MANY Bradford Bulls fans have been left despondent by the devastating news that prospective new owner Chris Brereton has pulled out of the consortium looking to save the club.

The rest of the consortium are still looking to make progress, and have stated that this week's planned fans' forums in Dewsbury will still go ahead.

It is a blow to lose the influential Brereton from the group though. He is highly regarded in rugby league circles, having helped save Super League side Wakefield Trinity from bankruptcy in 2013.

Unsurprisingly, fans have not taken the news well, with many turning their ire on current owner Andrew Chalmers, and several making the gloomy prediction that Bulls could fall into administration for the second time in three years.

Under the club's Twitter announcement of the news, @_Rich Waterworth posted: "The club is dead.

"Endless mismanagement over a sustained period of time. AC (Andrew Chalmers) talked a good game, endlessly criticising others whilst running up yet more debt. Sad to see but the end is nigh."

@terriers96 added: "All the blame lay at the door of the @TheRFL. They keep giving us these clown owners over the likes of Mandy Koukash. Never forgive or forget them for that & it's been 1 joker after another since.

A frustrated @Pacer576 said: "The club is becoming more than a laughing stock. It seems we get people who are in for a quick pay day but mismanage the club and put it further into the ground.

"It’s the players, the coach, but most of all the paying fans suffer the most. The club name has been tarnished again."

Some tried to remain positive, with @robjennings22 suggesting: "Is it time for the fans to start a Bradford Northern from scratch? Don't know if it's manageable but might be the only way to keep RL in Bradford."

Meanwhile, rugby league commentator and Bulls fan Mick Gledhill tweeted from his @TheGameCaller Twitter account: "Whilst this is distressing and sad news, the RFL are aware of another person looking to take on the #BradfordBulls."

Only last week, Brereton outlined his plans to get Bulls back on their feet.

Speaking exclusively to the Telegraph & Argus, he had said: “It’s just like any business, it’s got to live within its means.

“Because there’s a ball involved, people like to forget about that but unfortunately PAYE and VAT don’t. It’s a business and can only spend money that it earns.

“We want to trade through the club’s present position and try and get it debt free within a couple of years.

“We’ll try to keep the club in the Championship or hopefully above and deliver to Bradford a rugby league club it can sustain.”