Featherstone Statement:-
With immediate effect majority Shareholder Feisal Nahaboo has announced to officials that he will no longer invest in Featherstone Rovers following undisclosed disagreements. However, the club is prepared to say that both men agreed that for the best interests of the fans that Chairman Mark Campbell continues to run the club.
The club can confirm that all Directors had been liaising with Nahaboo all week to keep his interest in the club and all had supported the ambition that saw significant changes in 8 weeks such as:
Change in coaching staff +Player extended contracts +Quality new squad additions +Dual registration +Players coming in on loan +Players going out on loan +Expenses cut by approx 200k +6 wins and an unfortunate draw in the last seconds and similarly a loss from a missed kick in the last seconds. The record could have easily stood at 8 wins. Nahaboo has given 3 years to the club as a sponsor and investor allowing the club critical funds to strengthen the squad that has seen the club win 4 titles consecutively. Nahaboo's funds helped draw in the likes of Sharpe, Mellors, Cording & Etu last year and helped the clubs foundation with an immense Centre of Excellence filled with equipment. For a multi-millionaire to show any interest in Featherstone is rare and fans should thank him for his contribution. Nahaboo has also funded the club in difficult times allowing wages to be paid, he has paid off HMRC debts including PAYE and VAT which the RFL were aware of. He has been a great servant and fans should commend his contribution and we all hope at the club that he will return if we can resolve a disagreement that has clearly upset Nahaboo. We must remember Nahaboo has generously given substantial sums to Castleford, Halifax, Wigan & the RFL. Rugby League has been a beneficiary of his generosity.
Nahaboo said "The fans need to know what the players know. I was 110% behind the region.I believe the resources being made available and the strategy deployed would have got the club into SL. The players and coaching staff believed that. As did most Directors. I've told the club subject to amicable discussions over the next 7 days I will keep door open but believe Mark Campbell is the man to lead Fev. I did my bit, the fans are with him understandably so walking when in love, was the only way. The Championship has become more difficult and fans should be patient."
Mark Campbell said "The club is proud to have had a financial supporter in Feisal. To show his commitment he left Brazil with celebrity friends to travel home to drive 6hours to Cumbria for the Workington game. He was committed to helping the club progress. Big personalities who have built big businesses sometimes don't agree with slow growth and old habits and its normal to have differences but Nahaboo is obviously offended and we respect his wishes and will continue dialogue with him in the next few days. I personally thank him for his support that has helped club reach successes in recent times. I'd also like to thank Craig in his time at fev as we've seen revenues grow across the business year on year and wish him well in the future , and hope to see him down at "the big fellas " in the future and be able to enjoy the games without the pressure of being the CEO which is a thankless job in rugby league."
Thrown his toys out of the pram because he thinks you can buy overnight success but the wise people at the club want to do it slowly and sustainably.