[urlhttps://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/23260992.blow-50m-odsal-plan-levelling-fund-snubs-bradford/[/url

Another proposed project fails to come to fruition.

It's all well and good each political party using leveling up funding like a stick to beat each other but both Tory and Labour governments have failed communities like ours over recent years.

The only one I can remember with a shread of realism was the Stirling Capitol one which had the financial backing of Tesco's, only for self proclaimed Bradford prodigal son Mr Morrison to use his connections in Labour to get the scheme recalled.

We are forever jinxed to play in a hole stadium.

Disappointing but predictable news.

Hardly surprising is it?

I suspect I know what "elegant place" said originally.

Does this bode the end of our philanthropic, if reclusive, owners' interest in the Bulls then?

I wonder if its finally time we swallowed our moral objections and allow one of the several interested parties from the middle east to invest.

He did say the odds on this were much shorter than his plan B. Hope he publishes plan B very quickly before the optimism is shattered completely.

What are we thinking? More paint? More requests for volunteers? Move in with BPA and buy an old stand a la Fev?

They do seem to be mad keen on it after the recent world cup. I heard that Karl Pryce was offered a big money deal to go and play for the Abu Dhabi Rabbitohs.

And of course, the climate in the gulf states is very similar to that of balmy Bradford too, which will make our new owners feel immediately at home.

Surprisingly the Prime Ministers constituency of Richmond has received a massive chunk of cash for city centre redevelopment.
That's a Tory government for you!!
I was under the impression that levelling up was supposed to level the north with the south. Obviously I was wrong as most of the money has gone to the south.

Bit of a blow for Mr Moore, Tory MP for Keighley as well. The only silver lining I can see in this.

I was listening to Michael Gove on Radio 4 this morning (because I'm amazing and clever and stuff). He said that the allocation equated to more money per person in the North. And of course we sometimes forget that there are significant pockets of deprivation in the South East, for example the Kent Coast.

Anyway, that's my "devil's advocate" assignment done for 2023.

Levelling up is just electoral bribery. They've clearly worked out what areas they have best chance of hanging onto and put the money there.

They've obviously realised that they've no chance of holding onto Keighley so have cut it adrift. As for Bradford South it's never going to turn blue so why spend money on it?

Keep buying the euro millions tickets.

I probably should be disappointed but did anyone really actually believe the proposal would get off the ground?

Nobody left has a pot to in so I think we can safely file away the latest artists impression.

Its time to admit Odsal needs filling in and we move somewhere else its going to be the death of the club.

As others have said, it's no great surprise is it!

I note the club a rolled out the "this isn't going to stop us though" line.
It'll be interesting to see what the plan B was/is. (I suspect there isn't one and the subject will go very, very quiet)

The long goodbye continues....

It is a shame that the on-field stuff is looking as good as it has for a number of years and this could have injected even more momentum in to the clubs turnaround

Think most people agree on that. Where to go is the issue:

1. Dewsbury - too far, too small and not in Bradford.
2. Valley Parade - Can't afford what BCFC want in rent.
3. BPA - Too small, no parking, no money available for expansion.

BPA will be the only option crowd numbers are going to continually dwindle even further.

Only option RE:Odsal is sell it for clean landfill pull Dunnies down dump it in the hole and then build a 14k seater stadium ala LSV over the road.
Either that or bring in an investment group with naming rights to the new Odsal stadium where it stands.
Which I don't think either Nige or Hirsty have the contacts or Knowledge to do, CAP in hand to the council was their plan.
Maybe now its cap in hand to Caddick?
Said it before though no stadium no Super League I don't think IMG will be fobbed off with an artists impression like Cas and Wakey have got away with for years.
Infact I will double post this in the stadium thread too..

Whilst I don’t disagree, isn’t it up to the council (who own the land) and the RFL (who own the lease to the stadium) to sell Odsal or not? I believe we are not even the primary sub tenants, that’s the banger racers, which is why we have to accommodate all their requirements I.e. red shale all over the place, carriageway dividers, tiny pitch etc. Who is going to invest on behalf of the Bulls when they will have zero surety on their investment?
Buying the lease back from the RFL and then carrying out small, gradual improvements would seem the way forward. We certainly haven’t got the money for that but that would seem to be the only way to attract an investor.
If nothing is done then it’s surely only a matter of time before the place is condemned and closed down.

Unfortunately some genius decided to list Richard Dunnes so, whilst that is probably the most viable solution, it’s a non-starter.

The Bulls personally bring nothing to secure against so we are reliant on the charity of volunteers. Hats off to them for the amazing efforts in turning up and repainting etc but nobody will be building a stadium for us for free so unless something changes and we start bringing our own capital to the table we will remain in limbo

Council are confident in overturning Dunnies listed status.

Good. Some people may like that sort of thing, but re-labelling 60s and 70s concrete horrors as "Brutalist" doesn't suddenly make them worth saving in my opinion.

I noticed in the T&A that someone tried to set Dunn's alight recently but the fire was put out fairly quickly. Seems inevitable that something like that will happen again. With the Fire Brigade Union about to go on strike if Dunn's was to go up again during that it might be the end of the place.

Right then, the next time the Fire Brigade are on strike I expect to see you and Pumpetypump heading up to the Richard Dunn with a petrol can and a box of Swan Vesta's.

Your club needs you