The sheer drop from being one of the game’s major players to a side rebuilt in the bottom tier has taken some of the edge away from Bradford’s claim to be a powerhouse.
It had an effect on the fanbase, the type of player they were able to recruit, and their sway with investors.
However, any fears of the Bulls sliding back into their prior demise have been allayed thanks to the investment of a passionate board, and the club-at-heart mentality of chief executive and hometown fan Jason Hirst.
Their foundation carries the important role of spreading the sport to a new audience, while partnerships with amateur clubs in the area are also a vital way of establishing links with the community.
Off the field, Bulls have consistently turned a profit in recent seasons, while on it there has been careful rebuilding by a string of coaches starting with John Kear, who brought them back from the League One doldrums and restored pride at Odsal, before Mark Dunning maintained the upward curve.
Up until the end of last season, former boss Brian Noble – who led Bulls to multiple major trophies during their heyday – was brought back after highly-rated Eamon O’Carroll was snared by St Helens to join their staff, and Noble’s legacy as a Bradford legend helped restore some of their DNA, passion and professionalism.
Now the reins are to be entrusted to another excellent young coach in Haggerty, who served his apprenticeship at Toronto Wolfpack, Leigh and Salford Red Devils before taking this job.
“I couldn’t be prouder, but it’s for people like Jason, Brian and the board of directors, the journey they’ve gone through to get this club into Super League is pretty amazing,” Haggerty added.
If ‘franchising’ via grading is the way to go in climbing up the pyramid, Bradford have carefully ensured they ticked the boxes to achieve it, culminating in their selection in October as the most suitable club to replace crisis-plagued Salford in this season’s Super League.
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