HULL KR coach Tim Sheens has dedicated the stunning Clive Sullivan trophy win over neighbours Hull to the club’s staunch fans – and promised to spend more than half-a-million pounds more on players if the support continues to increase.
Speaking to rugby-league.com, Sheens says Rovers chairman Neil Hudgell had been extremely conservative with budgets following relegation to the Championship this year.
But he added that between Stg500,000 and Stg600,000 worth of purse strings could be opened during the course if 2017.
In what could be the only Hull derby of the year, Rovers whipped FC 40-16 at KCOM Stadium on Sunday.
“Most of these players are on deals which are subject to going back to Super League,” the former Australia coach said as part of a Q&A.
“There’s no use … we’re not spending to our top budget and that’s mainly until we end up earning money. That’s to make sure we don’t do a Bradford and not be able to pay wages.
“The owner’s doing the right thing. He has to be smart about it. He doesn’t want to turn up here one week and say ‘sorry, I can’t make the wage’. That 600 grand or more that doesn’t come from the RFL leaves a big hole to fill. We’re about that (amount) off salary cap at the moment.”
Hull KR have amazingly attracted more interest for season tickets since being relegated than they did before.
Sheens commented: “That’s what I was pleased about today – for them, to show them a bit of trophy. I know it’s just a friendly game but it means a lot to them to beat their cross-city opposition. It was good for them to see some good football. We scored some good points right in front of them.
Hopefully that will boost it again because the more money they put in, the more money I’m going to get and the more the team could recruit. We’ve got over half a million pounds that we could use if we come up with the money.
That would change the look of our side dramatically. We’re not in a hurry at the moment to do that but I’m hoping as we go through, things will steady and everything will be good for us financially.”
Sheens, who transferred from Salford in the off-season, admitted to nerves before his first game in charge of his new club.
