Chairman of Oldham Rugby League Club, Bill Quinn, has offered a financial update confirming the club has spent ‘hundreds of thousands of pounds more’ on players than they should have.

In an extraordinary reveal, Quinn spoke via the club’s X account in an update video that was almost 20 minutes in length. Within that update, he explained that players had been signed with clauses in their contracts that rewarded bonuses based on league finishing position and/or appearances, with the person responsible for those dealings now removed from the club.

First responding to fans on social media who he described as ‘keyboard warriors’, Quinn explained that he and others at the club are addressing issues with those then revealed to be of a financial nature.

The extraordinary update from Quinn began: “There seems to be a lot of keyboard warriors busy these days with all their negativity. Typical Oldham or of a certain contingent of Oldham fans. It doesn’t seem that a lot of other clubs have that but we at Oldham seem to have that.

“It’s a good job there’s Bill Quinn and a few others with the resolve to keep it all going and keep doing our best for you.”

On financial issues in the Championship as a whole, he then said: “The RFL are aware of it and a lot of people out there are aware of it. Oldham has been spending money over the last few years and that’s the reason why there is a cap coming in, because of the likes of Featherstone, Halifax and Salford overspending and I agree with it 100%.”

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Oldham rugby league chairman reveals financial position

Quinn would then confirm Oldham’s own financial issues, explaining that clauses in contracts had led to a larger than forecasted salary in what he outlined as a conspiracy to create a difficult situation and ultimately push him out of the club.

The Roughyeds chair said: “We were supposed to have a year of consolidation this year but instead we’ve signed players on huge amounts of money but what I wasn’t aware of was some of these ‘you finish in the top 10 then you get a bonus’, or ‘you get so much an appearance’ (clauses).

“All these other things added on, which I wasn’t aware of, because they were handled by somebody else at the club who is no longer here.

“The bottom line is the club have been put into a position financially which is very very difficult to deal with and it was done in a manner that was to make Bill Quinn walk away, same with the Oldham Athletic situation.

“It was also done, and I have the evidence, that Bill Quinn will walk away if you put the pressure on him so what Bill Quinn did was go and find another ground for us. I know that doesn’t suit a lot of people but you either want a team and want rugby or you end up being a Featherstone.

“The bottom line is I’m here to make sure this club stays and this club is viable and goes forward.”

The Oldham Athletic and ground situation that Quinn refers to relates to the legal dispute between him and those at the football club which has ultimately led to him being banned from Boundary Park, with the rugby league club forced in recent weeks to play at Stalybridge.

Oldham facing ‘huge situation’ after overspend

Quinn then revealed the extent of those financial woes, confirming that the overspend went into the hundreds of thousands and that the club were required by the Rugby Football League to look at their wages. He also confirmed players will be coming and going in the coming weeks but insisted that doesn’t mean the club are doomed.

“The positive is that I am here,” Quinn said, adding: “I’m working hard with the team of people that is here. We now have a huge situation on our hands where there’s a value that we should have paid for the players and we’ve paid hundreds of thousands of pounds more.

“I’m looking at these and I’m trying to make it stack up because that’s what the RFL have required me to do and it’s called good business.

“You may see a top earner go down the road on loan… Yes, we will be bringing in loanees and yes we will be doing it right. We’ll be doing it right to make Oldham sustainable for the future and we’ll be doing it right so we still have a good squad, so I don’t want people saying we’re doomed.

“In fact three months ago we could have been doomed but I’ve stuck in there and put a lot of money in. The difference is, I’ve been putting money into this club and the person that’s been spending it has never put a penny in.

“We’ve uncovered numerous things where money has been coming out and things have been done but the bottom line is I now have to and want to stop going on about it, and focus on the future.”

The full video in which Quinn shared the update can be viewed here via the Oldham Rugby League Football Club X account.

Chairman Bill Quinn has issued an update to supporters. pic.twitter.com/skdEKYm3Em

— Oldham RLFC (@Roughyeds) March 19, 2026