FEATHERSTONE ROVERS face a winding-up petition on Wednesday (December 10) with chief executive Chris Hamilton having spent the last five weeks working to find solutions to a number of financial issues.

The former Oldham owner and chairman, who was part of a consortium who relaunched that club after the original version folded in 1997, was brought in by Rovers at the start of November.

Featherstone had the previous month secured an adjournment of the petition brought by HMRC over a reported £120,000 tax bill, allowing time to seek stability following the departure of key figures and fears of administration.

It’s thought the overall debt far exceeds that figure, and supporters who are worried that administration, or even liquidation, could still happen, are waiting for the next development, and with a pre-season game at neighbours Castleford scheduled for Saturday, December 27, clarity over the coaching and squad situation.

The race to rescue Rovers is even more intense due to an earlier-than-normal start to the Championship season. Featherstone head to Batley first up on Sunday, January 18.

Rovers said in a recent statement: “We are keen to confirm the intention behind all this work is to ensure there is a club next season.”

And former coach and now Batley supremo James Ford hopes that is the case, saying: “It would be disastrous for the game to lose Featherstone Rovers.”

Ford was axed four Championship and Challenge Cup matches into last season after having led the club to the 2024 play-offs on a reduced budget after Featherstone missed out on promotion to Super League after topping the second tier the year before.

“I’m proud of what was achieved in those circumstances in 2024, and while departing was obviously a huge disappointment, it’s hard to watch what is happening there at the moment,” he added.

“They are an historic club and a big part of the local community, with some great supporters, and I’d like to see them be back up there challenging again.”