NEWS that Nigel Wood and his family have become the major shareholders of Bradford Bulls has provoked plenty of reaction.

Much of it may not have been positive but, as chief executive of the Rugby Football League for a decade, Wood is certainly no stranger to criticism.

An on-line petition set up by a fan in 2017 to show a vote of no confidence in him gained over 5,000 signatures and he has been a regular target for flak among rugby league supporters.

Read more: Mark Sawyer defends Nigel Wood involvement

The new venture with his home-town club Bradford Bulls has critics claiming a potential conflict of interest, given he is chief executive of the Rugby League International Federation.

But as a lifelong Bradford fan, Wood insists he just wants to help the club and see it return to the city.

His involvement in rugby league first came as a player when he featured for Bradford Northern and Halifax RLFC juniors and Huddersfield reserves.

Injury saw him drop out of the professional game but he played in the amateur Pennine League with South Bradford. Wood also had a stint as the Telegraph & Argus amateur rugby league correspondent.

Off the field, Wood qualified as an accountant after leaving Buttershaw Upper School and was appointed deputy head of finance for the BBC (North) in Manchester.

His first foray into rugby league administration came when he was appointed chief executive of Halifax RLFC in 1995.

Under his tenure, the club changed their name to Halifax Bluesox - a switch which proved unpopular with many fans and didn't last - and moved from Thrum Hall to the Shay.

Halifax fell into financial difficulties, with the club securing a Creditors Voluntary Agreement in 1999.

Wood, who earned a Masters in Business Administration from Bradford University in 1996, joined the RFL in 2001 where he became chief operating officer and financial director.

Having already been chief executive and director of Super League from 1996, Wood became CEO of the governing body in 2007.

His achievements at the helm include increased revenues, securing the biggest commercial deal in the sport's history with broadcast partner Sky Sports in 2014, the establishment of Magic Weekend and the Grand Final concepts and the Benevolent Fund for injured players.

He oversaw the successful 2013 World Cup held in England, Wales, France and Ireland.

An advocate for the international game, he became chairman of the Rugby League International Federation in 2014 before taking up his current chief executive role of the RLIF in June 2018.

He backed the introduction of overseas clubs such as Catalan Dragons and Toronto, though some feel his expansionist outlook was at the expense of heartland clubs.

His tenure at the head of the RFL came to an end in January 2018, shortly after being ousted from the Super League board following the top flight's breakaway.

Criticism came his way when a report in Rugby League Express stated his 2016 salary was £314,000, which triggered an on-line petition to show a vote of no confidence.

Declining player participation figures and the controversial Stobart Super League sponsorship deal - which advertised clubs and players on the transport company's trucks but did not involve cash from the agreement - were among a number of other issues highlighted.

The continual saga at the Bulls, of course, is also brought up by Wood's detractors.

Under his watch, the RFL purchased the lease at Odsal for £1.2 million in 2012 when Bulls fell into financial trouble in a move to preserve rugby league in the city.

Since that year, Bradford have stumbled from one crisis to another, suffering three administrations and a liquidation.

Now some are questioning whether a man involved in the process of appointing owners - including the now departed Andrew Chalmers - who have failed to turn the Bulls round should be involved in the ownership of the club himself.

It has been reported that there have been calls for an independent enquiry into the history of the RFL’s ownership of the lease, with Odsal currently unused following the departure of Bulls to Dewsbury due to high financial costs of remaining there.

Wood, though, insists his intentions are only for the good of the club as the statement at the fans forum, issued on behalf of himself and his family, indicated.

It read: “As some people know my family and wife’s family are lifelong Bradford supporters through Northern and the Bulls and we have watched closely and sadly recent events unfold.

"We have been asked if we could assist and while it would be much easier and frankly much simply to leave it for others to try to sort out, we have concluded that we could not stand by without doing whatever we reasonably can.

“As I hope can be appreciated, my professional duties internationally mean I cannot and will not get involved with the day to day running of the club, but I do have full confidence in those that will lead the going forward.

“I am prepared to offer help and advice I can, to the group with one clear and simple aim…to bring the Bulls back to Bradford, where they belong.”