The final financial position of Featherstone Rovers has been revealed with the Championship club owing almost £3 million at the time of their administration.
Rovers were one of three teams with an asterisk against their 2025 IMG score, signifying the fact that HMRC were on the club’s case. Whilst Salford were able to launch a phoenix club and hope remains for Halifax Panthers after their ‘compulsory liquidation’, Featherstone will have to wait until at least 2027 before they field a team.
That’s because the club was wound up and then denied RFL membership with the sole bid to take on Rovers rejected by the RFL over links to the previous ownership.
It can now be revealed just how big the financial troubles of the club were with their final accounts shared on Companies House, with the list of Company Creditors tallying 138 people and/or organisations.
Within those 138 former players and staff, as well as players and staff who have not been at the club for some time. The total amount owed to those creditors is an eye-watering £2,851,239.09.
Featherstone Rovers creditors revealed in shocking document
Over a fifth of that is owed to former chairman Paddy Handley, who is on the hook for £596,000, whilst Mark Campbell, the man who had retaken charge in a bid to save the club, is listed as being a creditor for £229,284.67.
Worryingly, The People’s Pension are owed almost £115,000, suggesting that reports of unpaid pensions were accurate.
Former New Zealand international Elijah Taylor, who hasn’t played for the club since 2023, is owed over £5,000. Ex-coach James Ford, who left in February 2025 is also owed over £26,000.
There are also 35 more recent coaches and players with Paul Cooke and Ian Hardman among those listed, as well as players such as Connor Wynne, Caleb Aekins, Jimmy Beckett and Jordan Williams, all of whom have signed Super League deals for 2026.
The listed accounts showcase just how bad it got and also raise questions as to how and why it was allowed to reach such a point, from both an internal standpoint and an RFL standpoint.
It also perhaps justifies the RFL’s refusal to allow Featherstone to play on in 2026, particularly when the sole interested party had ties to the club.
The full accounts can be found on the government website Companies House.
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