D-Day for Bradford Bulls sale following delays

A CONSORTIUM is on the verge of buying the Bradford Bulls just under a week after the sale deadline expired.

A deal for the beleaguered club, which has entered administration for the fourth time in five years, was supposed to have been completed Monday 19 December.

When it was not announced, it was feared that job cuts at the club were imminent, and if the deal falls through today this could still be the case.

The Rugby Football League has now said that following “positive and detailed discussions” an unnamed consortium has all the information needed to make a formal decision on whether to buy the club.

A major sticking point was the ownership of Odsal Stadium, with the new buyer allegedly wanting to take ownership of the leasehold of the site which is currently owned by the RFL, with the stadium itself owned by Bradford City Council.

It acknowledged though that until a deal had been agreed and announced the sale may still fall through, but that it expected one to be made either way this afternoon.

The RFl spoke to players and staff at Bradford Bulls alongside administrators, represented by Howard Roberts.

A statement from the RFL said: “The RFL understands that it is a difficult time for all involved and recognises the patience and cooperation being demonstrated by, in particular, the players and staff of Bradford Bulls at what must be an incredibly stressful time.”

Bradford Bulls went into administration in November after a dispute with HMRC over tax payments.

The four-time Super League champions were relegated in 2014.