Fans come to Hornets rescue

Rochdale Hornets supporters have launched a bid to save their financially crippled club.

Working alongside London-based author, economist and lifelong Hornets fan Paul Ormerod, the group of supporters hope to turn Hornets' off-field fortunes around.

The club went into administration earlier this month in a bid to stave off a winding-up order by the Inland Revenue in the midst of spiralling debts.

The Hornets Nest Egg collection of fans has now met with Ormerod with the hope of taking over the club and forming a supporters' co-operative under the name 'Rochdale Hornets Rugby Football League Club Society Limited'. Ormerod would become honorary president of the new outfit, with members of the Nest Egg responsible for running the club.

"Our aim is to create a club that will embody the co-operative values that were first started in Rochdale when the Co-op was formed in 1844," Ormerod said.

"We feel that the innovative model of having supporters play such an influential role in the running of the club could provide a template for others to follow in the future."

The Rugby Football League has been made aware of the plans and the collective is currently in talks with the administrators.