JOHN Kear insists the Bulls will willingly “play anywhere” as the debate over their future at Odsal rumbles on.

Chairman Andrew Chalmers has set a self-imposed deadline of next Thursday to decide if they will be moving out – which would happen as early as September 30.

Valley Parade, Horsfall Stadium and Dewsbury’s Tetley’s Stadium have all been sounded out as possible alternative bases should the club opt to walk away from their home since 1934 because of the on-going financial drain on their resources.

But the prospect of ground-sharing with City – as they did in the 2001 and 2002 seasons while the hospitality suites were being built at Odsal – looks a complete non-starter because of the prohibitive costs that would be involved.

City now pay around £450,000 in rent for Valley Parade to the Gibb family pension fund – but the addition of other operating costs more than doubles that to nearly £1.1 million annually.

The Bulls currently pay landlords the Rugby Football League £72,000 a year, although the full bill to maintain their ageing ground is thought to be closer to £400,000.

But that is still well under half what it is costing their neighbours, who would expect them to pick up their fair share of the overall tab if they were to be allowed to move in.

On top of that, there would be further costs involved with the logistics of making the stadium suitable for housing both sports, such as pitch alterations.

Kear and the playing staff are not being drawn into the situation as they wait for answers.

The Bulls coach said: “We’ll leave it with the decision makers.

“Andrew is trying to run the club in a sustainable manner. It certainly doesn’t help when you are whacked with that rent.

“I don’t know if there’s another rent in rugby league at that level – even with teams that play at football stadiums.

“We’ll fully support whatever Andrew and the board decide and we’ll keep trying to perform on the field of play.

“The players aren’t bothered. Find them a piece of grass and they will play.

“It’s 13 against 13 on a piece of ground with two sets of posts at the end of it.

“We’ll play anywhere. We’ll represent this great club as best as we possibly can, wherever the venue is.”

As it stands, the Bulls could potentially play their final game at Odsal on September 1 against Sheffield Eagles. It is the only home fixture in the four that remain in the Championship.

With a five-point gap now to the play-offs, their chances of extending the season any further appear remote.

Kear added: "We’ve got a tough run-in but they are all winnable."