Featherstone Rovers have been hit with five county court judgments (CCJs) in the past five months showing they owe £32,254 to creditors, i can reveal.
In a series of exclusive articles over the past week i has exposed the financial mess and serious debt engulfing the embattled Championship rugby league side.
A number of ex-Featherstone players and staff, as well as suppliers, are allegedly owed money while some fans are still waiting to receive merchandise months after they paid for it.
Now it can be revealed that the semi-professional second division outfit has also received five CCJs that have gone unpaid since October.
According to documents obtained by i, Featherstone were handed a judgment of £7,683 on 12 October, then another for £5,174 on 30 November.
Then on 9 January the club received a judgment for the sum of £3,450, and on 20 February for £7,819 and on 18 March for £8,128. All have gone unpaid.
A CCJ is a type of court order in the UK that can be registered against an individual or company if they fail to pay the money they owe.
According to data analytics and credit reporting company Experian, Featherstone are classified as a maximum risk and have a credit limit of £0 and a credit rating of £0.
The club’s payment record, as advised to Experian by suppliers, is now 150 days past the due date on average.
Martin Vickers, CEO of Featherstone Rovers, told i that all five CCJs have been satisfied, despite evidence to the contrary.
Former Featherstone half-back Riley Jacks, who played for the club in 2022, has initiated legal action against the West Yorkshire side in a bid to recoup wages he is alleged owed.
Ex-Rovers prop Ben Mathiou received money he was owed in July after taking the club to court. i understands another former player did the same last year.
Player agent Damien Dussault is considering legal action against Featherstone to claim the £7,500 he is owed. The club has not disputed he is owed that money.
Two of Dussault’s clients, players Johnathon Ford and Mark Kheirallah, are believed to be still owed £5,000 and £1,300 respectively by Rovers.
Vickers has admitted the debt to Ford and claims the club is dialogue with the GMB union to sort out a payment plan with him. Vickers denies the club owes Kheirallah any money.
On Thursday ex-Featherstone half-back Dane Chisholm posted on social media that the club still owe him money.
“Featherstone Rovers still owe me my settlement,” Chisholm said.
“I was contracted for 2024, understandably they had budget cuts, so I happily retired and moved back to Australia with my young family. I still have hope that Mark Campbell and Martin Vickers pay what is owed to me.
“From my understanding Featherstone have started paying ex-players and coaches, which is good to hear. Hopefully I’m next in line.
“Obviously I would rather not have to put any of this on social media. I’ve tried contacting Featherstone for months. For some reason it’s the only way any issues are being resolved.”
It is believed Chisholm is allegedly owed £10,000 by the club.
The 33 year old later tweeted three hours after his initial post: “A new payment structure has been set up between myself and Martin Vickers.”
It is believed public pressure on Featherstone over the past week is now forcing the club to start paying some of their debts.
However, i understands several former players and staff are still chasing money allegedly owed to them by Rovers, as well as a rival club, while there are also allegations of unpaid pension funds and fans waiting to receive merchandise owed to them.
It is believed the group includes ex-NRL centre Joey Leilua. The 32-year-old Samoan international made 38 appearances for Featherstone in the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
On the list of former players allegedly owed money, Vickers claimed: “They are subject to settlement agreements so we or the player are unable to divulge those arrangements.”
Featherstone finished second on the Championship table in 2022 and first in 2023 but failed in both seasons to win promotion to Super League.
Chairman Mark Campbell conceded in a public statement on Monday that his club “spent like a Super League club to ensure we got promoted”.
“As the club’s chairman, I take full responsibility for everything that happens at this Club and do feel I have taken my eye off the ball due in part to other issues and my own business commitments,” he said.
“In view of this, I will work with Martin and Steve [Clough, director] to address the cash flow issue. However, once this task has been accomplished, I will be stepping down as chairman and from the board of directors.”
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