Bradford Bulls boss Chris Caisley today said he plans to take the world champions back to their Odsal home, pictured, next season.

The club moved out to became the guests of Bradford City at Valley Parade last year to make way for contractors expected to build a world class sports stadium.

But the club's hopes of returning to the new 26,000-seat development next season have been dashed after the Government ordered a public inquiry into the scheme.

Today Mr Caisley said the club was still fighting for the new stadium, and he was answering calls by the fans to go back home to Odsal - but claimed Bradford Council had a legal obligation to carry out improvements.

He said the club would end their season as guests at the Bradford and Bingley Stadium and appreciated the help

Bradford City managing director Shaun Harvey said the Bantams had not received an approach to extend the deal and did not expect one. He said his club had been pleased to play host, but added that it had not been particularly lucrative for the Bantams.

Mr Caisley said today: "The fans have told us they want us back at Odsal and that is what we are preparing to do.

"I am very grateful to Bradford City for accommodating us, but it was only ever meant to be a temporary arrangement."

He said the hold-up caused by the public inquiry was clearly going to kill the possibility of the Bulls returning to a completed stadium next season.

Mr Caisley added: "We have written to the Council asking it to advise us on what it intends to do."

He claimed the Council had responsibilities to provide a stadium which met its requirements under a legal contract signed with the Bulls in 1986.

Mr Caisley said the work could cost the Council up to about £10 million including the possible demolition and rebuilding of a hospitality suite which did not meet health and safety requirements.

He described the stadium toilets as appalling and said the re-roofing of the stand several years ago had only ever been meant as a temporary measure.

But Bradford Council's chief executive Ian Stewart said the authority had always met its legal contractual obligations to the Bulls and would continue to do so.

He said the Council and developers were preparing their statements to submit to Government officers dealing with the inquiry.

"The fight goes on at this stage," he said.

Mr Caisley said: "Everyone wants the redevelopment of Odsal to move forward but we are trying to deliver what the fans want."

And Mr Harvey said: "There are no negotiations with the Bulls to extend things. There has been no approach, nor would I expect there to be.

"We signed for a fixed two year period. We haven't been made rich out of this deal and it hasn't been a particularly lucrative one for the football club."

Bulls fan David Allen, who has followed the club since the 1960s, said fans had made it clear at a meeting with Mr Caisley that they wanted to go back to Odsal.

The decision to take the Odsal development project to a public inquiry was a bitter blow to developers Sterling Capitol which had hoped to start work by the autumn.

The Leeds-based company says it will take about a year to build the stadium.

The scheme would include a Tesco superstore, providing the commercial element necessary to pay for it. It would also include a hotel, leisure facilities and upgraded pitches at the nearby Richard Dunn sports centre.

The scheme is intended to provide thousands of jobs and include a major partnership scheme to help unemployed people.

No comment was available from Sterling Capitol.