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Hull KR: Chairman Neil Hudgell to step down at end of season

Last updated on .From the section Rugby Leaguecomments20

Craven Park

Hull Kingston Rovers chairman Neil Hudgell is to step down at Craven Park at the end of the season.

In the wake of his side's Hudgell no longer believes that the current board have the resources to take Rovers to the next step.

"The penny's dropped," Hudgell told BBC Radio Humberside. "I can't achieve the ambition I want for the club.

"Why should we lump in effectively half a million a year just to stand still?"

Hull KR actually responded well to the worst loss in their 131-year history, the Easter Monday mauling by Wigan, by returning to Craven Park to

But Hudgell insists that this season will be his last after nine years' service to the club.

"Success to other people might be to get into Super League, or just survive in Super League and try to make the play-offs.

"But, when we took over, our ambition was to make the club successful and win trophies, to make it the same as it was in the mid-1980s when we were the most successful club in the British game.

"After nine years, if I can't do that then it's time to walk away. All our money does is service debt.

"There's been a feeling and realisation over the last couple of years that we were starting to hit a bit of a glass ceiling.

"If you compare ourselves with the really top clubs, there's a gulf in facilities and resources and fan base.

"If there was one real positive from last Monday it's realising that, in some respects, we're light years behind Wigan.

"They have conditioners, sport scientists and have four or five ex-internationals as assistant coaches who earn more money than our head coach."

Neil Hudgell was talking exclusively to BBC Radio Humberside's Gwilym Lloyd.

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20 comments

  • Comment posted by BC, at 15:52 8 Apr 2013

    Tom

    Couldn't agree with you more. RL is a great game, the problem is and always has been the governing body. The only people who seem to be shouting about what a great game it is are those who watch week in week out and that isn't enough.

    The incompetence of the RFL to not have a major sponsor for the super league is absolutely abysmal and completely un-does all the good work on the field

  • Comment posted by Jeff Harris, at 07:33 8 Apr 2013

    Rugby League is in a difficult position in that it finds difficulty breaking out of its heartlands and having a wider fan base. The Chairman of Hull KR realises for the brand to grow and compete needs high quality management, and he feels he can not provide that, but hopefully someone can. Leeds Rhinos are not the richest club , but they have prospered through high quality management.

  • Comment posted by Nigel, at 18:57 8 Apr 2013

    I appear to be missing something from this debate, what has been achieved at HKR is outstanding. This club was nearly finished 10 years ago and really struggling. Resources always dictate outcomes and people have to be real about what can be achieved. In the 80's other clubs had far more cash and crowds than Rovers, just as today. Hope must remain. I will be very sad to see Neil go.

  • Comment posted by Tom, at 12:03 8 Apr 2013

    It's a sad situation at H.K.R. but exactly the same as at least another 10 super league clubs look what happened to Bradford and Salford, Cas and Wakey have been mentioned but lets all be honest look at the state of thier grounds Rugby League is in a mess. With no sponsor and no direction.

  • Comment posted by User0672628130, at 04:14 8 Apr 2013

    This is another very bad situation for Rugby league! Unless every club has a rich backer to bankroll them then they are in a precarious situation. No one can compete with the top boys so what is the point in throwing good money after bad?
    I fear another historic club could fold.
    Eventually there could only be 4 or 5 teams left playing each other.

  • Comment posted by Ryo, at 06:11 8 Apr 2013

    Totally agree with the earlier post. As a Widnes fan I have seen oth sides of the coin, Super League and Championship rugby, it seems that the rich get richer, an the poor get poorer. All the RFL want is SL, not a second tier competition. This is I'm afraid a sign of things to come.

  • Comment posted by McBaines, at 10:16 9 Apr 2013

    Alot can be said for the chairman getting his managerial appointment right! His most important job IMO. Alot follows on from that.

  • Comment posted by RayCee, at 23:15 8 Apr 2013

    Absolutely agree with Gavin. What a whinger Hudgell is. Hull KR has done OK without matching the Wigan's. Get over it.
    Look at the EPL. Man U winning year after year. Only a few clubs with any chance to win the League. RL has more potential winners in SL than Football. Money talks and it does in all sports codes.
    At least he has given time 4 someone else 2 b found.

  • Comment posted by andie99uk, at 11:28 10 Apr 2013

    I'm a lifelong Rovers fan & East Hull born & bred, But I'd like to thank Neil for the last 9 years & appreciate that he has worked miracles with the limited resources available.
    I will always support my home town club, & just hope that, Like Salford City Reds, we can find someone who sees the history & buys.

  • Comment posted by Tom, at 13:55 8 Apr 2013

    Absolutely not mate, where's the bitterness? I love rugby league and am concrened that's all.Look at al the money in union and football and it doesn't look good. p.s. whats Wigan athletic to do with it?

  • Comment posted by User0250480274, at 14:14 9 Apr 2013

    @ 16, 17 .....

    It's really easy to spend someone else's money, isn't it? If it was coming out of YOUR pocket, would you be quite so happy to chuck in half a million a year .....??!

  • Comment posted by User0672628130, at 11:52 8 Apr 2013

    Elvencejo I think you are a numbskull! All the other teams you mention are having financial problems unless they have a rich backer willing to put in money.
    The problem with rugby league is it is too localised. That is why people don't travel from Lincolnshire to watch it!
    Both Hull and Hull KR have a relatively good fan base but it is not enough to compete with the money no object teams.

  • Comment posted by Gavin, at 22:52 8 Apr 2013

    Hidgell is always bad mouthing the sport because bigger boys got better toys than him. He has spent years spending millions, and because he hasn't had the success he wanted, he spits his dummy. Run the club within its limitations. If he wants to throw money beyond it limitations it his decision. But why does he need sympathy for it? Maybe this opening the door for the investor from the summer

  • Comment posted by User0506206002, at 17:20 8 Apr 2013

    The sooner weaker teams merge to form super clubs worth of a super league the better. Like football, the super powers can not be challenged. Far too many clubs in SL with no realistic chance to achieve more than 10K crowds. Cas, Fev, Wakie comes to mind. Any fan of these teams satisfied fighting for a seat in the dining room or do you want to sit at the head table where you can kill the king?

  • Comment posted by User0506206002, at 17:34 8 Apr 2013

    Also, can the moderator please open up the Challenge Cup draw for comment

  • Comment posted by CSPreturns, at 11:51 8 Apr 2013

    Hull KR, the most successful club in the British game?

    Really/ when?

    In the mid eighties?

    Widnes early to mid eighties? Then in eighty five/six Wigan took over?

    HKR had a good team in the eighties, but “most successful club in the British game”.

    I don’t think so!!!!!!!!!!

  • Comment posted by George Liam, at 11:18 8 Apr 2013

    this is huge problem for HKR who is going to invest in them. especially since u are going to lose half a million a year.

  • Comment posted by User0816155368, at 10:44 8 Apr 2013

    Claiming limited income because of having a limited fan base is simply a poor excuse for inefficient management.
    Hull has 2 SL teams, their nearest SL competitors are Cas and Wakey. Why can't FC and KR both build a fanbase from most of East Yorks and all of North Lincs?
    Look how close together Cas, Wakey, Leeds, Bradford are; same again with Wigan, Warrington, Stains, Widnes.
    Excuses!

  • Comment posted by CSPreturns, at 13:35 8 Apr 2013

    Tom.

    A little bitter aren’t you? Not a Wigan athletic fan by any chance?

  • Comment posted by User0663944953, at 15:18 8 Apr 2013

    Byebye Hull KR.

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