Administration should be points deduction, liquidation should mean the club is no more and any new 'entity' should apply through the correct channels and take its place in the lower league. But, this is the RFL we are talking about.

'liquidation' may not actually mean 'liquidation'

So 2 new clubs to start the 2017 season, Toronto and Bradford. One in championship and one in Championship 1. Fair?

I reckon Toronto would survive in championship

With the season quickly approaching I doubt fairness comes into the equation.

The R.F.L are citing...

=#0040FFWhile a number of alternatives were considered the Board were most mindful of the planning already undertaken by all other clubs in the competition structure, the season tickets already purchased.


Maybe Red Hall Gang already have a fudged back-up plan coming off the production line as we speak.

(Big Nige Mode - fudge mmmmmmmm.)

I dont think that there is a "fair" solution to this one.
Who are the new Bradford club and where will they be playing ?
If Bradford Bulls have been liquidated ie. every asset sold to the highest bidder, where does the "new" club come from and where will they play etc.

I would have thought a few clubs would want to ground share with the phoenix club. If they get off to a successful start there could be good attendances.

It'll be farcical if a new Bradford team were to "remain" or "be placed" into the championship, likewise it'll be farcical if Toronto were promoted from league one.

There won't really be much of genuine value to liquidate, in terms of assets with material value it is probably down to training gear and perhaps administrative equipment? If someone was interested I reckon a deal could be done pretty quickly that would see the players and support staff re-employed by a new operating company taking over the vacant Bulls slot in the league.

What is strange with this one is, why none of the players were sold by the administrator to cover their costs etc and possibly pay down some of the debt - I realise that this would only be a drop in the ocean but surely this would have been "standard" practice.
I've certainly seen assets of companies in administration sold very cheaply on many occasions, to keep a business running.

All of the available outcomes are farcical, so nobody should concern themselves too much with that. The question is which of the farcical outcomes causes the least disruption to those currently affected. Ideal scenario a "new" club is created under a new holding company, they purchase the brand from the liquidator (there's not likely to be a long queue for that 'asset'), they re-employ as many of the staff as possible and negotiate to lease Odsal from the RFL.

All I've heard on social media this afternoon is that it is all the RFLs fault. 3 times in 6 years would suggest not, but a genuine question..are the RFL culpable in anyway?

Regards

King James

There is no real market in the transfer of RL players, which clubs are realistically going to make a cash offer for any member of the Bulls squad?

"Pull off into paradise"

Why pay when there's a good chance all contracts would become void anyway. Clubs generally don't have money to throw around and a transfer fee for a player currently at a club in administration / not looking like they'll be bought out would be a bad financial decision.

Of course you are right.
However, any transfer fee is only a small part of the cost and certainly losing a few of the top earners from the pay roll would help cover some of the administrators cost.
The company that I used to work for bought a business out of administration some years ago and the number of staff that we inherited, compared to the number employed previously, was massively less, in fact, less than a third of the staff that were there on the last day of "normal" trading.
The Administrator was utterly ruthless and that doesn't appear to be the case here.

What just a two word statement!

This must be truly painful for you as your fantasy SL dream crashes around your sad little ears.

No amount of quoting will get you out of this, it's fantasists like you who've dragged this great sport to it's knees and that's no "myth". You and you're fellow SL apologists have destroyed the game but I don't expect and apology any time soon.

Should the R.F.L. take all the rap for the demise of Bradford - No way.

Are the R.F.L. culpable in the demise of Bradford - Most definitely.

Do the newspapers one again. Stick to the classics, your new stuffs rubbish.

And a correct one.

The Bulls financial problems began with the settlement of the outstandng term of the previous lease on Odsal in 2003. There were a bunch of incidental things people hold higher, the signing of Iestyn Harris for one. They are making it up. There was no notion of this prior to 2002. There were no financial difficulties in that time.

The thing Smokey said was a myth was that the Bull's success was built on money it did not have. It had it in 2003. and therefore the success of that year and those preceding it.... you can fiull in the blanks if you close your eyes and try really really hard.

But still do come at us with your post-facto explanations of what happened like they're worth something. Rugby League would not be the same without it.

i don't think you can promote toronto this late on. plans will already be in place to play against the clubs in their division and fans of clubs may have already booked a trip across there later this year.

regarding bradford, is there any indication yet that a new club is rising from the ashes?
who will bankroll and run the new club?
where would they play?
where would they get players at short notice if their current crop is snapped up?
what league would they start in?
what if another new club comes along from somewhere - who would get preference if there is only one place available?
what about all the other stuff - sponsors, kits, training base, etc etc?

would it be possible for a completely new franchise we have not heard of yet to step in from, say, coventry or bristol?

probably be best to sit out this season rather than rush into this one with little planning then a new club could start stronger next year when more players would be available and a ground and sponsors could be sorted out. doubt they'll get any help from the council though

just seen the RFL statement which answers a few of my questions above. however i think is is a bit odd that a new club can be offered a place in the same league as their predecessors. normally a new club would start in the bottom league like rangers did in scottish football for example. i know RL needs a strong team in bradford but there seems to be a whiff of backroom dealing going on here with some potential new owners we know nothing about as yet.


unless the RFL themselves are taking control of the club - wouldn't be the daftest thing they have ever done

Well it wouldn't be the first time would it & look how well that worked out.

Nothing to do with the RFL. You of all people should know that with the amount of trolling you do.

And just because you got a kids meal from burger king with a crown, does not give you title of king

well things moving on at pace now. possibility of an owner waiting in the wings until the liquidation happened then stepping in as the rfl's preferred bidder, hence the rfl offer of a place in the championship. rfl of course are pretending they don't know who the new buyer is, or even if there is one.

after all, to be cynical, someone has to pay the rfl some rent for odsal

Things could have been so different if Bradford had merged with Halifax two decades ago.