hes probably your biggest fan, he would never see the club fall at the waste side, he as done wonders in just under a decade, and for that rugby fans of both hull clubs should be thankful for putting the BIGGEST AND BEST derby back in the game. he will leave the club in better hands also. well done today great response from last week saints are no mugs.

Frank and honest interview as always from Neil.

I for one don't blame him for making his decision, he's done his bit. A true East Hull legend. Lets hope someone can take up the baton otherwise we will be up a certain creek without a certain implement.

I'm going to look at this as a rugby league fan first and foremost...

In the last 5 years...

Widnes in danger, taken over by multimillionaire Steve O'Connor. Achieves SL license.
Crusaders in danger, taken over by Wrexham consortium. Relocated. Survive for two years in SL. Lose license and reemerge in CC1.
Wakefield in danger, taken over by multimillionaire Andrew Glover. Immediate improvement in crowds, stands getting erected, new stadium on the way.
Bradford in danger, taken over by local consortium. Currently third.
Salford in danger, taken over by multimillionaire Dr Koukash. We'll see how that goes.

All seem to have positive outcomes, with big backers and what looks like to be onfield improvements.

Hopefully Rovers can find someone like the others have, but hopefully they also don't have to go the administration route like the others which is a dangerous game. It appears Cas may be close to this predicament as well.

Yes that has to be the hope. Cas don't look to be in great shape and if Neil Hudgell is feeling the way he is, one can only imagine what must be going through David Hughes' mind. Maybe because it is the club I follow, but I do think things need a shake. The number of rules we've accumulated, some of them worse than useless, trying to legislate our way through our problems, is mental. i'm no fundamentalist free marketeer, but we've regulated clubs into a corner, mostly on the hoof. it needs stripping back and an attempt at cohesive and simple needs to be made. the sport and most of the clubs have always found a way to get by for well over a 100 years, and I'm sure that'll continue to be the case.

I heard most of it and thought it was a really good interview by him can't doubt his commitment and input over the years, outstanding. He sounds knackered, spent, and who can blame him? The question is, should investment of half a mill a year from elsewhere not be forthcoming, what then? Was this question asked?

Nothing mentioned there mrs b which is why I'm pretty confident

i think he will ring neil hudgell and get a claim going....... im ere all week.

I don't recall the question, and I was certainly left wondering that myself. I think this is a bit of brinksmanship, and should no investor come over the horizon, the pair of them would still be there, albeit in a reduced input capacity.

Drop the cap spend another 400K and struggle on. The problem with that model is that it becomes a spiral, as the product deteriorates, the crowds will also.

Without additional or alternative investment, then I guess 'we are Hull KR' in a very literal sense. I'd be genuinely surprised if nobody wanted to take us on at some level, but some thought should be given to it, so if we reach the autumn without any resolution, there is some sort of fall back position.

I guess we won't be able to sort out any recruitment or retention, so sooner the better, obviously. We've got a decent sized core signed-up for 2014 at least.

It was the obvious and most important question to ask, surely? New investors on board, either fine, continue as is, or brilliant, Larvinutopia-style, reliving the early 80s. No new investors on board, Hudgell's out, but what does that mean? Administration, break even as you suggest, Championship? Why would Gwilym not ask that most important question? Perhaps as ginge alludes to, it's irrelevant as the cash is already in place, but it seems a pretty fundamental thing to not press for a clear articulation of.

I think he was pretty definitive that they wouldn't struggle with us being average, so I can't them wanting to oversee us be less than that.
He definitely meant exactly what he said, IMO. 9 years is a long time to carry that responsibility. I think he just wants to enjoy it as a fan again.

Mrs b - how could he answer that? it is a hypothetical situation where it is no longer his responsibility. Beyond perhaps calling in administrators if he can't even give it away.

Break even can't be guaranteed in reality, if there isn't anybody there to cover the possibility of losses that doesn't fly. The trust might be able to do it on a Championship scale, but it is a very new body. I suspect it wasn't asked because the answer is obvious and would be up to others.

This is the point, you're guessing, albeit sensibly. Most fans realise a new investor means carrying on with a range of spending available dependent on who it is. If no one wants to take the club on, then what? He seemed adamant he was done, but someone has to take over as Chairman and main shareholder, don't they? Sandra or Mike Smith, decided by arm wrestle?

He and Crossland are Chair, director and between them I think have a majority shareholding. If no buyer is found in the next 4 months, and he wants no further part in the club, they'd possibly wind the company up, or continue but force a break even by a really cheap squad fewer conditioners and Chris Chester as head coach, for example. IMO he'd not have the heart to do the former, which is why the latter should have been explored.

I think, or guess, that new investors are lined up, so it's hypothetical, but it's an obvious thing to probe. A major salary cap reduction could have implications for bigger earners in the squad, particularly when they may have relocated from the other side of the world to work for Hudgell and Sandercock, neither of whose medium term tenure seems as secure as when they signed up.

Did u not hear mrs b that he said there are a few investors knocking on the door I'd say that's positive

It depends. To continue as is requires an annual cash input of half a million a year. To challenge for honours, possibly double that. If the investors referenced can make this sort of commitment, happy days. If they've approached to club with, say, a one-off £100k, that solves nothing. If it's someone with Tony Larvin's wealth, brilliant.

The bigger the investor, the higher the level we'll play at, but he could hardly have made it clear they won't carry on by themselves.

We can't carry on in SL without some significant capital behind us, so if nobody comes forward I think that pretty much means the Championship. The scale of investment or guarantees required there opens it to more people, although clearly you lose some of what makes it attractive. It isn't beyond the bounds of possibility that it could be fan owned and run at that level. It definitely could be starting in Championship 1, although you'd want up ASAP. but I'd be very surprised if it came to that

I've got the same wealth as Larvin. However I invested it by putting a hotel on Mayfair

lets hope and pray

However, if any of these investors are close to a deal you have to wonder why not wait to make the announcement about stepping down until the deal is done? Why generate uncertainty and anxiety by announcing his departure before securing a successor?

Maybe this is designed to 'encourage' any investors who have been in talks but have yet to commit? Otherwise it seems odd timing to say the least.

But then is it just a smokescreen cos to me hudgell didn't come across upset yes honest but not sum one who is about to walk out on the club he loves

My red and white in-laws heard today the Allams are still in the picture investment wise. What better white charger for a sporting philanthropist to ride in on than the very publicly-declared risk of the loss of a long-serving chairman and fan?

Rubbish mrs b

Bad form. You can't rubbish what I've heard whilst hiding behind non-specifics.

I ain't shouting my mouth of again mrs b however I'm confident sumet will come to fruitition

Anyways mrs b shud u not be worrying we're ur 3000 glory supporters from the derby have gone