The story so far:

We all know, you know, I know, the RFL knows, hell, probably even Donald Trump knows WE CANNOT REMOTELY AFFORD TO STAY ON ANYTHING LIKE CURRENT TERMS. So something has to change.

AC gives notice he won't sign an extension to the sublease as it is financially ruinous

Private meetings/discussions between BMC/RF:/Ac seem to achieve nothing. More to the point:
a) we have no clue what proposals we made that would entice BB to stay at Odsal
b) we have no clue how far (if at all) the other parties were willing to move to try to reach a deal

AC gives deadline (of lease expiry date) - if no deal BB has to move. (Which we do; there is no basis on which we could stay, except keep paying what we cannot afford to pay; everyone must surely agree, WE CANNOT REMOTELY AFFORD TO STAY ON ANYTHING LIKE CURRENT TERMS, yet this XXXXXL sized elephant in the bowl bizarrely seems to be ignored by many)

No agreement is reached and AC bluff is called. He wasn't bluffing. He had a fallback position with Dewsbury (which everyone knew about) and so to Dewsbury we go.

RFL put out a petulant release about we need to fill in a form or something before they will consider if we can play in Dewsbury

RFL put out an even more petulant release saying we are only being given a year at Dewsbury, slagging off AC and his remarks about stadia, insinuating we don't have a viable financial plan, saying they are basically only agreeing reluctantly to a 2020 move because of the disruption a refusal would cause, and adding that we will be in special measures, so fkukcing up our pre-season and maybe 2020 season before it starts.

Did I miss anything?

I am also getting increasingly irritated by those including the RFL who say AC talk of a new stadium somewhere in BD is basically pie-in-the sky, no flesh on the bones, unrealistic etc. Building a new stadium is a vast undertaking and it is frankly silly to suggest at this stage AC should have gone through the mammoth list of steps to find a site, work out some sort of funding partnership and finance, etc etc etc just on spec. To me, all I would ever expect at this stage is what he did - find a temporary alternative; and start spending the big money in regards a possible permanent alternative, if it reaches the point where we clearly must do that.

For one thing, you can't even rule out a rapid return to Odsal, IF between them BC and RFL decide that offering a much less burdensome arrangement is better than having no tenants at all. Which personally I still see as a significant possibility; I find it very hard to believe that the other parties are happy to just let an empty Odsal rot, and whilst I have little regard for the RFL, which some may think appear to have the morals of an alley cat, even they would surely blush to do a deal with BMC to redevelop the site and lose it for rugby league, both making a pile of money while killing off RL and the "iconic" Odsal stadium.

If despite the above, it really turns out that there is a final impasse, and no way back to Odsal, then, and ONLY then, should AC be expected to kick into gear Plan C, to end up with a new stadium. It is ridiculous to suggest, as the RFL seem to, that he should already have that Plan C costed and in place. Particularly BMC which has spend half a century failing to achieve any such plan.

That brings me to the final point. Is it realistic to think AC might ever be able to produce a new ground in Bradford for our new home? My answer is: not immediately relevant. My answer is, had we been dumb enough to sign up for more of the same financial disaster then we were literally a dead team walking, and surely everyone can objectively agree on that? Viewed in that light, maybe Plan C is or will prove to be impossible, maybe we are now commencing a slow death. But AC has kept us alive, for now, we have a great coach, a decent young and improving squad, we have somewhere to play next season that we can afford, and if the vindictive RFL quickly lift our special measures and we can keep making progress, we could have a decent 2020.

But AC is up against a clearly intransigent and annoyed RFL, and a potless and incompetent council, and so it is hard to see the organisations concerned finally being galvanised into coming up with a solution, and that is why I am extremely pessimistic. If they were not galvanised by the AC deadline (and clearly they were not) then what would it take? But if you don't like what AC has done, you need to set out your better alternative plan what else he could have done, bearing in mind staying put on ruinous terms was not an option.

A state of affairs where the RFL own a speedway and stock car venue where no Rugby is played is ridiculous. Seems nailed on then doesn't it.

I'd second that, even though I have very fond memories of going to Odsal on Sunday mornings with my Dad and helping lay down the corners (not sure it would be allowed now to let a 10yr old help carrying heavy pallets loaded with turf). Roger Simpson was the groundsman at the time and rubbing shoulders with him like that used to blow my mind (I was a child afterall).

Plus its not exactly like Stock Cars and Speedway are going to be packing in the crowds or bring a huge financial backer with them either. Take a look at the venues they use and you can see ther is even less money in their sports than there is in RL.

Speedway have a national stadium built in Manchester but if you take a look at it, I doubt it would have ever come off had it not been for the adjoinging leisure facilities and 3G pitch (in the middle).

I just cannot see a viable solution to the existing stadium and for me the solution lays with the land over the road (Richard Dunnes).

The key is always going to be "multi-use" stadium. Bulls as anchor tenants, as much football in there as can be arranged. Surrounding area with 4G pitches - again multi use. Is there scope for covered cricket - nets, for off season?

My own personal desire would be for Horsfall to be developed further purely for athletics and BPA to be equal shareholders in a community stadium, but as they've just invested more into Horsfall, It may not be an option.

Problem with Horsfall is that its unlikely you would ever get a safety certificate to sign off on a decent capacity due to its loaction and objection from neighbours. This was one of the reasons the Bulls chose Dewsbury as a short term option (the other being to try and force the RFL/Councils hand).

There is no reason why Horsfall couldn't be developed as a local sports hub that would be home to BPA and Bulls development academies (along with other benefitial public bookings) and a community stadium with a modest opening capacity (with room to expand if required) for the Bulls and BPA to share for their first teams.

Take a look at the last council sports pitch audit and findings (2013) and you will find a bleak picture back then. If anything its got worse and the council have a duty to provide for their communities... I'd be surprised if much of the action points have actually been carried out.

When it's put like that....