BULLS stalwart Stuart Duffy admits his recent minor heart attack has put life into perspective.

The long-serving official, who marks 19 years' service for the club this week, is back working at Odsal after suffering the health scare in March.

Having resumed his job working as football manager, Duffy insists he is "feeling fit and raring to go" again.

After taking a month off to recover, he said: "It has put things into perspective. You realise what is important, such as family, and what is not important."

There is no doubt the Bulls remain dear to him but the 68-year-old has been told he needs to reduce his stress levels.

Duffy witnessed the fallout of the club's latest – and biggest – financial meltdown first hand.

He stepped up as general manager when Robbie Hunter-Paul left his role as chief executive last August.

The anxiety and uncertainty of another period in administration at the end of last year was followed by the shock of liquidation in January.

Duffy has then been part of the difficult rebuilding process, when a new club was formed under new owners Andrew Chalmers and Graham Lowe.

Four months on and it has become evident just how tough that process has been, with the club still waiting to be given the green light to officially appoint Geoff Toovey as head coach.

It has all added up to the most challenging period of Duffy's time at the club.

He said: "The doctors asked me, 'Have you been stressed?' I said, 'I do work for Bradford Bulls!'"

Asked if he felt the situation at the Bulls had taken its toll on him, he said: "Probably so. It's been very difficult getting the new club started up again. There has been a lot of work to do in a short space of time."

Duffy first felt chest pains before the Bulls visited London Broncos in early March.

"I mentioned it to the doctor but I was also full of cold and was given some anti-biotics," he said.

"I was all right the following week but then the following Wednesday night I had chest pains again.

"I came to work next morning and the doctor was in work, which is not every day. I told him how I felt and he booked an ambulance.

"They took me to Bradford Royal Infirmary and I had an ECG (electrocardiogram) test.

"They took blood samples and said if I'd had a heart attack these toxins would be present and they were. They said I'd had a slight heart attack."

Duffy was kept in hospital for a few days before an angiogram thankfully revealed there was nothing wrong with his blood flow.

Other than being ordered not to work or drive for a month, no further treatment was needed.

Duffy "just relaxed and chilled out" during his sick leave, though still came to games in an unofficial capacity.

Having returned to work for the Featherstone trip on Easter Monday, he said: "I'm trying to not do as many things and people are helping. The club have been great in making sure I don't do too much.

"I'm trying not to get as stressed out over things. I'm taking it easier in that I am no longer the general manager (the club have yet to appoint a replacement), so I'm not involved with day-to-day running of the place at Odsal."

Four defeats on the bounce since Duffy's return might not have helped his general mood but he insists he feels fine health-wise.

And the Bulls finally reaching the zero points mark would certainly give him a lift.

Their next match at home to fourth-placed London looks another tough encounter, with the Broncos having hammered Bradford in the capital earlier in the campaign.

Duffy recalled: "That was a bad day at the office for us. But being strengthened by loan signings coming back gives us a better chance of beating London and reaching zero. That would be a huge boost for the fans."