MONDAY evening saw Bradford Bulls' latest Fans' Forum instalment, as key members of the club sat down to answer supporters' questions at Odsal Stadium.

Over 100 loyal fans attended the event which was held at the AJJB Southbank Events Venue, and they'll have no doubt been pleasantly surprised with what CEO Jason Hirst, Mark Dunning and newly appointed Head of Youth Ryan Hunkin had to say.

Unfortunately for the supporters in attendance, Chairman Nigel Wood wasn’t present at the event due to “unavailability” and Hirst admitted that the event had to go ahead despite his absence, with the Forum originally scheduled for an October date.

Speaking to the T&A after the event had concluded, CEO Hirst said: “I believe it was a successful evening but most importantly, I hope it was, as my opinion isn’t what matters; it’s the fans’opinion that count. Everything we do is for the fans and the club, and nights like tonight are crucial for showing that.

“These events are all about taking feedback and answering questions albeit positive or negative, and we are more than happy to respond and give our thoughts on those topics of debate.”

“Some people have different opinions on these kinds of events than others. I’ve spoken to some CEO’S who have said to me not to have fans’ forums because if you’re doing well nobody turns up, and if you are doing poorly then a lot of people turn up and you’re subject to a lot of criticism. You need to find the right balance and that comes through spacing them out. We are going to continue with the fans’ forums every three months so we can continue to get that engagement with the supporters, however, you review these kinds of things. We aim to have the next one coinciding with the new season.”

Bulls had an extremely difficult campaign last time out in which finished they finished ninth, changed managers and had to deal with criticism from a selection of the fans.

Hirst, reflecting on that campaign, admitted that he was delighted to see the back of it.

He said: "I disagree with that it was slightly disappointing, as I feel it was disappointing most weeks, not just for the fans, but the management and ownership group too, and we are determined to be much better this upcoming season. We’re doing the best we can to give ourselves a competitive squad to win games, particularly at Odsal because we didn’t win enough home fixtures last season.”

“We’re really looking forward to having players such as Jack Walker and Bodene Thompson in and around the place because I think in any organisation it’s important that you freshen things up and bring new faces through the door.

"They have an immense wealth of experience and quality, and I know they'll bring great belief to this group, while they'll also help to set such high standards. This is not the end of signing players of this calibre either-I can assure you of that."

Hirst finished off the interview by encouraging fans to stick with the club ahead of what he believes could be a "very successful" season.

He said: "First of all, please stick with us, look to support the club as much as you can and look to spread the word about kids going free in 2023 (see in yesterday's article). Our recruitment is ongoing and is far from finished.

"Please judge us when our recruitment has finished which will be in time with the new season starting, come with an open mind about how successful we have been and let’s stick together. Together we are more united and the stronger we are as a group, then the more chance we have of having a successful season.”