Patient Potter waiting for outcome of Bulls takeover

BRADFORD Bulls head coach Mick Potter admits tomorrow’s game against Widnes Vikings may now not be his final match following developments at the beleaguered club this week.

The Australian has been working unpaid since being made redundant four weeks ago, Bradford having been put into administration on June 26, but said he would need to make a decision about his future after this next fixture.

However, with Super League Europe putting a bid in to the club’s administrators to take over ownership on Thursday, Potter says he may be able to extend his stay a little longer.

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“If the administrator accepts the offer then, in the short-term, there may be a way forward for myself,” he told the Yorkshire Post.

“We’ll know in the very near future which probably suits my own timeline.

“I probably need to make a decision around about now so I’ll sweat it out another few days.”

If the SLE bid is successful, Potter and his coaching staff are likely to be reinstated until the end of the season.

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The club’s supporters’ trust BullBuilder, meanwhile, has met RFL director of licensing and standards Blake Lolly to discuss the SLE move and have been suitably invigorated by the details.

Although it emerges Bradford still have around £1.5m debts, he told them that the umbrella company for Super League’s clubs only see the potential purchase as a short-term move and are confident of finding a new long-term owner which could take it forward.

Solly also confided that he could not guarantee the Bulls would remain in Super League for 2013 and revealed that, if the bid is accepted, the Bradford players would be free to speak to other clubs to secure their futures for next season.

Administrator Brendan Guilfoyle is set to make a decision by the middle of next week and Potter added: “At least this (offer) would take out the middle man and anyone interested can now go straight to the RFL/Super League with their bid and they can decide if it’s the right one. That’s what everyone wants – Bradford Bulls as a viable team and business in Super League.”

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He has urged as many people as possible to attend the home game against Widnes in order to boost the coffers. “It’s a massive game for our team and the club in the short-term,” Potter continued. “It’s a huge ask to get in the semis but the first step forward would be to beat Widnes.

“There’s no two ways about it. If we lose this one then we are pretty much gone for the season.”

History as well as form suggests Bradford should prosper given their opponents have never won at Odsal in the summer era and only defeated the Bulls once during Super League.