My vision of a new look for Odsal

The businessman has stepped in as talks founder between the Bulls, Bradford Council and the authority's preferred developer Horsforth-based Sterling Capitol.

Sterling Capitol, headed by Sunderland Football Club boss Bob Murray, was expected to sign up three weeks ago for its proposed £25 million scheme but the contract is still not finalised.

Now Mr Larkin - who has already offered the council £2.6 million for the nearby Richard Dunn Sports Centre - has stepped in to the fiasco.

Mr Larkin, chairman of Skylark Leisure - the Bulls main sponsor - proposed today:

l Building a new stand at Odsal Bowl, housing 1,000 corporates/executives. The stand would also house permanent offices for Bradford Bulls Holdings Limited

l Constructing an indoor soccer facility on the entrance road to Richard Dunn Sports Centre. Mr Larkin says it could also house Bradford City's academy

l Upgrading Richard Dunn Sports Centre, keeping a current range of services and improving changing and leisure areas

l Converting the outdoor shale pitch into a polyturf pitch.

Skylark also proposes a drugs rehabilitation clinic in Bradford as a second phase of the proposal.

Mr Larkin said today: "The bulk will be financed internally and Skylark Leisure will shortly become a public listed company on the London Stock Exchange. Also contributing to the financing is corporate membership. Finally I will look to the stadium and centres to be used for live concerts, exhibitions and numerous other functions.

"I have the experience, the structure, the finances and most importantly the will to help the people of Bradford."

The council says it cannot discuss an alternative scheme because it is legally bound into a goodwill agreement with Sterling Capitol but Bulls' chairman Chris Caisley said: "It is very interesting. The existing stand also needs attention, as well as the Rooley Avenue end of the ground. We are looking to sort this out as well."