Oldham RLFC ‘Roughyeds’ the (newly named) professional rugby league club based in Oldham, Greater Manchester, have been issued with a winding up petition for unpaid taxes by Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC).
This comes after the club failed to pay £6,000 in taxes that were due to HMRC. The petition is scheduled to be heard in the High Court, London on 22 April 2013.
A statement from the club said that “The club has worked hard to keep its payments to HMRC up to date and once this relatively small outstanding sum is paid in the next few days, the club’s tax liabilities will be completely up to date”.
The club have been blighted with financial problems since 2006 (when they were called Oldham Bears), and are hoping that a cup run on the field can galvanise the fans and secure financial stability for the future, whilst allowing them to clear these arrears before the hearing date. Chris Hamilton, a director at the club said: “A cup run can be a big help financially, particularly in the current climate”.