Mac back in town

BRIAN JOINS PART-TIMERS

BRIAN McDERMOTT insists he does not regret his “northern town clubs” comment despite taking over at one.

Featherstone Rovers’ new coach famously claimed two years ago that Super League needed to look beyond small towns in the north and instead spread into big global cities.

He had just clinched promotion with Toronto and said expansion was the best way to attract better TV deals and major sponsors.

Months later the Wolfpack folded and McDermott, right, is now in charge of leading parttime

Featherstone’s bid for promotion to Super League.

But McDermott insists there is no conflict with his previous comments, saying: “I have total respect for the traditional teams and rugby league needs them. “But we also need something else because staying as we are, or with slight variations, is not the answer. “Investment is not going to come by having the same teams from the north. That’s the truth. I never said you have to have either or, because teams such as St Helens and Leeds are some of the best sporting environments in the country.

“I was asked about the growth of the sport.The only regret I have is I used that platform after Toronto got promoted to say what I did.”

Featherstone lost that 2019 Million Pound Game to Toronto and also missed out on promotion this season to French side Toulouse.

But McDermott is convinced they can make it third time lucky next year – and insists they will deserve to be in Super League.

He said: “There are not many clubs that have the ambition that Featherstone have. The script that lies before us of doing something that hasn’t been done before is one of the main reasons I’m here.”