This ^

The travelling support isn't what it was either.

It's a poisoned chalice for any club but for us I think we've suffered enough.

Why do people contantly go on about our away following as if we take 1000s every week. There was about 300 at Oldham earlier on in the year.

People arent going to come out of the woodwork to travel on Thurs Fri nights to watch us get thumped every week

You have answered your own question. Some SL clubs take less than 100 to away games. We took 300 to Oldham(no disrespect)

I posed this on the VT about a week ago. Still as relevant.

Sounds like Championship teams clambering to be the proverbial lamb to the slaughter to me.

As a Bradford fan, I don’t want it to be us. I don’t think many right minded Bradford fans would but the club has to apply to show ambition. I can see SL chairmen liking the fans we could bring and the fact we wouldn’t be a realistic threat and would finish bottom to be relegated. We would also surely be placed back into odsal which would please the RFL and get them some money back. That alone would probably kill us (again) never mind the lack of funding. And lets be honest it’s us fans that would be asked to make up to gap in funding like we have multiple times before.

But, would the SL chairmen vote to bring in Leigh or Newcastle knowing they would ‘spend, spend, spend’. (Wasn’t that the problem with Toronto anyway?) plus couldn’t Leigh with spending power cause issues for some teams in SL making relegation more of a threat?

I think any team could have a reasonable chance based on whatever criteria is chosen. I just hope that they make it a clear choice rather than just an announcement of a team and no explanation.

Toulouse or Leigh for me as the most reasonable picks on the balance of everything considered. London if they had a better ground.

Bradford to stay in the championship and win it in 2021 (Please, we deserve a good season!)

Interesting times ahead.

On a Sunday afternoon to watch a game we were more than likely to win.

Thats a bit different to a game on a Thursday night when its on tv and we are more than likely to lose.

Away support has dropped off over the years (understandably so)
Despite what a lot of people think, us Bradford folk arent the saviours of Superleague.

I'm in agreement with the majority on here. We aren't ready for SL. Building nicely for the Championship next season and sounds like building our finances properly by playing from Dewsbury for a season or two.

However, if we did get SL how funny would it be if we actually survived and nabbed 11th place at the expense of Hull KR/Salford/Wakefield? The meltdown would be worth it on it's own. Put us in SL like lambs to slaughter and we actually turned it upside down and stayed up without spending a ton haha.

A big IF But IF it was us to be the 12th team in super league, I hope everyone remembers it’s the RFl / SL / chairmen of their own teams that will have made the decision rather than us Bradford fans when they are looking for someone to vent at how ridiculous it is.

For me it should be Leigh, of Fev.

Fev were the unlucky to lose out to Toronto lets be fair what chance did they have against a team full of ausies bought to get them up. If not Leigh have a team capeable of competing in SL next season, ground in place and a wealthy backer

I mean they had a few Aussies themselves

I admire your optimism but we're already getting stick from oppo fans for it and it's probably not even going to happen.

I can easily seeing SL clubs voting for the weakest club to come up to safeguard their own position. If they do we're certs for SL next season.

Given that the current TV deal runs out soon all clubs are going to be out of pocket very soon anyway.

Anyone seen/heard anything from the enigmatic Mr Wood recently? He seems to have dropped off the planet. I know he said he'd be a silent partner but Mark Sawyer was due to be temporary whilst temporary Perez's replacement was found. I find it all a little too weird that the chairman of Dewsbury is suddenly our defacto chairman when we were told it too was temporary.

Something is not quite right and I can't put my finger on it.

You can’t get much more of a silent partner than Nigel Wood and seemingly the plan was to appoint a CEO but when COVID hit they decided not to appoint and add to wage bill which must have been the right decision.

I'm a Fev fan and I concur. I don't think Bradford should be anywhere near getting in right now, but if they do, it will be the fault of the governing body, and certainly not their fans, most of whom seem to feel as uncomfortable about the possibility as anyone.

one of articles over weekend quoted Sawyer as saying he expected Wood to take a much more hands on role going forward, as his commitments to International Rugby league board come to an end. Got to admit I thought he'd already left IRL but maybe I'm mixing that up with RFL.

I think you need to check Who is on the selection panel. There are no Representations from any club be it SL, Championship or league one. the panel is made up of.
Lord Jonathan Caine.
Chris Anderson. SLE General Counciland company Secretary
Dave Rotherham. RFL Chief on field officer.
Graham Odin. SLE head of finance.
Karen Moorhouse RFL. Chief Regulatory officer, RFL Director and Company Secretary.
Tony Sutton RFL Chief Operating Officer
Rhodium Jones SLE Chief Operating Commercial Officer.

You know now no blame on any club management.
But then again, there is a former Head of the RFL, with a financial interest in BBs, who might try bending a few ears.

Thanks Dunkirk, that's a really useful intervention.

Whilst I technically agree, do you honestly think the existing teams in SL will have no input?

No more input than Nigel Wood, I would guess

Of course there will be a significant amount of lobbying going on, and the existing SL clubs will no doubt be having a lot to say to the people making the final decision. This isn't a decision that will be taken in isolation either and there will be lots of other ways in which pressure is brought to bear.

The Bradford Bulls is the vehicle of Nigel Wood, no doubt about it. I'm sure if he can get the club into SL he will be doing his utmost. That £1m won't spend itself. Whether it would get spent on the Bulls is another matter. Certainly it wouldn't scratch the surface of what's needed to do Odsal up.

If the Bulls did get the nod they'd need to get the ground fixed up to a bare minimum level (certainly not cheap as it's been left to rot for 8 years). Then they'd need to recruit some players to have even the remotest chance of staying up - and most of the better players will be under contract by then.

That first season in SL in 2021 would most likely be as cannon fodder - rather like 2017 in the championship when we were told to stay up and we played kids that got battered. Certs for relegation and probable administration again.

No thanks.

Hypothetically, could you imagine a scenario where we are encouraged to apply and to accept reduced funding, because we've been given the nod and wink that at the end of 2021 SL becomes a closed shop again. It's only with some sort of back-office dealings that elevating us to the top-flight makes any logistical sense.

Then ask yourself would you be willing to be a one season cannon-fodder and the hatred from some opposition fans, if it lead to an improved Odsal and a preserved spot in SL.

Pumps it's all just re-arranging the deckchairs on the Titanic. The sport is on its knees.

To plumb the Titanic metaphor a bit more us getting into SL next year is like moving to the stern of the ship and leaving the championship clubs at the rapidly sinking bow.

Meanwhile a few decent players hop on lifeboats to the NRL.

Of course Nigel will be using his contacts to his advantage. Why wouldn’t he? Whether it’s the right decision is another question and I’ve said plenty of times I would prefer Bradford to not get the nod.

But if you think the SL chairman will be sat on their hands waiting for the news like the rest of us, you are very naive. They will be attempting to influence who gets the spot. They might not all agree on the chosen team, but they will be putting their two cents in.

Well having been away from the forum most of lockdown I thought I would have a venture on and see whats being said. I am in total agreeance with everything said. I want us nowhere near, the last reason why is the fallout from other clubs! As has been said we are nowhere near ready.

With regards the money, Pumpetypump is the only one I have seen mention after 2021, surely a club applying such as ourselves who for me will be on the brink, should be asking what is in liklihood going to happen in 2022. Can only see Beaumont being daft enough to expect to finish 11th or higher by throwing obscene money at yet more washed up aussies.

If we get in this for me stems right back to Davod Thorn having his bid rejected as there would be an underhand way coming up we would get in despite having owners who would shaft us yet again, it does seem everything has played out for Wood to enventually be in charge.

For me this is the last thing on earth we need. I mean for god sake we are signing aged players like brough (could be shrewd only time will tell not disrespecting brough there) and letting young props like Kirk who has been developing very very well go! We still have people at the club for me making wrong decisions now. God help us if we are chosen. For what its worth for me it should be London. 70% of their squad homegrown, a dedicated owner guaranted to make sure thye are ok if needed, only thing lacking is fanbase

Hard to disagree with most of this. I actually think we're improving and was looking forward to a cracking campaign against some strong Championship teams. I really fancy us to create a buzz for the first time in many years, possibly bringing fans and interest back to the club. The club that gets chosen finds out mid December and must create a SL squad by March, including a pre-season. It's not just a bad idea for us, it's a bad idea for any club. I want to see Scurr and Gallagher and Doyle, Hallas, Nzoungou serve it up to Fev and Leigh. I don't want to watch Olbison and Lussick (no disrespect) come off second best at Huddersfield.

If Wood's behind this at least he could come out and explain why this isn't going to be soul crushing fiasco.