A central figure in a fight to save the Bradford Bulls’ predecessor, Bradford Northern, when the rugby league club last faced collapse will be honoured in a tribute at Odsal Stadium.

Bradford restaurant boss Omar Khan and former Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe, who saved the Bulls from the brink of liquidation on August 31, confirmed that a bar at the stadium will be named Trevor Foster’s Bar in honour of the late Welsh forward, who acted as a figurehead for the revival of Bradford Northern in 1964.

Mr Khan, director of new Bulls’ company OK Bulls Ltd, discussed the idea with Mr Foster’s son, Simon Foster, at the club’s final Super League home game of the season against Catalan Dragons.

Mr Khan said: “He said he wanted to do something for his father. We had a good conversation and I said ‘what we will do is call a bar Trevor Foster’s Bar’. All his memorabilia will be in there.

“It’s something I want to do for a man who gave so much to the club and city.

“He was such a great character. This is the first thing I want to do.”

Mr Foster, who died at the age of 90 in April 2005, was an important part of a campaign to save Bradford Northern, which went out of business after completing just 17 matches of its 1963-64 season.

He signed for the club in 1938 and spent an almost unbroken 67-year period at Bradford as a player, member of the ground staff, first team coach, manager, director, youth development coach and president of the supporters' club as well as the players' association.

Bradford South Labour MP and Bulls’ honorary chairman Mr Sutcliffe, who knew Mr Foster personally, said he would have been “proud” of the new owners’ success in saving the club and securing Super League status.

“He was committed to this club, as a player and a fan, and was tremendously inspirational in what he did in our city,” Mr Sutcliffe said.

“He would be very proud at this moment of what we achieved. We think if you’re a young child or an elderly citizen, this is a club you can be proud of.”

Mr Khan and Mr Sutcliffe say the bar will display memorabilia from Mr Foster’s career, which was given to the Bulls Foundation’s heritage project on a permanent loan last month after being bought by Rugby League Cares.