It's tough but we will survive says Hunslet chairman

These are challenging times” for rugby league’s lesser lights, but chairman Ken Sykes is confident Hunslet can survive the coronavirus shutdown.
Ken Sykes. Picture by Matthewe MerrickKen Sykes. Picture by Matthewe Merrick
Ken Sykes. Picture by Matthewe Merrick

The Parksiders were just two games into their Betfred League One campaign when the season was suspended.

With only 10 home games on their fixture list, clubs like Hunslet can ill afford to miss out on income which has already been budgeted for, but asked if the club will survive, Sykes insisted: “Yes, I think so.”

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Sykes played for Hunslet and New Hunslet from 1971 to 1983 and was appointed chairman last month after Neil Hampshire stepped down.

Ken Sykes and the Hunslet team celebrate victory over Leeds Rhinos in the pre-season Harry Jepson Trophy tie. Picture by Craig Hawkhead.Ken Sykes and the Hunslet team celebrate victory over Leeds Rhinos in the pre-season Harry Jepson Trophy tie. Picture by Craig Hawkhead.
Ken Sykes and the Hunslet team celebrate victory over Leeds Rhinos in the pre-season Harry Jepson Trophy tie. Picture by Craig Hawkhead.

Reflecting on the current situation, he said: “Things are very tight, but we launched quite a bit of activity before the season.

“We started fairly early, looking at finances and things like that and I can’t say we are in a fantastic state, but as things stand at the moment we are okay.”

There is no end in sight to the sport’s shutdown, which began last week.

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Sykes admitted the “uncertainty” over when - or even if - the season will resume is a concern, but confirmed: “Certainly as far as this month and next month are concerned, we’ve told the players who are on contract they will be getting paid as they would expect.

“Obviously as time goes on you may have to make different decisions, but we don’t want to renege on any of the people we owe money to.

“It is tough and I should imagine there are some clubs very much on the edge at the moment.”

With fixtures having been postponed - and club shops and social facilities closed - there is little money coming into rugby league at the moment, but bills and wages still have to be paid.

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Sykes, who is also secretary at the Heworth amateur club in his home city of York, accepted: “That’s the issue at the moment, right up to Super League.

“There is nothing much coming in, except we do have quite a healthy subscription system which had a bit of a boost at the end of last year and the early part of this year with quite a number of new people joining one of the membership schemes.

“That has helped us out greatly so we do have income coming in, but clearly not as much as we’d like. We’d like more people to come forward.”

Sykes played for Hunslet at their famous Parkside home, as well as during spells at Elland Road greyhound stadium, Batley and Bramley.

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He admits to having a “passion” for the club and feels other past players could do more to help the present set-up.

“Players put a lot in, but they take a lot out - they get a lot of benefit from it,” he said.

“One of the things I am trying to do is encourage players of all eras to support the club.

“Hunslet, along with lots of other clubs, desperately needs the support of its members or anybody who has been involved.

“We are doing a good job, but we could do with a lot more.

“We’ve got over 100 people on various membership schemes, but if we could double that it would make a massive difference to us.”

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