Search on for new offers for Bradford Bulls (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Rugby Football League says it won't accept conditions on bid

8:00am Thursday 2nd August 2012 in News By Dolores Cowburn , Bradford Chief Reporter

The Bradford Bulls joint administrator is now seeking unconditional offers for the crisis-hit club after the Rugby Football League flatly refused to accept any conditions attached to the two consortium bids on the table.

In a statement yesterday, the RFL confirmed it had told the ABC Consortium that its amended offer to purchase the club remained unacceptable.

It is understood that a rival bid by Bradford restaurateur Omar Khan will also be turned down by the RFL because it has a condition attached which is that the club remains in the Super League.

Joint administrator Brendan Guilfoyle confirmed last night he was now seeking a buyer prepared to put in an unconditional offer.

“The RFL are asking for offers that have no conditions,” he said. “I haven’t been able to find anybody prepared to offer an unconditional proposal.”

The refusal to accept the ABC bid – which contained the conditions that the Odsal Stadium lease was bought back by the purchasers and also a guaranteed Super League status – left a source close to the group claiming the RFL “does not want the Bulls to survive”.

The source said: “It is absolutely nonsense. We were willing to give the RFL what they wanted.”

The RFL director of standards and licensing, Blake Solly, said: “While we are encouraged by the continued interest in purchasing Bradford Bulls, it is disappointing the ABC Consortium is still unable to submit an unconditional offer. We have been consistent and clear in that our position is we are unable to consider any offer which comes with strings attached.

“The position with Bradford Bulls is identical to that faced by Widnes Vikings and Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, which were taken out of administration in 2007 and 2011 respectively, by new owners without any guarantee as to which competition they would be playing in.

“All inquirers have been informed that the RFL is only interested in receiving offers for Bradford Bulls which are free from any condition pertaining to competition membership or the re-acquisition of Odsal Stadium.

“The ABC Consortium has also been informed that any unconditional offer would have to be accompanied by a detailed business plan, the identity of all material shareholders and proposed directors and the appropriate proof that the required levels of funding are in place.”