Featherstone Rovers CEO outlines plans for if club win Million Pound Game

FEATHERSTONE Rovers chief executive Martin Vickers admits there will be “no Sonny Bill Williams” signings if the club do achieve their aim of promotion tonight but they will be ready to kick-on for Super League.

Just 80 minutes stands between then and reaching the elite for the first time.

If Featherstone defeat Championship leaders Toulouse Olympique in the Million Pound Game in France this evening, their long-running bid for Super League will be achieved.

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Vickers, of course, has experience of what that is like having been involved at Toronto Wolfpack when they lost the promotion decider against London Broncos in 2018 but won it 12 months later against Featherstone in Canada.

“It’s funny as on the eve of the last Million Pound Game I was with the opposition then,” he said.

“I can remember I sent a text that evening to Sonny Bill Williams’ agent and the rest is history.

“I can assure Featherstone fans there’s nothing like that in the making.

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“But we’re a smart bunch here led by the chairman Mark (Campbell) and we have a lot of contacts.

Sonny Bill Williams was a superstar signing for Toronto Wolfpack when they won promotion to Super League. (ALLAN MCKENZIE/SWPIX)Sonny Bill Williams was a superstar signing for Toronto Wolfpack when they won promotion to Super League. (ALLAN MCKENZIE/SWPIX)
Sonny Bill Williams was a superstar signing for Toronto Wolfpack when they won promotion to Super League. (ALLAN MCKENZIE/SWPIX)

“We certainly would be ready to go next week (if victorious).”

Vickers joined Featherstone earlier his year in March after David Longo left to become commercial director at Bradford City.

He said: “I feel Featherstone have improved and added further quality since that last Million Pound Game.

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“I can remember being very nervous at 60 minutes against Featherstone with Toronto and feeling another Londion Broncos nightmare around the corner.

Featherstone Rovers' Craig Kopczak (Dec Hayes)Featherstone Rovers' Craig Kopczak (Dec Hayes)
Featherstone Rovers' Craig Kopczak (Dec Hayes)

“And actually the fact that that last 20 minutes Toronto pulled away will have been a massive learning curve for this team ahead of Sunday.

“They have added quality players like Brett Fress and Nu Brown to that team.

“I knew when I came here this was a better team than played Toronto and you have a first-class coach (James Webster) who works really hard on his team ethos.

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“That feels stronger here than any team I’ve been associated with.

Featherstone Rovers' Brett Ferres  (Dec Hayes)Featherstone Rovers' Brett Ferres  (Dec Hayes)
Featherstone Rovers' Brett Ferres (Dec Hayes)

“I feel they can go there and win (Toulouse) and I have felt it since day one.”

Featherstone, of course, are a part-time operation so Vickers knows how busy they will be if they do achieve success against the odds tonight.

“We’ve already signed up a lot of our squad for next year and there’s agreements in place whether it’s Super League or Championship,” he added.

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“There is a big seven days ahead if we win where we’re sat down and dotting the i’s on various things.

“I really hope we can get it done.

“Here, I see a Super League stadium, a fervent support that would probably double and I think the Super League needs that shot in the arm at the moment.

“It needs a fresh club coming in there with all the vibrancy and passion of Featherstone Rovers.”