“A real shame” – Former North Wales Crusaders boss comments on club’s troubles after takeover and 12-point deduction

Former North Wales Crusaders boss Carl Forster “couldn’t envision” what has happened to the club following his departure at the end of last season.

Forster was boss of the Welsh outfit for three seasons between 2023 and 2025, and in his final campaign at the helm guided the side to the League One title.

The merged Championship/League One second-tier that we have this season meant that every side in the Third Division was promoted, but it meant that, from the outside at least, North Wales were in a solid spot to push up the Championship table and potentially recreate what Oldham did last season and finish in the play-offs at the first time of asking.

However, when the assistant job at Bradford Bulls came around, it was an opportunity that the 34-year-old could not refuse.

Since his exit, the club began the season going through financial difficulties, with months going by and player wages not being paid. In May, they went through an ownership change, with their previous owners, the EggChaser Group, very nearly putting them into liquidation before they were saved by former owner Jamie El-Kaleh.

As a result, they were handed a 12-point deduction and were left with a mass exodus of player departures.

Speaking on his former club earlier this week, Forster said it was sad to see what the club became, and hopes that there is a future for the side, given the untapped market of rugby league in Wales.

“You certainly couldn’t envision what’s happened in the last two months. I don’t think anyone could have,” Forster said to the press this week as he filled in for Bulls boss Kurt Haggerty.

“I think every Championship/League One team has it’s struggled in today’s world, but I thought we were in a really good spot.

“We’d obviously just won the competition. We’d prepared a team to compete in the Championship, and that’s what made my decision so difficult coming here.

“We’d done so much good work there, but since I left I’ve not really kept in touch with the top level of the club, I’ve only kept in touch with the lads.

“It’s a real shame, because it’s a great fanbase. I loved my time there, and hopefully they can get back up on their feet now and start rebuilding the club because I think rugby league in Wales, there’s a lot to offer.”

Wigan Warriors win Challenge Cup, John Kear remembered and Sam Walters’ monster ban – Click here to listen to the latest episode of the Serious About Rugby League Show.