Bradford reveal plans for Odsal overhaul

Dave Hadfield
Wednesday 14 January 2004 01:00 GMT
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Bradford Bulls have submitted ambitious new plans for the redevelopment of Odsal, including building a football ground, an indoor sports arena and a hotel. The club's previous attempts to revamp their home ground - most recently by filling in Odsal's vast bowl and building a retail park - have all been blocked or failed to raise the necessary finance.

But the Bulls chairman, Chris Caisley, said: "We have had initial discussions with the council and they have been very supportive." The plans would involve rebuilding two sides of the existing stadium, as well as adding a separate, smaller stadium on which they hope that Bradford Park Avenue would play. The Richard Dunne Sports Centre, across the road from Odsal, would be demolished and replaced by a new arena to complete what the Bulls call "a sports village."

Meanwhile, the Wigan and Great Britain captain, Andy Farrell, is back on his feet for the first time since knee surgery and is hopeful that he could be playing again as early as March. That is the second piece of optimistic news for Wigan, whose scrum-half, Adrian Lam, has set himself the target of being back from his knee reconstruction by April.

Chris Joynt, described as "the greatest captain in the club's history" by his coach, Ian Millward, is stepping down from the job at St Helens. Joynt wants to concentrate on his own game after being badly affected by injuries last season.

X-rays have shown that the Hull forward, Warren Jowitt, dislocated his shoulder in the friendly against Hull KR on Sunday. However, the damage is not as serious as first feared and he could be fit for the start of Super League next month.

The London Broncos are to play a London Barbarians side drawn from the London Skolars, South London, St Albans, Hemel and other local clubs at St Albans on 11 February. "It's quite remarkable that we are now in a position down here to stage such an event, through so much growth in participation in recent years," said the Broncos' coach, Tony Rea.

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