For those people who have short memories, Martin Jenkinson, along with fellow Directors Nick Cragg and Brian Chapple are the people who figured crucially in saving Rotherham Rugby Club from extinction. Without them they would be no Club!

And of equal importance, both Martin and Nick are plowing their own money into the club in order to keep the thing going. They do not need to do this; they do this because they don’t want to see the club fold.

You perhaps will not be surprised to learn then, that the current Board is seriously considering their futures at the club. The Board – quite rightly – is absolutely dismayed with all the criticism and just of late, the abuse they have had to suffer, both in the written media and on this site. I don’t blame them for a single second.

But if they do decide to pull the plug, who else with a love of Rotherham Rugby has the means and the aspiration to save it?

Some of that abuse was posted on this message board today! This can not and will not be tolerated!

At no time in the past and certainly not now will abuse of any individual be allowed. Therefore any poster who abuses an individual from this point on will be banned from this website.

Furthermore, as a supporter of Rotherham Rugby Club, I wish to distance myself from some of the utter garbage that has been posted on here recently. In addition for those who are interested, if the abuse does continue I want nothing to do with this site whatsoever and will terminate my involvement with it completely.

With regard to what has been said and with regard to player’s movement, remember there are two sides to a story. The Board quite rightly at the moment is maintaining a dignified silence. And maybe two or three people should be pleased that they are.

Believing some half-bake tale from someone with their own agenda and then posting on here coupling it with abuse of the very people who are keeping the club going, is not something a true supporter of the club would do.

Brian Chapple spoke to me this evening to convey his disillusionment at some of the comments made by so-called supporters of the club. Privately he enlightened me as to just some of the time, effort and resources that Martin and Nick commit to the club – it is staggering!

Brian completely supports his Board, as do I and as should all true supporters of Rotherham Rugby Club.

I would like to make a plea that this nonsense stops right now; no good can come from it! Rather than hiding behind pseudonyms, if you have a gripe with the club, go and speak to one of the Directors and if it’s something that a supporter needs to know, they’ll be more than happy to give you the information.

I know this has been a long statement, but hopefully you will see the seriousness of what is at stake.

Now let us all get right behind the club we love and do what supporters are meant to do.

Tony Jenkinson