Extra time plea in fight to save Bradford Bulls (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)
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Extra time plea in fight to save Bradford Bulls
7:00am Saturday 28th July 2012 in Bulls
By Hannah Postles, T&A Reporter
TO THE WIRE: Administrator Brendan Guilfoyle locked in negotiations
The administrator of Bradford Bulls last night issued a plea for further cash from the Rugby Football League in a bid to buy more time to save the struggling rugby league club from liquidation.
Brendan Guilfoyle, of The P&A Partnership, said the only way he could keep hopes of a takeover alive would be to get money from the governing body to pay its £200,000 August wage bill after he failed to find a buyer before yesterday’s deadline.
If no cash can be found to keep the club going, the famous rugby league side could be forced to fold.
Mr Guilfoyle said yesterday: “The only way I can take the Bulls into next month is if the RFL help by paying the wages’ bill.
“Today is the administrators’ deadline to save the Bulls and I don't have an offer for the club which is acceptable to the RFL.
“If the RFL can help me to buy a little more time then I can try to bring an acceptable deal to the table.”
The RFL, which on the eve of the deadline rejected an offer from a consortium of Bradford businessmen known as ABC, last night confirmed it was considering a revised bid from the group and remained “hopeful” a buyer could be found.
RFL director of standards and licensing Blake Solly said: “We have received details of an updated offer to the administrator of Bradford Bulls and will respond to the administrator in due course. Throughout this process the RFL has to recognise its responsibility to safeguard the best interests of the wider game, the competitions and all member clubs.
“We understand the protracted nature of the dialogue and the perceived lack of transparency are a source of frustration for many people but these matters are extremely complex and it is imperative that confidentiality and integrity are maintained throughout this process.”
The governing body, which provided Bulls with an advance on funds to pay its staff in July, did not comment on whether it would be able to pay the club’s wages for August.
Meanwhile, it has been confirmed a separate offer for the troubled rugby league side was submitted by Bradford curry house boss Omar Khan on Thursday night.
Former Sports Minister and Bradford South MP Gerry Sutcliffe yesterday said Mr Khan, owner of Omar Khan’s restaurants in Bradford and Skipton , had tabled a formal bid for an undisclosed sum.
He said: “That offer is now with the administrator but we probably won’t know any more until Monday.”
It was also revealed yesterday that Shabir Hussain, managing director of Akbar’s, who had been part of ABC, had left the consortium.
An Akbar’s representative yesterday said its managing director Shabir Hussain had left the consortium but was willing to “unconditionally” pay Bulls up to £50,000 cash per year for the next three years. He confirmed the money would be paid directly to Bradford Bulls, regardless of who took over the club.
Dill Butt, corporate director, said Mr Hussain would donate between £25,000 and £50,000 a year – with the final amount to be decided.
“We have no ulterior motives with the ground or a commercial interest in Bradford Bulls,” he said.
“The donation would be to help them get their cash flow sorted.
“We’re not asking for shares or a place on the board of directors or anything like that. It’s just a donation.
“Bradford Bulls means a lot to a lot of people in Bradford.”
Comments(24)
yangyeight
says...
7:54am Sat 28 Jul 12
you cannot run a home by borrowing money from next month's wages so how does he expect to run a business like that?
once maybe but not over and over again.
we need an endgame.
yangyeight
says...
7:56am Sat 28 Jul 12
more like ringing to check HIS wage as gone in........
Thee Voice of Reason
says...
7:59am Sat 28 Jul 12
The arministrator saying the RFL needs to pay the wages, thats not exactly do them any favours in fact I would say its going to push them over the edge and force them to wash their hands with the club.
We'll have the few on here who will now slate the RFL for not paying the wages no doubt but how in any way is this fair to the other 13 teams that aren't being funded by the RFL.
So far the RFL in order to try keep the club going have bought the lease and charged a peppercorn rent and then issued monies earlier that normal to help cashflow and now the administrators want more. Sorry but those who slate the RFL should remember they didn't even have to do the first two things in order to help the Bulls.
Mike Strutter
says...
8:11am Sat 28 Jul 12
streetcar
says...
8:27am Sat 28 Jul 12
food_for_thought
says...
8:29am Sat 28 Jul 12
streetcar
says...
8:36am Sat 28 Jul 12
scandanavian's love child52
says...
8:51am Sat 28 Jul 12
Just a thought.
streetcar
says...
9:01am Sat 28 Jul 12
scandanavian's love child52 wrote:Yes
Does he get paid more the longer it goes on ?
Just a thought.
localydocaly
says...
9:59am Sat 28 Jul 12
Avro
says...
10:41am Sat 28 Jul 12
So now its cap in hand to the league for short term survival in hope of a deal coming good, which would simply be throwing good money over bad!
The dog has had its day, its now time to put it out of its misery.
RuggerTyke
says...
12:57pm Sat 28 Jul 12
He just looks wrong.
Avro
says...
1:00pm Sat 28 Jul 12
streetcar wrote:Suspect he might also get some form of bonus if a buyer is secured
scandanavian's love child52 wrote: Does he get paid more the longer it goes on ? Just a thought.Yes
justjustice
says...
1:03pm Sat 28 Jul 12
yangyeight
says...
2:08pm Sat 28 Jul 12
justjustice wrote:oh my god, how many times does it need saying?
ABC's offer looked pretty good to me, they buy the club and get back the grounds. Shouldnt the club own it's own grounds rather than lease it from the RFL?!
THE COUNCIL (taxpayer) owns the grounds!!!
the problem is that the council would sell its own mother for money so what would happen to the stadium is anyone's guess!!
GC BD4
says...
3:17pm Sat 28 Jul 12
RuggerTyke wrote:TIN FOIL more like, why has this debacle carried on for so long, Guilfoyle gets his money either way. Lets cut to the chase and wind up and start again. This would be better all round instead of prolonging the agony of staff, players and supporters alike, we should then be able to put this sorrowful episode behind us and grow into a championship side that we once were.
Guilt Foil.
He just looks wrong.
room124
says...
7:35pm Sat 28 Jul 12
yangyeight wrote:It was Peter Hood who in January 2012 sold the lease on the ground to the RFL; with the consent of the freeholder, Bradford Council. Who, when, where and why the Council took/accepted any decision to hive off a valuable piece of taxpayer owned real estate is yet to be explained. Perhaps it should be. Over to you Tony Reeves.
justjustice wrote:oh my god, how many times does it need saying?
ABC's offer looked pretty good to me, they buy the club and get back the grounds. Shouldnt the club own it's own grounds rather than lease it from the RFL?!
THE COUNCIL (taxpayer) owns the grounds!!!
the problem is that the council would sell its own mother for money so what would happen to the stadium is anyone's guess!!
arhmen aleg
says...
7:46pm Sat 28 Jul 12
yangyeight wrote:Right now the RFL have an unexpired long lease than when the bulls signed was for 150 years.
justjustice wrote: ABC's offer looked pretty good to me, they buy the club and get back the grounds. Shouldnt the club own it's own grounds rather than lease it from the RFL?!oh my god, how many times does it need saying? THE COUNCIL (taxpayer) owns the grounds!!! the problem is that the council would sell its own mother for money so what would happen to the stadium is anyone's guess!!
So the RFL own the ground effectively.
The freehold reversion will revert the land to the taxpayer in light years away when our kids and their future grandkids are all dead.
So 50000 a year sounds a pretty good land and stadium deal to me.
I would let the RFL keep it for now and work with them.
They may be able to attract stadium investors on a grand scale with their status rather than the Bulls.
I mean who wants to know a company that has a history of mismanagement.
vikksy
says...
11:03pm Sat 28 Jul 12
Reality50
says...
2:17am Sun 29 Jul 12
beardedclam
says...
9:18am Sun 29 Jul 12
arhmen aleg wrote:I couldn't have summed it up with more paragraphs myself!
yangyeight wrote:Right now the RFL have an unexpired long lease than when the bulls signed was for 150 years.
justjustice wrote: ABC's offer looked pretty good to me, they buy the club and get back the grounds. Shouldnt the club own it's own grounds rather than lease it from the RFL?!oh my god, how many times does it need saying? THE COUNCIL (taxpayer) owns the grounds!!! the problem is that the council would sell its own mother for money so what would happen to the stadium is anyone's guess!!
So the RFL own the ground effectively.
The freehold reversion will revert the land to the taxpayer in light years away when our kids and their future grandkids are all dead.
So 50000 a year sounds a pretty good land and stadium deal to me.
I would let the RFL keep it for now and work with them.
They may be able to attract stadium investors on a grand scale with their status rather than the Bulls.
I mean who wants to know a company that has a history of mismanagement.
Correctness
says...
9:22am Sun 29 Jul 12
room124
says...
11:45am Sun 29 Jul 12
scandanavian's love child52 says...
7:07am Sat 28 Jul 12
What the 10,000 who bought cheap season tickets ?
How many people live in Bradford 500,000 - 750,000 ?
I rest my case