in with many of your fellow Cougar fans so please don't confuse me with all my fellow Bulls fans.

I'm surprised my post got a response from you tbh. I was aiming it at others.

Iirc the work to the main stand roof was done before we moved back from Valley parade. Not sure if it was paid for by council as part of odsal settlement or we paid for it out of money we received for odsal settlement. Stand was going to be condemned if roof wasnt fixed.

Afaik under new system no one plays for the championship grand final. Its awarded to the team that loses the 4th v 5th playoff. They are ranked no1 in the following years tier2 for purposes of central funding allocation, which is staggered dependent on previous seasons finishing position. If i recall provisional figures correctly central funding drops about 50k for each position as you drop down the table.

Bottom eight are playing to avoid relegation to championship 1. I think its a staight relegation and team finishing bottom don't have a playoff game against team finishing top of Championship 1 but not 100% sure.

that's ditto mate, how many of us do understand what's going on !!

I would be surprised if it cost £2m

Yes but would you necessarily be surprised if that's what it said on the invoice?

A deliberate worm on a hook that got bitten. Paul Walker, thats one for you.

I'm not sure what that means. You seem to be on a bit of a stalking mission though, so maybe best spit it out.

But you haven't said anything......see what I did there?

Yes. A painfully weak and obvious joke.

Don't worry I'll be there. Being a bulls fan I obviously live in Keighley, Halifax, Batley, Dewsbury, Huddersfield (delete as appropriate) so I could therefore walk to half te grounds in the chpionship

I wish I had a fiver for every time someone had looked at a bit of a nudged front end and thought, "about fifty quid", only to find the bill was nearer £1k.

You should have sold some of your houses - then you would have been able to buy the club

You are my friend, you really are.

He is your friend, he really is?

Are you quite sure? Just I have my doubts.

Or did you goof again?

I believe you meant to put "I know you are but what am I?" or something equally scathing and witless, sorry witty. Well, as it's you, half witty is probably the best you can hope for, isn't it?

That was so weak I wouldnt be surprised if someone was 'hacked' again.

If Halifax can survive I'm sure the Bulls can....

Even the Bulls would cost more than £50.