Bradford Bulls: Shaun Ainscough plots new career path as personal trainer

7:50am Saturday 25th August 2012 in Bulls Photograph of the Author By Ross Heppenstall, Bradford Bulls Reporter

Shaun Ainscough fears he may have to play for enjoyment next season in the amateur ranks as he has yet to receive any job offers Shaun Ainscough fears he may have to play for enjoyment next season in the amateur ranks as he has yet to receive any job offers

Shaun Ainscough has revealed he could embark on a change of career if he fails to secure a new Bulls contract.

The winger has undertaken a course as a personal trainer and may head down that route should he fail to find another top-flight club or sign a new deal at Odsal .

Ainscough, who has enjoyed a fine campaign, is one of 17 Bradford players out of contract at the end of the season.

His overriding objective is to stay in Super League – ideally with the Bulls – and a change of ownership could yet pave the way for him to stay at the club.

But Ainscough, who has a partner and a young son, is yet to receive any offers from Super League or Championship clubs for 2013.

He said: “I’d like to stay in Super League, primarily with the Bulls but possibly elsewhere if the opportunities arose.

“I want to play at the highest level possible but realistically I might just have to get a job and play part-time in the Championship or an amateur basis with my brother.

“He plays for Wigan St Judes, so I could go there and just play for the enjoyment and to keep myself fit.

“If I did play outside of Super League, and I could earn enough to not need a job, then I’d probably do that. But it doesn’t really pay enough and I’d need a job as well. I don’t earn a fortune now but I love doing what I do: playing full-time and being with the lads at training day in and day out.

“I’ve just finished a personal training course so I could maybe do that as a job.”

Ainscough said he has warmed to the idea of working as a personal trainer after carrying out a course at the Bulls.

“Personal fitness is something we know about because we’re doing it every day,” he explained.

“Quite a lot of the players have done the course.

“They came into the club once or twice a week. It’s certainly another option for me.”

Although the uncertainty surrounding the club and his own future is preying on his mind, Ainscough said his main focus is on helping the Bulls to finish a traumatic season as strongly as possible.

He added: “It’s still early days yet and I just want to get the job done at Bradford first.

“If I start thinking about anywhere else, my head will go.

“It’s hard but I’m just trying to stay focused.

“I’ll start looking at the end of the season and maybe something will happen then.”

Ainscough also reserved praise for coach Mick Potter for his outstanding work in a season which saw the Bulls tipped by some pundits to finish bottom of Super League.

He said: “Mick’s a great coach and has shown that by how far we’ve come, from finishing tenth last year to where we would be now were it not for the points deduction.

“Making such solid progress this season, despite everything that has happened, shows what a good coach he is.”

Comments(20)

Mumby was the best says...
8:42am Sat 25 Aug 12

Hang in there. Shaun is the sort of player we need. Futures looking good again and with Crookes looking like he is moving on we will need a winger.Shaun`s form this season has been good coupled with his will to compete and get in stuck in he should be given a new contract if things workout IMHO

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raisemeup says...
8:58am Sat 25 Aug 12

Mumby was the best wrote:
Hang in there. Shaun is the sort of player we need. Futures looking good again and with Crookes looking like he is moving on we will need a winger.Shaun`s form this season has been good coupled with his will to compete and get in stuck in he should be given a new contract if things workout IMHO
Agree fully with your comments, just hope this debacle is finally sorted soon and we can resign those players who have worked so hard to keep our Club afloat, and Mick & his staff of course.COYB

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raisemeup says...
9:01am Sat 25 Aug 12

raisemeup wrote:
Mumby was the best wrote:
Hang in there. Shaun is the sort of player we need. Futures looking good again and with Crookes looking like he is moving on we will need a winger.Shaun`s form this season has been good coupled with his will to compete and get in stuck in he should be given a new contract if things workout IMHO
Agree fully with your comments, just hope this debacle is finally sorted soon and we can resign those players who have worked so hard to keep our Club afloat, and Mick & his staff of course.COYB
What I meant was RE-SIGN of course.

Funny how the same spelling can mean the exact opposite?

Our little furry friends will have a field day?

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AdeyG'man says...
9:47am Sat 25 Aug 12

I've never been Ainscough's biggest fan, but he's really hitting his straps in the second half of the season. He's quick, he scores tries..what more do you need? I'd give him a 2-year deal and I'd even sign Pryce up for another season.

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bully4us says...
9:48am Sat 25 Aug 12

When it is all sorted out it will be too late to sign many top players so Shaun will be an ideal player to give a 1 year contract to. I see next year as an interim year for the coach as he will need to go with whoever is left. It will be this time next year that any decent new signings are made. I like Ainscough because of his effort. If only he was better in defence. Worth a new deal though to help us through next year. If Potter stays he will want people he knows there to help us through the next year before he can start looking for new players.

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murphyslaw says...
9:56am Sat 25 Aug 12

He's covering his back.Well done to the lad for taking a personal training course, it keeps his options open who can blame him? With so many RFL clubs on or near the breadline there could be a lot more looking at other options before too long. Sign of the times I'm afraid.

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Mumby was the best says...
9:58am Sat 25 Aug 12

AdeyG'man wrote:
I've never been Ainscough's biggest fan, but he's really hitting his straps in the second half of the season. He's quick, he scores tries..what more do you need? I'd give him a 2-year deal and I'd even sign Pryce up for another season.
I`m not Pryce`s biggest fan, mainly because I see so much unfullfilled potential in him. He has the size and ability to be a great, yet seems happy just to get by. But I would sign him up again.

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king karl says...
10:22am Sat 25 Aug 12

pryce was a revelation in the centres... def worth another deal

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Mumby was the best says...
10:25am Sat 25 Aug 12

He played centre last season for the Broncos at Odsal and tore us apart. He`s such a big unit, maybe when he plays inside he doesn`t switch off as much.

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Shipley Paul says...
10:46am Sat 25 Aug 12

The T and A seems to be focussing on players leaving and making other career plans on a daily basis at the moment. What if we have a new owner next week? What if they offer the out of contract players a new deal? Technically, players aren't allowed to negotiate with other clubs until september anyway. Let's not jump the gun here, and let's have a little more positivity with the prospect of a new regime taking over next week. ALL the top super league clubs have supported the Bulls remaining in Super League. Eamonn McManus had it bang on last week. It's time for the T and A to report the positive side a bit more instead of buttonholing players looking for the negative vibe.

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raisemeup says...
10:51am Sat 25 Aug 12

king karl wrote:
pryce was a revelation in the centres... def worth another deal
If you remember Leon could be a bit like that when not playing in his favourite position.

He always wanted to play stand off.
And for saints and Catalan he has certainly been a revelation, at number 6...

As for Karl, maybe it's the same situation..ie He is a better player when playing in his favourite position..
Basically I think you are right.

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raisemeup says...
11:10am Sat 25 Aug 12

Shipley Paul wrote:
The T and A seems to be focussing on players leaving and making other career plans on a daily basis at the moment. What if we have a new owner next week? What if they offer the out of contract players a new deal? Technically, players aren't allowed to negotiate with other clubs until september anyway. Let's not jump the gun here, and let's have a little more positivity with the prospect of a new regime taking over next week. ALL the top super league clubs have supported the Bulls remaining in Super League. Eamonn McManus had it bang on last week. It's time for the T and A to report the positive side a bit more instead of buttonholing players looking for the negative vibe.
I think the most frustrating aspect is that the Is and Ts aren't crossed yet.

I suspect all those players out of contract and those still in contract will feel exactly as we do> ie The tension of not knowing 100% if everything is going to be alright.
If we said everything was positive now, maybe the dissapointment would be hard to stomach, if that positivity was less so. I feel it's a very difficult shout at this moment, and maybe it's cautious optimism we should be feeling.How's that for a sitting on the fence statement.?

Like you though I feel the frustration of comments that are sometmes a threat to what we hope will be the outcome.

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Mumby was the best says...
11:30am Sat 25 Aug 12

I think there are too many good comments/statements coming out of the RL and SL chairmen for a big about turn now. Maybe once the Challenge Cup Final is out the way the news which we want to hear will come out next week.
So far we have not lost any players other than those who wanted to go so thats a positive for me. But I feel we will have to pull our socks up in time for the next round of franchises or we will be out of SL.

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murphyslaw says...
12:39pm Sat 25 Aug 12

Its amazing how people don't want to hear. Ainscough has given an interview to the T&A saying that if the Bulls don't want him he has other options and within minutes people are blaming the T&A for reporting it. All this sticking fingers in ears or burying heads in sand is not going to make it all go away. Face the facts and while we are at it, don't expect much news next week as its only a 3 day week 4 at most. Its all true but go on... call me "negative". :)

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Mumby was the best says...
1:12pm Sat 25 Aug 12

Only see one comment re T&A and a valid one at that. OK you are negative (you said to call you)

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New Hall Nev says...
7:51pm Sat 25 Aug 12

Mumby was the best wrote:
Only see one comment re T&A and a valid one at that. OK you are negative (you said to call you)
any more to say about remploy

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Correctness says...
9:32am Sun 26 Aug 12

Mumby was the best wrote:
I think there are too many good comments/statements coming out of the RL and SL chairmen for a big about turn now. Maybe once the Challenge Cup Final is out the way the news which we want to hear will come out next week. So far we have not lost any players other than those who wanted to go so thats a positive for me. But I feel we will have to pull our socks up in time for the next round of franchises or we will be out of SL.
I hope what we want to hear, and what most Bradfordians want to hear, comes out next week. Council are to extend Odsal Tip

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raisemeup says...
10:51am Sun 26 Aug 12

Correctness wrote:
Mumby was the best wrote:
I think there are too many good comments/statements coming out of the RL and SL chairmen for a big about turn now. Maybe once the Challenge Cup Final is out the way the news which we want to hear will come out next week. So far we have not lost any players other than those who wanted to go so thats a positive for me. But I feel we will have to pull our socks up in time for the next round of franchises or we will be out of SL.
I hope what we want to hear, and what most Bradfordians want to hear, comes out next week. Council are to extend Odsal Tip
Presumably we will have a few of the less enamoured to our plight. to begin the first land fill?

I can think of a few? If I'm being correct... by not naming them!

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benjibullll says...
9:43pm Sun 26 Aug 12

shut your face correctness you plant pot go on city site and play with your city mates

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BCFC LAD says...
10:59pm Mon 27 Aug 12

Why when we can all come on here and play together ?

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