There has been a new update at the financially-troubled Featherstone Rovers, with current owner Mark Campbell and Chairman Chris Hamilton setting up a brand new business in a possible bid to try and get the club out of their current situation.
At present, the Championship club have a winding-up petition from HMRC, as well as reported debts totaling over £1 million and a series of player wages that went unpaid.
Campbell originally left his role as Chairman of the club in August 2024, and was replaced by former Leeds Rhinos player, Paddy Handley.
Despite a somewhat positive start to 2025, Handley penned his resignation in September, with “varying agendas” at the club a big reason for his exit.
Shortly after, Campbell returned as Chair, and stated that a full review into the club’s finances would take place, as he tried to navigate the Rovers out of their monetary mess.
Appointing Chris Hamilton at the start of the month to come in as CEO, Campbell has now set up a brand new company, with both him and Hamilton named as directors.
Featherstone Rovers director registers new company amid financial crisis
Companies House has revealed that ‘Rovers 2026 LTD’ has been set up with Mark Campbell as Director and Chris Hamilton as Secretary, as they look to keep the club alive in whatever capacity they can should any potential administration occur. It’s also worth noting that Colm Corran, one of the club’s current directors, is one of two shareholders with Mark Campbell being the other.
Players of the club have been vocal in their discontent, with Doncaster-bound James Glover calling the club out on social media over unpaid wages, with head coach Paul Cooke publicly backing his playing group.
Glover is one of many players to exit this off-season, with Caleb Aekins, Connor Wynne (both Bradford) and Ben Reynolds (Batley) just some of the names to leave Post Office Road due to the situation.
It is worth noting that should the club enter administration, then the RFL will implement a “football creditor rule”, whereby the people within the sport that the club owes money to are paid out first before any outside businesses.
The situation at the Rovers, combined with the one at Salford, makes more of a delay to the fixtures and structure announcement of the 2026 Championship season which, if reports are to be correct, will kick off in just over two months time.
