By JOHN DAVIDSON
NORTH Wales’ players have refused to train after not being paid this month, with their next game against Keighley in serious doubt and the club’s long-term future undetermined.
Crusaders players and staff have not been paid this month, as first reported by rugbyleaguehub.com Long Reads yesterday.
This platform has spoken to players at the club who confirmed they were supposed to be paid on the April 7 but have yet to receive their monthly wages. Training at the club was cancelled last night, with doubts that this Sunday’s fixture away at Keighley will still go ahead.
The RFL declined to comment when contacted by rugbyleaguehub.com Long Reads, while North Wales have not responded to numerous attempts to contact them.
This afternoon the Championship club posted this message on Facebook:
“The Future Of Crusaders
Due to a change in circumstances, the owners of the North Wales Crusaders have concluded that they will no longer fund the additional costs to run the club with immediate effect.
Initially involved at the back end of 2024, the owners cleared a lot of historical issues and debts, and invested in a squad to win League One. The current situation with regard to costs and competitive league set up isn’t tenable for the owners and an adjustment to the business plan is needed.
The shareholders have been working in the background to identify suitable partners, who may provide a combination of values that would be ideal to give North Wales Crusaders an opportunity to thrive, making the most of the location, talent and facilities.
As yet we do not have an agreement in place, so we want to make public that we are looking for a new majority shareholder, someone with the passion for the project in North Wales that we have.
We recognise that this will create uncertainty, and would ask at this point for all North Wales invested supporters to get behind the club, staff and players. A great opportunity to show your support would be at forthcoming home fixtures in the 1895 Cup versus Midlands Hurricanes and in the league versus Salford.
Due to the ongoing competitive season, this is very much a time sensitive matter, so please if you are interested in supporting the Crusaders next phase, make contact with the club at [email protected].”
The comments on the post on Facebook were switched off.
One player at North Wales, who declined to be named, told rugbyleaguehub.com Long Reads that players at the club are owed amounts varying from £500 to £2,500 each.
The player said the squad has been paid late for several months in a row.
“It’s a running theme,” he said.
“They have said the [payment] issue should be dealt with in the next 48 hours. A number of physios have left due to unpaid wages.
“It will be interesting to see if the game goes ahead this weekend. The message was that hopefully in the next 48 hours we are paid but [I] can’t see it myself.”
The player said the playing group has had no support from the RFL.
“Lads have contacted RFL, but only heard that contracts are breached 20 days after payday’s date for not paying players.”
He said the players learned of the club’s statement this afternoon via social media, and were not informed beforehand.
North Wales Crusaders are owned by EggChaserRugby, with father and son Bobby and Arun Watkins as chairman and CEO.
Other allegations have been made in the past few days about the company EggChaser owing money to parents involved in their junior academy and over a tournament in Florida.
EggChaser has been approached for comment.
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