Revived Bradford Bulls’ priority is to avoid relegation

Bradford will “leave no stone unturned” in their efforts to avoid relegation from Super League, according to the club’s new managing director Steve Ferres.

The Bulls won two of their opening three matches but remain five points from safety going into tomorrow’s round-seven game at Widnes following their points deduction for entering administration.

The club were brought out of administration this week by Leeds businessman Marc Green, whose first job was to appoint the experienced Ferres as managing director, and Ferres says the new owner has pledged to make funds available for coach Francis Cummins to bolster his depleted squad.

Ferres, who was the scrum-half in the old Bradford Northern side that won back-to-back Championships in 1980 and 1981, says Green and his staff are determined to bring back the good times to Odsal but warns there is no quick fix.

“Our immediate priority is to ensure we avoid relegation,” said Ferres, who has been chief executive at Wakefield and Castleford. “Everyone knows we are some way behind the nine-ball but we are committed to doing everything we can to ensure Super League survival.

“From there, we intend to take the club forward in a controlled manner. We need to interact with our supporters, who are the heart and soul of Bradford Bulls. They have had to suffer a raw deal over the past few years and we will be working hard to win back their trust in the weeks and months ahead.

“In the medium term, we want to see the club competing at the level it should be. We will leave no stone unturned in helping Francis Cummins strengthen his squad but it is no secret that clubs are reluctant to let players go during this part of the season.”

Ferres, working alongside the chief executive Robbie Hunter-Paul, has failed to add to Cummins’ squad in time for Sunday’s game but former Bradford winger Patrick Ah Van is warning his Widnes team-mates to prepare for a revitalised Bulls side.

“They have new owners so the players will be pleased about that and they can just concentrate on the footy now,” said Ah Van, who scored 242 points in 28 games for Bradford in 2011. “Playing under the circumstances they have had to endure over the past couple of months won’t have been ideal so they will be glad it’s all out the way now.

“We have to be very wary of them this week as they are still a very dangerous side despite their position in the Super League table.”