Time for RFL to be ruthless over new owners

The governing body has received around 10 ‘serious’ expressions of interest from parties wanting to start up a new club after the three-times World Club champions were put into liquidation on Tuesday.

They have set a deadline of noon on Monday for bids to be made to the Executive, the likes of RFL chief executive Nigel Wood and chief operating officer Ralph Rimmer then analysing proposals before hopefully presenting a recommendation to the independent board by next Friday.

The board has come under fire from some for allowing any new club to remain in the Championship – albeit starting on minus 12 points and with the lowest central funding of just £150,000 – given normal practice would have seen them demoted to League 1.

However, the RFL claim the sport “needs” a strong Bradford – Bulls were liquidated owing creditors more than £1m which is now wiped clean – and it is in the wider interests of the game that everything is done to support them.

Leeds Rhinos chief executive Gary Hetherington and Castleford Tigers counterpart Steve Gill support that view.

Hull KR chairman Neil Hudgell, whose relegated side still hope to start the new Championship season against Bradford on Sunday February 5, believes they should remain, too, arguing fans have already bought season tickets to watch Championship action and that should be honoured.

Pearson concurs as well but, having seen Bradford suffer three administrations in five years under a number of owners each ratified by the RFL, believes there has to be a far more stringent selection process undertaken.

“I bought into a franchise system when I bought Hull (in 2011) so, therefore, I was opposed to relegation and promotion anyway,” he told The Yorkshire Post.

“I strongly agree with this decision; the game desperately needs Bradford Bulls and Hull KR back in the Super League format.

“I think it’s a shame we haven’t got two strong franchises like that in Super League and we have no option but to try and get Bradford back there as soon as possible.

“If that means we have to cut them some slack like this then fine. But obviously the RFL needs to find a strong Bradford owner.

“I don’t think they’re to blame for previous ones. But the worry is because it is now going to be a cheap (debt-free) entry into rugby league that we might get another wrong regime into what should be one of the strongest franchises.

“The RFL really has to apply a fit and proper person test that sees someone provide evidence of a long-term plan of investment into a club rather than just a plan to speculate.

“The fit and proper person test to take control of a football club is so rigorous and rugby league needs to be more like that. That needs to be applied to Bradford to avoid this happening again.”

Pearson, who has owned Hull City and held a majority shareholding at Derby County previously, added: “Bradford is being given a fresh start but new owners have to understand that they will not be successful overnight.

“It takes three years to build a proper club and by the very nature of that when you are going through a fallow period you have to invest; to try and take money out of a Super League club is incredibly hard.

“The way it is at the minute, rugby league is not attractive to new owners in the game who want to invest and the worry is a lot of commercial revenue is going to union and football instead.”

Whereas before, the RFL sanctioned a choice of owner put forward by the administrator, they will now solely be in charge of who is next in line to take on the mantle so they will be held accountable if it does go wrong.

They, of course, will be eager to make sure that does not happen.

It could be argued there remains a conflict of interest, however, as the RFL own the lease to the club’s Odsal Stadium and some bidders may not want to be based there. Meanwhile, head coach Rohan Smith, the Australian who joined on a three-year deal last May, has pledged to stay if the new owners want him to.

It is unclear if a new club will be able to keep the Bulls name, though, should it want to and Bradford South MP Judith Cummins has demanded an investigation into how the business collapsed so spectacularly.

Centre Jason Walton, who joined from Wakefield Trinity on a two-year deal at the end of last season, became the first to leave yesterday, signing with Featherstone Rovers for 12 months. He was swiftly followed by second-row Tom Olbison’s move to Widnes Vikings on a one-year deal.