I've just had notification my Bullbuilder payment / subscription has been cancelled.
Is this the end of Bullbuilder ?

A little read of this should enlighten! www.bullbuilder.co.uk/NewsItem.a ... fbd69cb419

A little read of this should enlighten! www.bullbuilder.co.uk/NewsItem.a ... fbd69cb419

I can understand the apathy of people not wanting to get involved but the reason for downscaling comes from the increased fan engagment with the club - as we all know there are many supporters groups active and many volunteers - all to be applauded. My fear is, and I do not wish to upset anyone, that the groups that have been formed are not organised and are very much in the clubs pocket so to speak - they are not challenging the club just actively doing work for them whilst not getting paid or re-compensated, they are being used as cheap labour..... which is totally up to them. Also, my personnel opinion is some of these groups are run by well meaning people but who struggle to grasp finances (not that I understand them!) etc.... and to be brutely honest I don't want these people representing me as a fan - I don't believe any of these guys/gals where duly elected etc.....

This is where I believe Bullbuilder should be, it had an elected committee (when people can be bothered to vote/volunteer) and also had the respect of many people due to the knowledgable make up of the committee.

A real shame, but I too cannot commit the time. Thanks to everyone involved for their efforts.

A shame, but understandable.
Thanks for all your efforts Bullbuilder

Exactly the right decision. Bullbuilder, and any organisation of its kind, only has a point in functioning if enough of the right people are able to commit the time and effort to drive it. This they did so admirably until a number stepped down, and I for one am very grateful for all they and Bullbuilder achieved, but a rudderless Bullbuilder would be worse than useless and so mothballs it must be.

I just have a vague uneasy feeling that the sort of committment and engagement, and goodwill for the club that Bullbuilder so clearly represented, has not been recognised by the new management. Or maybe it was, but they didn't take to its independent nature. I wonder if they had been prepared to work with Bullbuilder, if those who stepped down, or enough of them, may have been prepared to continue. All pure speculation on my part, but what isn't speculation is that this is a significant loss to the Bulls wider family, in my opinion.

Speaking from first hand experience, the trust was set up with the aim of getting the information flow (the financial support of the junior set up came as a secondary, more structured element) improved between club and fan.

It did require a lot of spare time and effort and unfortunately for all the "noises" people make during the discussion phase of anything like this, when it comes to it, people just don't have the spare time to give (for many different reasons).

I think it's fair to say we all have the same aim in mind - for the Bulls to be back on top, however it is difficult for any person / group to coordinate and direct all the supporters do do anything other than turn up to the games every other week.

Hopefully the club will continue the good work in trying to focus the supporters in to other areas of revenue stream for the club.

To be clear, these are my views, not those of the BullBuilder board.

Hopefully I am not speaking out of hand here and the outgoing / remaining board members of BullBuilder will not take offence from any of the following.

Many of the recent board did consider “soldering on” in a Watchdog type capacity to allow BullBuilder members and indeed other fans outside the organisation to air their views / concerns / frustrations through an elected body, with a track record of engagement along with successful actions and activity with the club on various projects. Due to the make up of the BullBuilder board, there would have also been an opportunity for people to seek clarification in regards to the recent share offering, and what the shares will actually provide for the fans once official details are announced.

Ignoring the increased professional and personal pressures that the recent BullBuilder board are experiencing (including myself), the main issue in respect of a “Watchdog” type organisation is that at some point you are realistically going to come into the firing line with club officials and fans.

Not one of the current / outgoing board wished to be that figurehead – being the figurehead will put you in the firing line of a top level experienced MP in Gerry Sutcliffe, the charismatic owner Omar who is loved by many, never mind the internet trolls that hide behind pseudonyms who just look to provoke all and sundry. In reality this person would simply be expressing the views of the group, which I know the club would liaise and interact with, but no doubt still affords mud to stick and a black mark to be placed next to your name…..

One message that should not be lost here is the fact that BullBuilder has not died. The “vehicle” of the trust is still there and will continue to be for the next few years at the very least – below taken from the recent press release:

[i=#400080“Therefore we have decided that we will keep BullBuilder alive in anticipation of a future return to an active role. In doing so, BullBuilder will fulfil all its obligations as a legally-constituted Supporters’ Trust and will be fully audited and accountable”.[/i

If a group of individuals make themselves known to the board keeping the trust ticking over, there is nothing to stop them taking on the trust and being that watchdog, or using the trust for another suitable method.

It would be a real shame for the trust to slide away into oblivion.

The number of meetings I (and the rest of the board) have attended in connection to keeping the club afloat and moving forwards is a lot larger than many of you would expect. There have been meetings with current owners, previous board members, interim board members, coaching staff, academy players parents, RFL representatives, potential bidders, the general fan, the club Chaplain, local as well as national press and TV, the list goes on…..and believe me, you would think we were politicians given the number of conflicting stories we have been told about any number of things!

From a personal point of view, I do not think that the club would be in the state it is currently in had it not been for the hardship fund set up to help those made redundant by “he who shall not be named”. The togetherness that was generated by those returning to work for nothing, and the support that the fund gave them in being able to do so lives on through the players and performances we have seen this season.

There are many other areas BullBuilder supported the Academy in – [i[ufloodlights, training skins, gym equipment, physio and transport costs to Hull KR while in administration[/u[/i, and that’s just in the last year. However, if the trust does go, the Hardship fund will be its legacy, and one that I was very proud to be involved with administering.

I sincerely hope a group of like-minded individuals do come forward to take the trust up – I just hope beyond hope that it is not called in to action down the line due to failings of any current or future owners.

Joni Mitchell is coming????

Danny DeVito.

Not that I am aware of; but the lyrics seemed pertinent.