Rugby league club enters administration

RUGBY league club Bradford Bulls has entered administration again, as its chairman claimed “pressure from HMRC” was behind the latest insolvency.

The beleaguered Bulls has had spells in administration in 2012, 2014 and October 2015.

Chairman Marc Green, the Leeds-based businessman who completed his takeover of the club, buying it out of administration in 2014, said: “I have been talking to a number of serious investors and purely the pressure from HMRC has forced the club to be put into this position to save its future.

“There is a dispute between ourselves and HMRC which we have been working hard to resolve since the winding up petition was issued and despite two adjournments from the courts to resolve this matter we have been unable to do so. We were concerned over the ability to secure a third adjournment and therefore this action became unavoidable to protect the club.”

Mr Green said he will be working closely with the administrators over the coming weeks and it is his intention to regain this club from them within the “shortest practicable time frame.”

He said: “Regardless of whether I remain at the helm of this great club, I will ensure all memberships already purchased for next season will remain valid, as will the offer under which they were purchased. I believe the future of Bradford Bulls is still strong.”