THE League Express Newspaper invited Bulls - along with every other Super League hopeful - to submit a short statement explaining why they felt they should become the 12th team in the sport's top tier.

Bulls' statement, which focuses on both their glittering history and what they can bring to both the sport and the city in the future, can be found below:

Bradford’s Super League contribution can be summarised as:

Three World Club Challenge successes, six Super League Grand Final appearances, featuring three wins, and two Challenge Cup triumphs – alongside winning three League Leaders' Shields.

A Super League record attendance of 24,020 and regular attendances over 15,000.

No club did more to epitomise the brave new summer offer of Super League than the Bradford Bulls, with a vibrant game day experience and extensive community and development programmes.

The club’s academy is one of the most productive in the sport.

The alumni of Super League graduates is too long to list, with over 40 players going on to become internationals, including the likes of (Elliott) Whitehead, (John) Bateman, (Jamie) Peacock, (Leon) Pryce, (Stuart) Fielden and the Burgess brothers (Sam and Tom) – and numerous current Super League players.

The current ownership group comprises of experienced, local business operators who have the best interests of the club and the city at heart.

The owners recognise the fundamental need to rebuild trust; both with the club’s supporters and the wider game and that process has most certainly begun.

The club’s vision is to become the number one corporate citizen in the district, a force for civic pride and good, a provider of hope, aspiration and employment for local players and supporters.

Its mission is to play at the highest level of domestic rugby league in an appropriate 21st century facility; making a full contribution to the whole sport.

The club’s application to Super League is built around six key facts:

  • A proven SL club previously operating at the top of and adding value to the competition and capable of so doing again
  • An existing comprehensive community engagement programme build around a mature and well developed charitable foundation
  • A football and performance department that is already well-resourced, incorporating one of the most productive academies in the sport
  • An experienced and responsible management team with proven track records in the sport
  • A measured and proportionate business plan based around medium to long term planning cycles
  • A plan to deliver one of rugby league’s iconic stadiums into a facility fit for the 21st century.