FEATHERSTONE ROVERS hope Chris Hamilton can steer them out of major financial difficulties and help secure their future.

The troubled club are fighting for survival, with an HMRC winding-up petition due next month amid reports of overall debt topping £1million.

Featherstone, where former chairman Mark Campbell has returned to a key boardroom position, have handed experienced administrator Hamilton a route back into Rugby League by appointing him as chief executive.

The 62-year-old had a 25-year involvement at Oldham, where as owner and chairman, he helped keep the club alive following reformation in 1997 after the previous version collapsed in the wake of relegation from Super League.

Hamilton departed following the March 2023 takeover by a consortium fronted by former player and coach Mike Ford and became head of integrated operations at Widnes, a role he held until November 2024.

Now he is aiming to rescue crisis club Rovers, where the turmoil has involved the departure of former chairman Paddy Handley, chief executive Martin Vickers and against a background of unpaid wages, a number of players.

The club late last month secured an adjournment of the winding-up petition over a tax bill said to be of around £120,000, allowing crucial time to try to fend off administration or even liquidation.

Featherstone say Hamilton “is busy working to ascertain the present position at the club with a view to ensuring how to move forward”.

Rovers added: “We are delighted to welcome Chris on board as we try to secure the future of the club.”

Hamilton said: “I have been really pleased with the welcome received, particularly from the staff and the foundation.

“Featherstone is a real hotbed for the 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.

“Everybody is working non-stop and as soon as we can update everybody, we will.”