CHRIS HAMILTON has ended his association with Featherstone Rovers – but says he’d be happy to offer help and advice to any group who can revive the mothballed club, who remain in administration.
The departure of the chief executive, whose direct involvement in Rugby League goes back to December 1997, when he led a four-strong group who reformed Oldham after the previous version collapsed in the wake of relegation from Super League, comes at the same time as former Featherstone chairman Mark Campbell’s decision to step away from the sport.
The pair had collaborated in an attempt to solve serious financial issues, including a winding-up order, at Rovers, who had been continuously involved in professional Rugby League since 1921 but are not competing in this year’s Championship.
That’s after Campbell and Hamilton’s bid to bring Featherstone out of the administration process they had applied to enter as the old company in December failed to gain the approval of the Rugby Football League.
The governing body’s chief executive Abi Ekoku later explained: “In the assessment of the (RFL) board, there was not enough separation between the old company and the new company.”
Hamilton – who in his 25 years at Oldham had stints as chief executive, chairman and owner and who has also had a spell as head of integrated operations at Widnes – called the RFL’s decision on Rovers “devastating for everyone connected with Featherstone”.
The 63-year-old has now left the company ‘Rovers 2026’ which hoped to take the club forward, and told League Express: “With no rugby income, the role simply wasn’t viable.
“The whole situation is hugely disappointing, and I just hope a person or group will emerge and be able to take things forward, because to lose Featherstone Rovers from Rugby League would be such a massive blow.”