Ex-Leeds Rhinos boss Brian McDermott resigns from role as Featherstone Rovers boss

Super League’s most successful coach Brian McDermott is no longer Featherstone Rovers boss.

This comes after he failed to guide the Rovers to the Super League itself as they lost in the Championship play-off semi-final to Batley yesterday in potentially the shock of the season.

It’s been a tough year for the Rovers who have put a lot of money into a promotion bid after coming up short in 2021 against Toulouse in the Million Pound Game.

However they have spent the latter half of the season in the shadow of table topping Leigh especially since the Centurions beat the Rovers in Tottenham to take the 1895 Cup away from McDermott’s men.

Since then, the Rovers slipped behind them in the league and will not meet them in the Million Pound Game next week at Leigh Sports Village with the Bulldogs doing so instead.

Following that semi-final defeat to Batley, McDermott has resigned with the club releasing the following statement:

Featherstone Rovers can confirm that Head Coach, Brian McDermott has today resigned from his role at the Club with immediate effect.

“I came to the Club with a clear objective to achieve promotion to Super League, an objective which unfortunately has not been achieved. I feel my departure will give the Club the opportunity to take a new direction and hopefully they will be able to build upon the progress made this year.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time coaching this group of players this season, they have always given me great support and I will watch with interest the progress I’m sure they will make in 23. I have respected greatly the Club in my time here, it is a Club steeped in tradition and has excellent facilities, with a strong supporter base, I look forward to seeing that development continue in the future.”

Mark Campbell, Chairman of Featherstone Rovers stated “Brian has worked tremendously hard this year to achieve our promotion goal and we respect his decision after yesterday’s defeat to move on. I would like to place on record my thanks for his efforts and wish him all the best moving forward.”