RFL rule shock for Roughyeds

BILL QUINN: Resigned as a director of the rugby club.

OLDHAM Roughyeds are in turmoil after the Rugby Football League ruled that Bill Quinn is no longer allowed to be chairman of the club.

The 43-year-old - the club’s main benefactor - secretly resigned his position as a director of Oldham Rugby League Football Club (1997) Limited on May 7 - a fact uncovered by the Chronicle last month following a check of the club’s filing history at Companies House.

When confronted with the findings at the time, Quinn said that it was a “non-story” and claimed that his departure from the board was down to a clerical error made on his behalf which would soon be remedied.

More than two months on, though, the position remains unchanged. While Quinn holds 75-per-cent of the shares in the club, founder and chief executive Chris Hamilton — who holds the other 25-per-cent — is the sole director.

And the RFL, who are aware of the current situation, have confirmed that Quinn cannot be recognised as chairman of the club without occupying a seat on the board and are now writing to him to point out the relevant regulations.

Section C2:1 of the governing body’s operational rules state the following: “For the avoidance of doubt each club must have and must name a chairman who must be one of its directors.”

Quinn, who was installed as Oldham chairman in March, 2007, became embroiled in an ugly on-field shouting match with then-captain Robert Roberts after a Challenge Cup defeat at Gateshead two days after originally tendering his resignation from the board.

The result of that game meant the Roughyeds failed to land a potentially lucrative tie against a Super League club in the next round - a big miss for the Co-operative Championship One club in troubled economic times.

The Manchester businessman, of excavation and demolition firm The William Quinn Group, recently made a plea for an increased level of support from fans in order that his ambitions for the club be matched.

Quinn wasn’t present for the Northern Rail Nines tournament at the weekend, but did watch at the Huntington Stadium as Oldham lost 22-20 at York three weeks ago in a live televised clash.

He had not returned our calls at the time of going to press.

Chris Hamilton was not available for comment as he is today representing the RFL in his capacity as president at a Buckingham Palace garden party.