Potter out as Bradford Bulls crisis deepens

The Australian-born head coach has been sacked along with members of his coaching staff as the former Super League champions battle to avoid liquidation.

The axe fell on 16 staff. Chief executive Ryan Duckett, who is a member of the club’s board of directors, has gone, along with Lee St Hilaire, Stu Barrow and Paul Medley.

“This is an attempt to reduce our cash requirements,” said administrator Brendan Guilfoyle.

Guilfoyle says the club still intend to fulfil Sunday’s Stobart Super League home game against London Broncos and he was due to meet the Rugby Football League this afternoon to seek assistance.

The Bulls went into administration after the club’s directors failed to raise the £1.2million they say was needed to see them through to the end of the season.

Bradford owed around £300,000 to the HM Revenue & Customs, who were poised to issue a winding-up petition.

“In the month of July I will need around a quarter of a million pounds to keep the club going and I’ve got £20,000 maximum in the bank,” Guilfoyle said.

“I have made 16 redundancies, including Mick Potter and three coaches. I am looking at fulfilling Sunday’s fixture.

“The players have been asked to report back for work at 10 o’clock in the morning and I am going to see the RFL this afternoon to seek their assistance.”

The news stunned the Bradford players, with prop Nick Scruton tweeting: “Awful day today. People lives are been (sic) ruined with no consequences. Hope things get sorted soon for everyone’s sake.”

Guilfoyle said he gave Potter the option of continuing in his role without pay but he declined.

“A number of people have approached us to help run and coach in the club without payment - we are now pursuing these offers as a matter of urgency,” he said.

Meanwhile, the RFL say they were not given advance notice of today’s shock development.

In a statement, the governing body said: “The RFL is concerned by the news that the official administrator of Bradford Bulls has made all the club’s non-playing staff redundant.

“The governing body received no official notification of this action and is meeting the administrator Brendan Guilfoyle this afternoon to seek an explanation and clarification.

“The RFL is continuing to establish the facts behind this development and will not be making any further comment until we have spoken to all the parties involved.”