Featherstone Rovers aiming to ‘move forward’ with experienced chief executive taken on
Featherstone Rovers supporters are hoping there is some light at the end of the tunnel appearing with confirmation that they have appointed a new chief executive.
The troubled Championship club is hoping Chris Hamilton can help steer a course out of their financial difficulties.
With an HMRC winding-up petition due to be heard next month and mounting debts Rovers are battling to survive and hope the experienced Hamilton can lend his expertise on how they can move forward.
The 62-year-old has experience of keeping a club afloat during his 25 years at Oldham, where he was owner and chairman. He left the club in 2023 and was head of integrated operations at Widnes in 2024.
He is now making a return to rugby league with Fev, who announced his appointment on social media with a post that said: “Hamilton, who has a wealth of experience working in rugby league for over 27 years, is busy working to ascertain the present position at the club with a view to ensuring how to move forward.
"The current financial issues facing the club have been well documented, but we are delighted to welcome Chris on board as we try to secure the future of the club.”
Hamilton said: “Although it is still very early on I have been really pleased with the welcome received from people, particularly from the staff at the club and the foundation.
“Featherstone is a real hotbed for its local community and has a very strong and loyal fanbase and we are all desperate to regularise the current situation and make the club something people can be proud of once again.
"There are lots of pressing matters to be dealt with and I hope fans will appreciate that, at the present time, we are not able to necessarily with them everything they would like to know. However, this is simply because of the sensitivity surrounding the current situation.
“Everybody is working non-stop and as soon as we can update everybody, we will.”
Featherstone Rovers Women are pressing on with their squad planning for 2026 when they will be back in the top flight, having confirmed a number of player retentions plus two new signings.
Nat Harrowell Woman of Steel for 2025 Brogan Churm has committed to the club again along with Emillie Holmes, Gabby Harrison, Kacey Davies, Shavon Craven, Liv Grace, Charley Blackburn, Chloe Billington, Tilly Churm, Alyssa Courtney and Brogan Kennedy.
Talented prop forward Michaela Magonya has joined from Bradford, where she was their young player of the year, while utility back Kasalaini Gaunavinaka is also a new addition to the squad ahead of the 2026 Super League season.