Featherstone Rovers were almost £3 million in debt when entering administration
Featherstone Rovers owed close to £3 million at the time of their administration, it has been revealed.
The final financial position of the Post Office Road club has been detailed with board members and several former players and staff among those who were owed substantial amounts of money when Rovers went into administration, ahead of being denied membership of the Rugby League for 2026.
The club’s final accounts have been revealed on government website Companies House, with 138 creditors owed money and total amount owed being £2,851,239.09.
Most money is owed to former chairman Paddy Handley, who left the club in September after saying it had become “impossible” for him to deliver his plans because of "various agendas”.
He is owed £596,000, while the previous chairman, Mark Campbell, who tried to retake charge to try to save the club, is owed £229,284.67.
Among the other creditors are The People’s Pension, who are owed more than £114,000.
Former head coach James Ford, who was sacked in February, 2025, is owed more than £26,000 and there are 35 more recent members of the coaching staff and players listed as creditors.
These include last season‘s head coach Paul Cooke and assistant Ian Hardman and former players, including Elijah Taylor, who has not played for the club since 2023, but was owed more than £5,000 at the time of the administration order.
The club's most recently filed accounts, covering the year to November 2023, show turnover of £1,676,948 and a loss of £891,205. Draft 2024 accounts state that turnover was £1.66m with a loss of £953,524.
In a report to Companies House administrator Andrew Rosler said: “Unfortunately the company was simply unable to recover from the financial damage caused by the operating losses and cashflow difficulties which had been building over recent periods.”