Bradford Bulls chairman Hood eases fans' financial fears (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

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Bradford Bulls chairman Peter Hood eases fans' financial fears at members' forum

7:00am Thursday 2nd February 2012 in Bulls By Ross Heppenstall

Bulls chairman Peter Hood at last night’s forum with, left, football and media manager Stuart Duffy, chief executive Ryan Duckett and, far right, head coach Mick Potter

Bulls chairman Peter Hood told fans last night that the RFL’s purchase amount of Odsal did not amount to a “bail-out” as Mick Potter admitted that results will determine his fate this season.

Both men were speaking at the latest members’ forum in the Coral Stand, where supporters turned out to seek answers following last week’s sale of the club’s iconic home.

It was announced last week that the RFL had bought out the remaining 140 years of the club’s 150-year lease on Odsal.

Hood revealed that the terms of the deal were agreed in November and signed in December, but dismissed out of hand suggestions that the move spared Bradford from serious financial problems.

It was also revealed that trialist Phil Joseph had been awarded a one-year contract and that the Bulls were confident of keeping Elliott Whitehead beyond his current deal, which expires at the end of 2013.

Asked about the RFL’s purchase of Odsal, Hood said: “In these recessionary times, a financial deal of this kind is extremely welcome, but no, it wasn’t a bail-out.

“Had this deal not been done, we almost certainly would have stayed at Odsal.

“Could we have done? Yes, absolutely.”

Asked about the RFL’s plans for Odsal, Hood added: “The RFL have said they have no immediate plans but I’m sure that in the longer term they share the vision that we all share about what the stadium might potentially be.

“When we get to the other side of this recession, the club and the RFL will certainly be looking at what opportunities come along.”

Chief executive Ryan Duckett, who said the club’s final pledge figure of 10,100 was around ten per cent down on last year, added: “The RFL were keen to take the sting out of the idea of a ‘Wembley of the north’.

“But I think moving forward that the RFL, the Council, the club and all the other stakeholders will have meetings about, maybe not an Odsal sports village, but ways that the site can be developed for the good of the club and the game.”

Potter, meanwhile, accepted the need for improvement in 2012, the second year of his two-year deal, as the Bulls look to re-establish themselves in the play-offs.

Asked about staying beyond this season, he said: “I’d certainly consider it but it will depend on results.

“I like working at Bradford and I love doing the job – there isn’t many of them in the world.”

Potter expects Matt Diskin and Heath L’Estrange to be fit for Sunday’s clash with Catalan Dragons but admitted Keith Lulia could miss out due to a hamstring injury.

The Bulls have covered the pitch as they look to beat the expected big freeze.

Comments(12)

Tricky Dicky says...
12:45pm Thu 2 Feb 12

"We didn't have to sell it, but we did." " We prefer to pay market rates for renting the ground rather than the previous peppercorn." "The RFL have no immediate plans to improve the dire state of the ground." "We now have no equity to raise any significant amount of cash." "We are not in financial trouble."
Sorry???????