So there's another Fans Forum tomorrow night in the Legends Suite at Odsal.

Members only and you need to register with your season ticket number to go. Anyone going?

It's not a fans forum is it really because poor suckers who do shift work and work weekends so it made it pointless for a season ticket can't go.

You don't have to buy a full season ticket to join 1863 though.

Yes, I'm going. Bit intrigued by the 'announcement', to be honest. Maybe they're going to tell us officially about the Jonathan Thurston signing? I know it's only until the end of the season, but he'll have to be named in the 19 anyway.

I expect it will be retention of current player/s rather than another player for 2015. Some progress regarding Odsal would also be welcome, I'm intrigued to know what Green's plans are regarding Odsal.

I can't speak for Green, but the previous regime had plans to landfill Odsal, knock down Richard Dunn's (with council involvement) and then use some of the profits to build a new 20,000 capacity stadium on the current Dunn's site.

Odsal's landfill value was around £36,000,000 in 2013.

Well I've thought for some time that the only realistic way to get a new stadium would involve moving the location so across the road would seem an excellent compromise for those not wanting to move from Odsal. Not sure how the local residents would react to Odsal becoming landfill, particularly those new builds behind the main stand. Surely there would be some fairly stiff resistance to this happening?

I know Peter Hood and Omar Khan both did extensive research into the land behind the Coral Stand and its possible building uses, but the reports came back negative as there are still deposits of various gasses, dating back to when the site was a quarry in the 1920s and early 1930s.


Gerard Sutcliffe was keen to get Bradford Park Avenue involved in the new stadium, unlocking vital funding from the Football Association.

The council's license to ensure Odsal remains a stadium for sport and recreation doesn't run out till 2018, so we are safe for the time being.

What licence is that Mick? In my innocence I thought the council's commitment was in perpetuity [or at least until they voted differently
Wasn't 2018 when the previous lease [pre-Odsal settlement ran out? The current lease runs way beyond 2018 [isn't it over 100 years? so surely the length of the lease is when their commitment ends?

What would happen if Marc bought the freehold, as he has stated his intentions to do before now. Would that override any agreement regarding Odsal's use for sport etc?

Generally speaking, are there still supporters out there who are hell bent on the club never leaving Odsal? All I see it as now, and have done for years, is a lead weight around the club just preventing it from ever making any progress, both in a financial and sporting manner.

I would have absolutely no problem ground sharing with BPA, over the road from Odsal or wherever. They have plenty of money now since the recent takeover.

nor does any investment seem to have been made in their facilities - not even an announcement about the future prospects of one.

I could certainly envisage a swap being done with the council; the stadium for the Richard Dunn site, along with Avenue, or not, with the stadium returning to its former use.

Alex Mellor has signed a new 2 year deal.

upto 3 new players coming in for middle eights according to ferres

Great news. Star in the making that kid

Apparently one of the new recruits could be an ex bull - source could be completely unreliable!

Hopefully a decent centre and a half back.

I'm resigned to getting a prop and 2 'utility backs'.

Leon Pryce - loan till end of season if Hull FC get into top 8 of SL???

Reason - they wouldn't have a realistic shot at the top 4 play-offs, would save a bit of money (which we know they might be short of) and it could potentially help relegate their local rivals???

Long shot but I live in hope!!!

More likely we've got Marc Herbert to come out of retirement

Deacs is leaving Wigan...maybe early release.

Isn't he off to Sale or Sarecens as a skills coach?

He could come here and play for a few weeks....an improvement surely.

Scott Naylor would stiffen up our defence on the fringes.

What else was said?

I was told we are looking at bringing Ben Jeffries in till end of season

Don't Leigh hold his registration though?

Is that it? three more new players one an x bull to see us through the 8s and Alex Mellor re-signed for 2 years?

must be bloody good players to be able to gel with the team a mere few weeks before the 8s start. smacks a bit of desperation to me, a squad variation on the chairmans vote of confidence " Steve has assembled a great squad " and a couple of weeks later, four new players in for the 8's. its his money.