THE Bulls will be in "steady" hands whoever assumes control, according to one of the joint-administrators.

Gary Pettit is confident that all four potential buyers can put the financially-stricken club back on a more even keel.

It is a time-consuming process but Pettit insists they will not hang about in reaching a decision.

"Whichever bid we go with would steady the business," he said.

"We are going to sell the club so it would be down to how quick lawyers get papers agreed. The bidders will all know this week whether they have been successful or not."

Three offers had already been put forward ahead of Wednesday's lunchtime deadline but it was then extended by the administrators after a fourth came forward hours later.

Pettit said: "We had someone come in at 5pm on Wednesday. With the conversation he was having, we had to entertain it. All hell broke loose on Wednesday afternoon – but it was a good hell."

The willingness of the administrators to keep the deadline open to entertain another declaration of interest, which was followed up with a conference call on Thursday lunchtime, suggests there is no stand-out candidate among the pack jostling to take control.

Yet Pettit maintains an optimistic view about the quality of the bids on the table, which have been whittled down from an original dozen during the process of due diligence.

Offers accepted for the club must still be discussed with creditors but no date has been pencilled in so far for that meeting to take place.

In the meantime, season tickets for the next Championship campaign remain on sale at Odsal and the Bulls expect that those already sold will be honoured by the new owners.