Championship chairman handed hefty RFL fine after abusing match officials in cup tie
Long-serving Batley Bulldogs chairman Kevin Nicholas pictured alongside current Prime Minister Keir Starmer back in 2021
Batley Bulldogs chairman Kevin Nicholas has received a £1,000 fine from the RFL for ‘abusive language towards match officials’ during an 1895 Cup tie against Bradford Bulls earlier this month.
The Bulldogs – who were 1895 Cup runners-up in 2023 – were beaten 16-12 at home by fellow Championship outfit Bradford in that tie on March 2, ending their hopes of a trip to Wembley this year.
It was in fact the game which resulted in Batley‘s Dane Manning copping an eight-match ban for his leading role in a huge brawl which ensued.
Veteran forward Manning and Bradford‘s Tom Holmes were both given straight red cards by referee Scott Mikalauskas on the day, with Manning’s ban received a couple of weeks later following a tribunal.
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Championship chairman handed hefty RFL fine after abusing match officials in cup tie
Manning’s suspension hasn’t proven the last we’ve heard of the cup tie between the two West Yorkshire foes, with news of Nicholas‘ fine coming to light earlier this week.
A statement on the RFL’s website reads: “Kevin Nicholas, the Batley Bulldogs chairman, has been fined £1,000 for abusive language towards match officials after the 1895 Cup tie against Bradford Bulls on March 2 following an independent Operational Rules Tribunal.”
Nicholas has been involved with Batley for almost 30 years, and recently publicly backed the movement which brought an overhaul of the RFL board’s make-up.
The recommendations drawn up by Leigh Leopards owner Derek Beaumont and Leeds Rhinos chief Gary Hetherington for the overhaul, which included the return of controversial character Nigel Wood as interim chair, were backed by Nicholas.
His explosive statement, published on the Bulldogs’ club website, includes swipes at the ‘dysfunctional’ outgoing figures from the RFL – including former chair Simon Johnson.
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