Fresh calls for owner to quit club as fixture is cancelled
NEATH Rugby Supporters Club have reiterated their call for owner Mike Cuddy to walk away from the club in a fresh statement.
The Welsh All Blacks’ fixture against RGC was postponed yesterday morning, the second time in three weeks they have had to call off a fixture, amid the club’s financial woes.
‘Two-thirds’ of the players have walked away after their wages were not paid, leaving Neath relying on permit players from the lower leagues to try to fulfil fixtures in recent weeks.
But it’s an unsustainable way to go about things and future fixtures are also now in doubt with the WRU monitoring the situation.
Neath escaped a winding up order last week as a judge found paperwork regarding a debt of £31,734 to be “entirely unclear”.
In a strongly-worded statement released by the Supporters Club and published on the Neath Rugby website following yesterday’s postponement, they outline the club’s current plight and say new investors are primed and ready to take over.
It read in full: “Neath supporters are hugely disappointed that tomorrow’s match at home vs RGC 1404 has been postponed. This is the second time in the last 14 days that the club’s owner and sole remaining director Mr Cuddy has failed to ensure that the club can fulfil a fixture.
“This is completely unacceptable and we are very sorry for the huge inconvenience caused to RGC 1404 players, officials and supporters.
“The situation has been made much worse by Mr Cuddy’s failure to comply with WRU timescales, leading to significant potential coach hire and accommodation costs arising for RGC and their supporters.
“The current chaotic ownership situation at the club has led to two-thirds of the playing squad, the head coach and assistant coaches, team manager, fitness and conditioning coaches, kit man and the whole of the volunteer operational team telling Mr Cuddy that they can no longer continue to be associated with the club while he remains in control. The two away games scheduled for Bridgend (December 22) and Aberavon (Boxing Day) now look to be very much at risk leaving Neath supporters with a bleak outlook for Christmas.
“The one bright spot for Neath supporters is the outstanding leadership shown by our captain Aaron Bramwell, our vicecaptain Sion Crocker and Lee “Duck” Evans who are doing everything they can to ensure that the remaining players at Neath take the field when called upon to do so.
“Mr Cuddy has supported Neath Rugby for many years but is currently experiencing significant ill-health and financial difficulties following the collapse of a number of his businesses earlier this year.
“A new company with new investors is ready and waiting to take over the running of the club.
“It is understood that the new company want nothing to do with Mr Cuddy’s existing company – Neath Rugby Limited – but are ready for the challenge of rebuilding Neath Rugby both on and off the field, in the knowledge that this will be a major piece of work after many years of mismanagement.
“We join all of Neath’s supporters in saying to Mr Cuddy – thank you for what you have done for the club, but please walk away now – TODAY – before the damage you are causing becomes terminal.”