Featherstone Rovers: Ex player provides update on “owed” money

Featherstone Rovers have been making headlines for a week now after former player Craig Hall spoke out at the weekend.

Hall claimed that he had not been paid the money he was owed from his testimonial match against Hull KR last January.

This set off a chain of events with other former players like Dane Chisholm and Mark Kheirallah coming out claiming they were still owed money.

This resulted in a statement from Featherstone Rovers Chairman Mark Campbell. Campbell explained how their failure to get promoted to Super League and the resulting shutting of the door to Super League by IMG had caused them issues but he also admitted that he had taken his eye off the ball.

He said he was committed to resolving the cashflow problems at the club and paying everyone back but would then be stepping down.

Campbell also said most of the money owed had been paid back a statement corroborated by Kheirallah who said he had been paid most of what he was owed.

However, Dane Chisholm said he was still owed money even after the statement.

Featherstone Rovers come to an agreement

The former Featherstone Rovers halfback took to social media on Monday after Campbell’s statement to say that there was still “no mention” of the money he was still owed.

On Thursday, Chisholm would elaborate further on the situation on X: “Featherstone Rovers still owe me my settlement. I was contracted for 2024. Understandably they had budget cuts so I happily retired and moved back to Australia with my young family. I still have hope that Mark Campbell and Martin Vickers pay what is owed to me.

“Obviously I would rather not have put any of this on social media. I’ve tried contact Fev for months for some reason it’s the only way issues are resolved.

“From my understanding Fev have started paying ex players and coaches. Which is good to hear. Hopefully I’m next in line.”

However, shortly after this, Chisholm confirmed that a payment structure had been agreed between him and Featherstone’s Martin Vickers resolving the issue: “A new payment structure has been set up between myself and Martin Vickers.”

Featherstone the first casualty of IMG

It does feel like Featherstone have been the first casualty of IMG’s new era. The Rovers are the biggest and best club to never have played in Super League and have deserved a place in the top league for the last few years.

They have invested the right kind of money from a position where broadcasting money was next to nothing when compared to their rivals in Super League.

Under the previous system it was only a matter of time for Fev to secure promotion but now, as Campbell said himself, the door has been shut on any Super League promotion for them.