was that every player?

I believe so.

After reading Mr Greens statement i must agree with the reference to the abuse of players, if you want to boo them off the pitch or walk out early fair enough but physical abuse should not be tolerated and i hope they find the sad idiots and deal with them.

SF may be a good friend but that does not mean he is good at his job, and i'm sorry but this years recruitment has not fitted with what was needed and if you are telling us that players were signed with the full knowledge of the training staff, then there is, or was a deeper problem in the club.

I understand Mr green wants the fans to keep supporting the club but a few beers in a bar won't in my opinion bring in that much extra revenue maybe i'm wrong, we must remember Bulls fans have had a number of years watching underperforming teams take to the pitch and continued to support the club, but i feel this maybe one season to far for a fan to take.

I have largely mixed feelings regarding the statement.

Firstly, abuse of players and staff is never on. Sure we'll all shout "you useless beggar" at people from the terrace (or stronger), but actually throwing things at them, or giving them crap off the pitch, isn't on. I was as dejected and upset as anyone at PO Road on Sunday, but I chose to simply walk away without any applause at the shambles I'd seen on the pitch. Actually that's a lie, I applauded some Featherstone players and congratulated some Fev fans before walking out.

As far as the statement itself goes though, it's great to hear that the plan is for full time. And I hope that plan happens. It's also great to hear no talk of the club going into administration, as I really don't want to go through that again.

Whilst he makes a good point regarding the comparison of ST tickets to the likes of Sheffield who play on a field, not a stadium, I feel it's very selective. Without researching it, I'd like to see the comparison compared to Super League clubs. In particular those at the higher end too. I'm sure I've seen people say that we have a more expensive ST and walk up price than most SL teams, and that comparison doesn't sound quite as favourable as the one to Sheffield and Dewsbury if it's true. I may keep an eye on the 2017 prices so I can make my own mind up on that though before I start criticising or backing people up on that particular issue. I don't like forming opinions based on facts I can't see for myself.

I tend to agree too that there's too much in that statement of "it's not our fault, it's not his fault, it's the fans' fault!". I know it's not all saying it's the fans' fault, but sometimes you need the right balance, and I don't feel like that statement quite hits it. If something was added in there of "we know some of these players haven't performed to the correct standard and we will address that by moving some of them on" would probably placate fans more than just "you need to spend more money". As someone who buys a season ticket, both shirts (4 in the last 2 seasons), other merchandise, one pint per game (in the ground, only 1 as I have to drive), 2 golden gamble tickets per game, every single season, that sort of blanket statement does rub me up the wrong way a little. He may be aiming it at those who get drunk in Cue Gardens first instead of in the tent, but it's too general a statement to make that clear. So for me who spends a lot of my money on the Bulls every year, despite the fact I'm not well off by any stretch, it doesn't make nice reading and doesn't give me all warm and fuzzy feelings towards our chairman.

That being said, I understand the basis of the statement and can appreciate it's probably been made in haste while he's on his jollies, to get something out there to appease fans worried about admin and part time. Perhaps with a bit more time to sit down and think about it, it could have been worded better.

I think Green is shrewd enough to see the route back only opens up when the middle 8 format is binned, hence the focus on youth. Yes we can have a decent crack at it but the gulf is widening and without a 'Money no object' Derek type it's not happening.

With Toulouse and Toronto joining the salary cap was immediately change, I fully expect the next proclamation from the Fat Controller to be '2 up, 2 Down' to try accommodate them in SL immediately at the end of 2018. This is our best route back and incidentally when the youth investment should be starting to pay dividends.

We may have to be patient, at times I think we forget we had success before the Bulls and you can't buy it as Salford and ourselves have proved in the last 2 seasons. It may be 2019 before we get our place at the top table back but unless he's a bloody good actor it seems Green is as determined as ever.

I agree.

It's very sad to see a once great club on its uppers. One name on everyone's lips - Ferres - who is the alleged problem and has been the problem at Wakefield and Castleford. Sadly, from what I see on Bulls TV and hear on bcb radio isn't good enough as the current squad is not good enough by a long way. Perhaps, and I say perhaps, as a Bradford fan for many, many years, it is time to move people on up at Odsal who have survived past failed administrations - and give the coach full control of who to bring in player recruitment wise? Marc Green can back Ferres it is his club and money but this message doesn't sit well with a high percentage of the support base and you have to fear - can they go around again?

Excellent post. last paragraph is true - before the bulls as Northern we had success with less money than what green has put it and likely if Ferres is kept away from recruitment will do again.

Seems we’re not if you read Green’s latest statement. Business as usual. Keep up!



Alleged. A lot of mud has been thrown but I’d estimate very few know what’s really being going on behind the scenes – us both included.



This isn’t exactly news is it?



Who are you referring to specifically? How do you know the coach hasn’t been given full control? What do you mean by “full control” anyway?



See FA’s poll. Some will some won’t. I’ve had enough of fear. I think it’s waste of time worrying about this kind of thing – suggest you try to think positive.

Northern weren't all fulltime professional.

Wages were lower before 1995.

How do you know how much influence Ferres has/had on recruitment.

I do believe we will improve - if we think long term and bring through the academy players and spend more wisely.

Sounded from Green's statement that the coach *does* have that control. What evidence do you have to the contrary?

As I've said previously, Ferres has managed to stretch the salary cap exceptionally well in terms of the number of players on the books. But it's the quality of those players that's in question as I'm sure many of us would have preferred less quantity more quality over the last two years.

That being said, it does seem that Smith's reach in terms of quality players does seem greater than Ferres' so if be happy with Smith identifying the players he wants and Ferres getting them for the best price for the club

Better than watching Aussies on you tube and signing them on that basis.

It saves a lot of messing about, tbf, I mean [ieveryone[/i looks brilliant on youtube - it's just some of the videos are a bit on the short side....

Funny bit in the statement regarding people scaremongering and then suddenly a certain tweet that it was probably partially aimed at by Gledhill is deleted.

You're not the spokesman for the fans. We don't appear on our uppers, we have done 2 seasons in the C. with a full time squad, and are seemingly solvent. So what exactly do you mean?

You've appeared suddenly with a massive crusade against Ferres but you don't really know what role he plays. You have no clue who does what and whether well or badly, so your "perhaps" is just useless speculation.

I most strongly disagree though with this "not good enough by a long way". Let's just say its illogical. IMHO the recent additions left us mainly just short of some grizzled grunt in the pack, and if we can just rectify the prop deficit one way or another then we have all the elements in place to be highly competitive in this division, shame we only just got a decent coach and scrum half but you can't quibble they are there now.

I have read this forum for few years and don't like what is happening to the club I've supported since the 70s. I feel Ferres is the one to blame for the mess were in and I'm not alone. I dont condone any of the abuse aimed at him or his wife but he should take a long hard look at the shambles up there at Odsal and accept accountability for the mess we're in.

Lots of people on Facebook blame Ferres but not one has any real inside information or any knowledge of what he does day to day. It looks to me like people are looking for a scapegoat.

I'm not saying he's whiter than white but I think it's wrong to single one man out. Ferres, Lowes, Green, Paul and the senior players all must take responsibility for where we are at the moment.

Fans need to engage brain before jumping on the Ferres witch hunt bandwagon.

Problem is no one is actually accepting blame for the season we have had. Where is Robbie in all this? We've not heard from him for months? Yes, powerful statement from Green but the onus is on fans to turn up at the shield games and spend more money in greens bars etc...

Rightly or wrongly Ferres has been the man with the pen to authorise these players. I think supporters would be a bit more understanding if someone from the club actually admitted fault.

Perhaps it's Lowes' fault, but Green, Ferres et al don't want to put the boot into someone who left for "family reasons"

Robbie works on the 'business' side though, and I don't think is involved the the 'football' activities. I doubt that how they play is part of his remit.

It feels hypocritical of people on here to slag someone off for calling out Ferres, when the same people have done their fair share of Ferres bashing this season.

Quote ="David Tasker"Rightly or wrongly Ferres has been the man with the pen to authorise these players.'" If he is are you suggesting he has the power of veto over the coach? Green has said the coach has final say (as he should) – in which case Highlander may be nearer the mark when he says: Quote ="Highlander"Perhaps it's Lowes' fault, but Green, Ferres et al don't want to put the boot into someone who left for "family reasons"'" Personally I think this fiasco reflects poorly on them all. Lowes for targeting players in a scattergun manner and then binning them off in the same way. Ferres for seemingly going along with this flawed policy and Green for allowing this to continue when it was obviously not working. You might forgive Green a bit since he’s relatively new to RL and had put Ferres in charge as a RL man so perhaps he and Lowes are more to blame. I heard lots of rumours about Ferres signing players that Lowes didn't want and vice versa. It sounds to me like the two didn't have the best working relationship. As we know Lowes doesn't react well to criticism (see relationship with journalists and fallout with Karl Harrison). I do blame Green for the handling of the media and communication after the Fev defeat. The statement he put out was late and emotionally charged. It has annoyed a lot of loyal supporters. I can appreciate he’s human and sometimes you can’t help yourself and you need to sound off but this was all so needless. I think this blog wobblyheadedbull.tumblr.com/post ... k-in-anger got it right when he says “I’m truly sorry that Marc Green has had to lift himself from his sun-lounger to ease the concerns which exasperate him. How many times does he have to say ‘business as normal, we’re in this together’ until the apparent fans believe him? As many times as it takes, Marc, we’ve been hurt; you must forgive us our paranoia.”

Quote ="David Tasker"Rightly or wrongly Ferres has been the man with the pen to authorise these players.'" If he is are you suggesting he has the power of veto over the coach? Green has said the coach has final say (as he should) – in which case Highlander may be nearer the mark when he says: Quote ="Highlander"Perhaps it's Lowes' fault, but Green, Ferres et al don't want to put the boot into someone who left for "family reasons"'" Personally I think this fiasco reflects poorly on them all. Lowes for targeting players in a scattergun manner and then binning them off in the same way. Ferres for seemingly going along with this flawed policy and Green for allowing this to continue when it was obviously not working. You might forgive Green a bit since he’s relatively new to RL and had put Ferres in charge as a RL man so perhaps he and Lowes are more to blame. I heard lots of rumours about Ferres signing players that Lowes didn't want and vice versa. It sounds to me like the two didn't have the best working relationship. As we know Lowes doesn't react well to criticism (see relationship with journalists and fallout with Karl Harrison). I do blame Green for the handling of the media and communication after the Fev defeat. The statement he put out was late and emotionally charged. It has annoyed a lot of loyal supporters. I can appreciate he’s human and sometimes you can’t help yourself and you need to sound off but this was all so needless. I think this blog wobblyheadedbull.tumblr.com/post ... k-in-anger got it right when he says “I’m truly sorry that Marc Green has had to lift himself from his sun-lounger to ease the concerns which exasperate him. How many times does he have to say ‘business as normal, we’re in this together’ until the apparent fans believe him? As many times as it takes, Marc, we’ve been hurt; you must forgive us our paranoia.”

The reason people are jumping on Ferres is because we were told last year and this by Green what a great job Ferres had done in assembling the squad. We now seem to have had this slanted into what a great job Ferres has done of getting the player that Lowes wanted. And as we also keep being told, no-one knows what Ferres does day-to-day.

Does anyone really know what he does? I've spoken to him. He seems to have a hand in just about everything at the club but I know nothing about how much authority he had over signings other than what Green has said publicly which was that the head coach has final say. I've heard all sorts of rumours but we all know that many rumour-mongers talk a load of poop.