The UK’s Rugby Football League (RFL) is working to find new buyers for embattled Super League club Bradford Bulls after coming in for hostile criticism following a dramatic walk-out by the club’s current directors.
Mark Moore, chairman of Bradford Bulls 2014 Ltd, announced his company was pulling out after the club were docked six points by the RFL for going into administration for the second time in two years.
Moore claimed the sanctions meant almost certain relegation and launched a scathing attack on the game’s governing body for its part in the collapse of the takeover, comments that brought a stinging response from the RFL.
“It is with great sadness and frustration that we have been led to this point,” Moore said.
“I believe that we have been forced into making this decision due to the Rugby Football League’s proposed sanction of a six-point deduction, making relegation almost a certainty.”
Moore said the governing body wanted to place the club into special measures, which would prevent them signing any more players in the immediate future, and had badly advised the directors during recent talks to save the club.
Moore said: “It feels like a real slap in the face to our team, our partners, the sport and, most importantly, our supporters, of whom we have been working tirelessly for.”
He added: “The restrictions and penalties, placed on the club, leaves it all but impossible to grow the business in this relegation season.
“As such we were left with no other option than to withdraw the offer to the administrator, based on what we believe is an immoral position from the sport’s governing body due to their involvement in this whole affair.”
Moore’s company agreed a deal with the administrator last week but still needed ratification from the RFL, who discovered a STG500,000 ($A929,368) “black hole” in the business plan.
Tuesday’s events leave the club back in the hands of Leeds-based administrator David Wilson, who was not available for comment, but there is no suggestion Sunday’s home game against London Broncos is under threat.
The administrative staff at Odsal remain in place and chief executive Robbie Paul is expected to represent Bradford at Wednesday’s meeting of Super League clubs in Hull.
The RFL was on Tuesday night speaking to London-based businessman Richard Lamb, one of four parties to show an interest in buying Bradford ahead of last Friday’s deadline, and remain confident the club will remain in Super League, at least for the rest of 2014.
Bradford have never been out of the top flight since the switch to summer rugby and were Super League champions four times in the first 10 years.
The triple World Club Challenge champions reached the grand final five years in a row up to 2005, when the rot set in.
