SIR - As someone who attended the first game at Odsal in 1934 (as a four-year-old with my grandfather) and operated the old wooden scoreboard in the 1940s, long before the old tramcar board, I feel I must put my thoughts into print.

Particularly as it now seems I shall have also attended the last game there.

Prior to the war, the potential of the site was recognised with the world's best tennis stars appearing there, also an international ladies soccer match between Preston Ladies and Belgium (both of which I have the programmes for).

Read more: Prospective new owners face fight to keep squad together

Rugby league recognised the stadium with a rugby league cup semi-final, subsequently followed by many more in later years.

Following the record attendance of more than 100,000 for a cup final replay, the question of development as 'Wembley of the North' again raised its head.

I have lost count of the number of times plans to this effect have been raised, plans drawn and costs estimated since then, with the last only a few years ago, when Tesco's were to be one of the backers.

The first football (of any form), floodlit match in the north was held there; between Northern and tourists, as was the first-ever floodlit cricket game.

Showjumping, the Cossacks, Harlem Globetrotters have all been there. In addition, of course, to speedway, stock car racing and motor cycling trials.

Bradford Council over 60/70 years have a lot to answer for, as indeed the Rugby Football League (RFL) over the last 10 years.

It used to be said that 'rugby union was a game played by amateurs, governed by professionals, whilst rugby league was a game played by professionals, run by amateurs'.

The only change over the years is that now rugby union is played by professionals.

What is the RFL now going to do about the ground and the long lease they have? (to change the locks immediately after the last game was peevishness at its very worst).

In addition to putting the club in special measures, how do they think we can survive at all having to move on and not being able to offer even our own players a future here apart from the 13 already under contract?

Perhaps if we called ourselves Quebec, Vancouver or Dunkirk, the RFL would be much more eager to help.

To still charge the same amount of rent we were paying when in Super League, following two demotions, and not doing anything to maintain the stadium is almost criminal.

I always thought that if you hired a premises, it was up to the landlord to maintain same (premises).

Here we have one of the best supported teams in their respective leagues, and one which regularly takes more supporters away than some attract at home.

And no doubt this would also apply if we were to again reach Super League. How many of the foreign clubs bring many to their away games?

You only have to look at the falling attendances over the last few years, which will only get worse by more foreign teams.

Will the RFL be happy if, and perhaps when, a quarter, or even a third of the clubs in Super League are based abroad? Whilst the games founding areas, such as Cumberland etc, slowly die?

Developed properly, Odsal could have been hosting the cup semi-finals instead of pouring money into the coffers of the much better off association football; and who knows, replacing Old Trafford for the final.

I, and many others I have spoken to, now fear for the future of the Bulls. I know Andrew Chalmers has said that "people support the team not the ground" but Odsal stadium is, and always has been, Bradford Northern/Bulls.

I treasure a photograph of my grandfather and friends, preparing the ground in 1934, and hardly dare to visit his grave as he must, along with many others, be 'spinning'.

Yours Faithfully,

Arthur Deacon, Overton Drive, Bradford