The Rugby Football League is refusing to back down from a trio of former Bradford Bulls directors despite the threat of legal action.

Mark Moore, Andrew Calvert and Ian Watt pulled out of their bid to buy the Super League club after it was docked six points for entering administration last Tuesday.

Moore subsequently launched a scathing attack on the governing body over their handling of the group’s attempted takeover.

But RFL boss Ralph Rimmer responded: “At a meeting with the club’s directors on February 7, they informed the RFL that they needed a further £500,000 of investment or advances of broadcast monies in order to continue to trade.

“We have seen nothing further from the directors to suggest that situation has improved. Indeed, their business plan revealed yet another attempt to buy the club with its own money.”

The former directors said their “pockets are deep enough to be able to fund a legal action until we get an apology.”

They gave the RFL a deadline of 4pm today to withdraw the press release from their website.

But the RFL say they will not be taking down the statement and are taking legal advice.