Roughyeds back from the brink — again

CHRIS HAMILTON

OLDHAM Roughyeds are expected to stave off a winding-up petition today.

In the latest in a line of such moves by HM Revenue and Customs against Oldham Rugby League Football Club (1997) Ltd, club chairman Chris Hamilton went before the High Court.

He formally requested an adjournment, pre-agreed with HMRC out of court, to enable legal paperwork to be completed.

Oldham released a statement declaring "the club has reached agreement with HMRC to once again pay its debts in full" and Hamilton believes the club can now look forward rather than back — starting with this weekend's big Co-operative Championship One play-off tie against York City Knights.

"While this has been a traumatic time, as ever, we have remained committed to meeting our obligations and we are now looking forward to a future at the Whitebank Stadium with renewed confidence and optimism," Hamilton said.

The debt to be paid to the Revenue this time round isn't clear. Over £47,000 was paid in a last-gasp effort to satisfy tax arrears in November 2009, after Hamilton agreed a deal to purchase former owner Bill Quinn's shareholding in the club.

That came after the club avoided being wound up in June, 2009, with the amount paid back to the Revenue then by Quinn totalling £55,000.