Can't find any link but the Bantams chairman was quoted on radio Leeds this morning as considering groundshare at OSV.

Usual range of responses from Bantams message board.

Going from: makes financial sense - to ploy to force Gibbs family to sell VP back - to destroy the soul of the club. And all options in between.

Shame no - one thought that the big patch of ex golfclub at the top of the 606 currently being turned into a M&S warehouse would be a good site for a stadium.

Both clubs have strong history at their grounds. It might have been easier to swallow a groundshare if it was new ground for both rather than one party feeling like a lodger.

If football was included in OSV then I don't think there would need to be a running track, closer to ground, better atmosphere. Terracing would be a problem though

Can't see it happening personally.

I am sure the Bulls will look to get as much use out of Odsal as possible, however I can't see City supporters wanting this for their club.

Just been on Radio Leeds that City are in talks to ground share at a redeveloped Odsal. The costs of playing at VP are getting unnafordable (reportedly 1 million a year in rent to land lord), Peter Hood said he'd welcome a ground share at Odsal. Could just be a ploy to force the landlord into selling back Valley Parade, but if the idea for a ground share is genuine then it might give the council renewed determination to make the project happen, they've always wanted both teams in one stadium. Would have to be an all seater though. If the project gets the go ahead it looks like it could be Bulls at VP for a couple of years whilst Odsal is redeveloped and then City moving into Odsal permanently.

[url=http://www.claretandbanter.co.uk/showthread.php?t=23214Surprisingly sanguine.[/url

[url=http://bcafc.livewwware.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=44530&sid=b3bf4c82edfeeadad54e6972ec3b1722Less so.[/url

It's amazing that the two sets of supporters (Bulls & Bantams) don't get on. We sound so much alike. 'We've got to think of our heritage'.'But if the grounds dragging us down we have to move'.
However to get to report that the Bulls will be groundsharing with the Bantams in three years is a bit of a cock and bull story. (geddit).

Its all just a knee jerk reaction to the idea at the moment, wait until people calm down and have the implications explained to them and more will be for the idea. Its been said for a while now that the Odsal redevelopment plans have changed significantly, if the plan is for a 20,000+ all seater stadium with no running track and City get new club offices and a new club shop at Odsal people will warm to the idea, especially when they realise we will save at least 1 million a year by moving into a redeveloped Odsal, money that could easily finance investment in the playing squad that could get the team back into the Championship and offer more cheap ticket deals. Circumstances permitting everyone would like to stay at VP, but its looking touch and go whether we'll get promoted this year and an extra million in the bank every season would come in handy if we end up stuck in the bottom two leagues for another few years.

..=darkredFowl..??

I don't know who owns VP, but I wouldn't have thought the land would have much value. I doubt it would be akin to selling out to a supermarket giant for a king's ransome. The running costs of VP are obviously the issue.

VP land is estimated to be worth £650k at the last (pre recession) estimate AFAIK.

I'd be amazed enough to see a re-developed Odsal let alone City sharing with us.

I'd have no objections to that scenario at all, I just can't see any of it happening.

in reading some of the comments on the city boards, it might well be a tactic to scare the owner in to dropping the rent, not good news for us, if city start making noises about ground shareing then the councel will sit up and listen, this could slow things down and if it is only a ruse then it will of been slowed for no good reason

Well if we had a football team onboard as well that might be the final thing to push the redevelopment through

I particularly like the revealing and honest quote:

"In my eyes the Bulls are only a hinderance and competitor to City, looking for fans to switch codes as there aren't that many who go to both (you can shoot me down if i'm mistaken). I will never collaborate with the enemy."

The enemy?



I've never viewed the emnity as 50/50. The evidence always points to City, for whatever reason, having a lot more againt us than visa versa. Sure a lot of us had a b1tch and moan about going to VP but its all a shade nastier in return.

Am I being unfair?

AFAIK, they had their noses put out of joint by Bulls' fans complaints about VP during our last stop there, which coincided with their incredible Icarus act. This must have been all the more bitter in retrospect as had they gone down solvent after two years in the Prem instead of staking the house on survival, they could have consolidated in the old second while Leeds plummeted past them.

If Odsal's transport links to the city centre are improved, this could negate the argument that it is too naccesible to Aire Valley City supporters. But as of posters have pointed out, this is all hot air right now.

A shared stadium can only be beneficial for both teams wherever it is. Neither clubs are big enough to put it together on their own but as a team we can build something meaningful

I am predominantly a Bulls fan but support City wherever possible. If we have to go to VP great, I quite enjoyed those hung over afternoons in the Midland Road Stand. Obviously Odsal is our home and that would be preferrable but most preferrable is good quality sport for Bradford.

Other posts on many other threads have talked about the links each sets of fans have with their own stadiums so I won't cover that now.

But both clubs are being hit with operational costs that could be slashed by pooling resources. These savings can be used for youth development, training and new signings which betters the product both sets of fans want.

You saw Asim's quote too eh?

I wouldn't be half as nice as that.

I have to say that from a purely transport stand point I've always been fine with VP mainly as it's closer to my house and therefore easier to get to on a Sunday. I like the wide open spaces of Odsal but nothing beats having a seat and a roof over your head when the heavens open.

I really wouldn't like an all seater. IMO i've always felt a better atmosphere at standing stadiums.

I can't work out all the aminosity between City and Bulls fans, considering how I'm a fan of both teams. A groundshare has worked for many towns in the past, and where is the rivalry anyway? Different sports, same town! We should be helping each other, surely?

Calling us 'the enemy' is the kind of thing I'd expect to see on BCFC messageboards. I go on the 'General Discussion' board at times on the official BCFC messageboard to talk about rugby, and get shouted off because it's a football board!

14 or so matches in a stadium every year is not really enough to justify an expensive re-development.
The new developments at Odsal are rumoured to be extensive - far far more than the original roof over the pop side.
Rugby in the summer and footy in the winter and a little crossover with flexibility shown by both clubs and by the two sport governing bodies could work very well indeed.
The increased marketing opportunities would be good for both clubs - joint season tickets for example, could benefit everyone.
Carparking facilities are so much better and the corporate facilities would be top notch. Bradford city could really benefit from the move and the sharing of ground costs could only benefit the Bulls too.
Who knows, some services such as ticketing, retail etc could be run as joint ventures, offering top notch services more cheaply.

One question I would have would concern terracing at the new ground. I was assured that terracing is part of the plan for the new development but I don't suppose Bradford City would be keen - especially if they do go up.

One really good thing from our point of view is that if it is being taken seriously then it surely makes our new ground that little bit more likley to happen.

that would be my concern as well. Thing I really hated about going to VP was being forced to sit. Much prefer to watch rugby standing. That said if the price of staying at odsal was it becoming all-seater I could live with it.

seems like this option is the way forward, it is catching on in most towns now ie hudds, wigan, hull even sharing with a prem footy side, also sharing maitenance costs etc etc, if it is fact and not hear say i think its a great idea,

suspect it will all end in city buying VP back from current owner at a favourable price. Todays comments could easily be designed to stir up support for this scenario.

Don't get carried away folks.

The one and only reason this has come up today is that City's rent is due to be re-negotiated at the end of the season, and the club are trying to force Gordon Gibb's hand a little.

Just like with the Bulls and Odsal City's lease agreement for VP includes harsh penalty clauses if they break it, and as it is with a private landlord, and not a council, there is very little chance that such a cost would be waived - and who is going to buy it out?

Let's fast forward a few years down the line, City will still be playing at VP and Odsal will still be awaiting redevelopment, and the same debate will be raging over and going round in the same circles.

A lot of footy grounds in Germany have standing areas for Bundesliga games, which can be readily converted to seating for European matches where All Seater Stadiums are a requirement. If it works for them, it could work for us.

In developing new stadiums I think that it is essential that they have a constant 'revenue stream' away from the matches. The development of the Coral Stand at Odsal is a step forward in this Context, likewise the facilities that are offered in the Sunwin stand at Valley Parade. But, could more be gained from having a shared facility?

I can't think of any new RL stadium that doesn't have another sports team playing there, although Leigh Sports Village does only have a non-league team with low crowds sharing it with the Centurions.