MOST expected the deal to have been sealed by now, but Bulls’ CEO Jason Hirst has confirmed the deal to sell the lease of Odsal Stadium back to the club is still awaiting “legal completion”.

The Rugby Football League, whose chief executive at the time was Nigel Wood, bought the lease to the ground in 2012 for £1.2 million, but confirmed last October they were looking to have it taken off their hands.

Bulls, now owned by Nigel Wood, only submitted their expression of interest at the last minute in January, and it was confirmed last month that they had held off a couple of other bids to win the race.

Hirst spoke exclusively to the T&A and confirmed the details of the deal, which is set to see Bulls hand over an initial £100,000 for the lease, with a further £160,000 to be paid over five years.

Yet he also confirmed the decision would have to go through an RFL Council meeting, which allowed other clubs to have their say and provide any objections to the transaction if they so wished.

While the deal was supported by Bulls’ rivals, despite expectations ahead of the meeting that some clubs would have misgivings, the process is taking time to be completed.

Hirst has moved to reassure any fans worried the deal may not go through, announcing this morning: “The club’s bid to buy back the lease to Bartercard Odsal Stadium, our spiritual home for 90 years, from the Rugby Football League (RFL) remains on track to be completed in the near future. 

“Having recently being approved by the RFL Board and then subsequently discussed and supported at the RFL Council meeting, the acquirement of the lease is now heading towards legal completion.

“The club will issue a further update upon legal completion.”

It therefore seems unlikely that any deal will be completed before the next time Bulls play at Odsal, which is this Sunday in the Betfred Championship against Whitehaven.