Havent they all left? There is no club.

If you are a potential owner, whether one of those who made a previous bid or someone new, what is the down side of forming on a new club compared to taking on the debt-ridden club, apart from possibly no players? Presumably you can negotiate new contracts for staff, facilities, ground etc, without inheriting having any historic bills?

Correct.

With fixtures starting in 4 and half weeks you're not exactly negotiating from a position of strength. Why the rush?

If it were me I'd sit out 2017 as under the conditions imposed it's too big a risk to any new venture.

Out of the 10 expressions of interest, I bet at least 7 are Richard Lamb with fake mustaches and disguises on

Because the RFL are insisting on the rush so their Blackpool shindig doesn't get messed up.

Hmmm. But presumably the RFL will give the licence to *anyone* at this point who says they will fulfil fixtures and play at Odsal. It's at the end of the season when we get relegated, there is no money, and it's easier just to let it die than continue to flog this dead horse when we are completely toast. The one consolation will be to see fans of various minor clubs attempt to use that as further evidence of favouritism.

I think there's a misunderstanding. The 10 expressions of interest are 10 people who might be vaguely up for playing for us when we're in Pennine League division 4.

I suspect, a supporters Trust. But that's only my guess and I'd be surprised if sufficient numbers have an appetite for parting with more cash, certainly right now.

If done quickly ( by the end of the week ) there isn't a down side , if it drags on , it won't happen at all

Good to know that even at that stage we'll still be a bigger club than them.

I'd say the down side for any new owner is that they're probably going to lose a shed load of money if they give it a go.

For some reason I'm not convinced that Lamb/Irvine are the frontrunners. Are they one of the two consortia that the RFL were willing to deal with? My brain is fried by recent events. However, using Mick as a mouthpiece smacks of amateurism, in spite of how well Lamb might talk the talk.

Too bloody right. After losing season ticket money in many cases I think the idea of supporters putting in cash is delusion. That idea might have worked in 2012 but not now.

I'm certainly not convinced by Lamb. But same goes for Irvine and Chalmers. Great talkers though.

Lamb comes across as another Marc Green in every sense. Doesn't seem to have a whole lot of money but talks a very good game and could talk a fish out of water. I would love him to prove me wrong, but I don't see him doing anything other than making the fans pay for everything or going straight down the toilet again.

The fact Gledhill is so far up the guy's he can tell what he had for his tea last night, just makes me even more doubtful of his abilities.

It's correct to say that bisa no longer exists but, though there was no direct connection, Bullbuilder is the son of bisa and those running it have already said they don't have the time, money or expertise required.

From what I have read, this "compromise" from the RFL to stick "New Co Bulls" in the Championship is purely not to mess up their league structure with 4 weeks to go until kick off, however it is a complete non starter for various reason.

Whoever takes over will have to fund a club that looks doomed to relegation from the start for a full season with little to no income. Fans who have had their fingers burnt by Green's season tickets won't pay again. Sponsors who have been burnt by Green are unlikely to invest money again. Creditors who have been burnt by Green are unlikely to offer services again, so most things will be cash up front.

Based on the above, the RFL are basically putting the "New Co" into a position where it is doomed to fail from the start and it's basically making the "New Co" being reliant on someone pouring money in which will only lead to what has happened 3 times already.

This club if it is to work needs to start off as being self suffient from day 1. The deal on the table as it stands looks after only 1 set of people, the RFL. It ensures their fixture list isn't ruined, it fills their day out at the seaside and it ensures that they have a tenant for Odsal. It also ensures history repeating itself another few years down the line.

Was the Lamb consortium one of the parties wanting to buy back the Odsal lease? Genuine question as I don't know.

Surely any party seriously considering paying a seven figure sum to the RFL for the lease at such short notice, and also making an offer to creditors (even a lousy one) must also be interested now that the prospect is a completely debt free new start?
Those previously interested in buying the lease would now become the frontrunners - if they're still up for it.

Who knows, but it seems clear these has been plenty of dialogue between Lamb and the RFL throughout. But yes, you'd assume that the original bid that was accepted by the RFL and then rejected by the admin might well be the front runner. I'm uneasy about Lamb as well but having Irvine on board might well be an attractive proposition. Perhaps a few people working together might be possible now the RFL are speaking to potential owners?

At Odsal anybody will be burning cash , but being in existence with the threat of walking away is probably your best bet of getting something resolved

Exactly this ^

The 'Bash' is already an aberration to the season, so having one team short hardly makes any difference. We're due to play HKR anyway, so I'm not certain our actual attendance will make any noticeable difference to the result. Give 'em the points, they'd get them anyway.

Why are they even talking to men with no money?

No funding to speak of, (and even that may be deducted for a year as the going-rate penalty); no sponsorship money; very little season ticket money; and the full 100% costs of starting from absolute scratch and having a brand new company and full club setup up and running within 4 weeks, with no money to pay any staff or players.

Is it just me?

Yep. This just feels like the start of the same exact cycle as before.
Odsal is the key to all of this, so it irks me when Bradford MPs and councillors show such faux outrage and disbelief when we keep going t*ts up. Go back and look at the figures you numpties, there was a good reason why you wanted shut of the Odsal upkeep so badly.

Unless the RFL know something we don't and there is someone waiting to pump some money into a fresh venture. I can't see it, but it's the only thing that makes any sense to me at least.