Why Nigel Bondswell was replaced

I am a Chartered Physiotherapist (Clinical Specialist) in Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy with almost 16 years experience. I am a member of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapist. I am a registered member of the Health Professions Council, this is the Government Statutory Body covering my profession.

I have no restrictions (by the law of his land) on my practice. I can assess children and vulnerable adults. As i do now daily in my private clinic.

I loved my job, no life and vocation at Keighley Cougars RFLC that's how i felt about it. It was my passion and that's how i approached the job i did there. With my heart on my sleeve and with passion in my heart, and with the utmost professionalism to get the job done to make sure all the players were fit and safe to play rugby league.

I have performed at a good level in sport being Royal Air Force Boxing Champion 3 times, captain of the boxing team and winning my Royal Air Force Colours. I know what is required by the back room staff to enable top level performance as i saw it and was on the other side of it as a sports man. Some of those qualities are dedication, passion, caring for your players and professionalism, all of which i brought to Keighley Cougars RFLC.

I had a verbal contract to provide physiotherapy cover for the first team only for 1 hour on a Tuesday and Thursday evening, as well as match days. Starting an hour and a half before the game to end of the game.

Instead, I actually:

*provided physiotherapy assessment, treatment and rehabilitation on a Tuesday and Thursday evening for up to three and a half hours for the first and second teams as well as Keighley Cougars Scholarship players.
*provided physiotherapy assessment, treatment and rehabilitation at my private clinic at a convenient time for any Keighley Cougar player (no matter which team or level) FREE of charge to the club. No matter how many physio sessions were required.
* provided assessment, treatment and rehab on a match day to injured players while the team went out for warm up.
*provided physiotherapy cover on a match day.
*Keighley Cougar RFLC had no player insurance, so to expedite appropriate treatment within the NHS (as the player couldn't be treated privately the club couldn't afford it) I in my own private clinic time at no cost to Keighley Cougars would write and or verbally communicate with any player's GP/Consultant.
*provided assessment treatment and rehab at a player's home.
*was always available for physiotherapy advice no matter who, and that did include and night at times
*took on University under graduates using them as assistants at the same time giving them the appropriate training they required to graduate and acquire their degree. This gave Keighley Cougars kudos within the higher education system. More importantly it gave me an assistant, i was working on a Tuesday, Thursday evening and match days on my own and i could not see every one. It is normal practice to have an assistant or massage therapist to do the rubs and help out but the directors refused to fund one. So i got them through placement students at no detriment to their study
*took on students for work experience, helping to promote the club within the community and local education establishments.
*took on and added to the training of a Sports and massage therapist who is a now a valuable member of Keighley Cougars back room staff in my opinion. She has worked hard and had to work 2 seasons for free. She is funded through the generosity of the players putting money together each week.The directors and chairman although asked, have never come up with money to pay the person.
*initiated and project managed the refurbishment of the Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Clinic at Keighley Cougars. All of it was paid for by the Keighley Cougars Sports and Massage Therapist. That room could proudly grace any Super League Club.

I was paid £50 for a Thursday and £50 for a Tuesday evening and £100 for a match day.

When Mr Gary Fawcett took over as Chairman I was often not paid for weeks or months on end. I was never told i would not be paid. I would find out from my bank statements or have to chase him up to when i was to be paid.

After a hard weeks work it was nice to look forward to the rewards of your labour, such as a win on the pitch and money in your account.

I would be rewarded with the win by the players but no money in my account. This happened time and time again. I would expect to be paid, no warning of not being paid, a bank statement saying a cheque had bounced or no money being paid in to my bank account.

I would have to ring around to speak to Gary. No answer from him until later in the week, in the mean time i am bugging JD for answers then i would get an excuse why i wasn't paid via JD from Gary. I would be presented with a cheque that would bounce. Then it would start all over again. Calling him no answer bugging JD so on and so on.

THIS WENT ON FROM THE DAY GARY STARTED AS CHAIRMEN AT KEIGHLEY COUGARS. HE EVEN BOUNCED MY LAST CHEQUE AND HAS SO FAR REFUSED TO PAY THE BANK CHARGES INCURRED EVEN THOUGH HE SAID HE WOULD TO ME AND TO A PERSON AT THE RFL.

I then decided a week or two before every pay day to send an email to Gary reminding him to pay me. This worked for 2 months then it started all over again. Not being paid, bugging JD to be paid, getting messages back why i wasn't paid, getting cheques WHICH BOUNCED. I had had enough.

So when it happened again for my May salary. I asked Gary to pay me and if he didn't i would report this non payment to the RFL. I wasn't paid after another late payment so i reported him to the RFL.

Coincidentally at the same time at the end of April my CRB came in to the RFL, which is a private company that governs the rugby league football. By their policies because i have a significant police record , i committed the crimes of domestic violence(of which i am not proud, and will always be sorry for doing) they gave me a Temporary Suspension Order to keep away from all RFL property until they policies were satisfied.

I have mental health issues i have been diagnosed with bi polar/personality disorder and clinical depression after a severe nervous breakdown i had in 2006. I was placed into a secure unit for 2 months under one of the mental health acts.

Since that time i have been on medication, which i still am on, i see a psychotherapist weekly and i am under a psychiatrist.

I am stable and i have worked hard to turn my life around and continue to do so daily. Its not easy some days even so i do.

I have had a tribunal conducted by Health Professions Council the statutory body covering physiotherapists. They said i am safe practice unrestricted as i am not deemed a danger to patients. How ever i do have a caution on file with the HPC lasting another 2 years it was for 5 years initially.

The Tuesday and Thursday evenings physio sessions before the Dewsbury game i was not able to work, i.e. enter onto RFL property so there was a replacement physiotherapist working. However if there were any injuries i could have seen the guys at my clinic. Then i received a letter Thursday morning from Gary saying that the replacement physiotherapist was going to charge less than i was being paid and there were going forward with him and not me(i have the letter).

Friday i received a letter from the RFL saying i was clear to work with adults at Keighley Cougars, so i was clear to work on Sunday against Dewsbury (i have the letter).

It has been said i was replaced due to cost.

I suggest i am cheaper than what is presently being charged. I have the years of experience with certain members of the squad others since the beginning of the season. That's invaluable within a squad at this level. You work closely with them so you begin to know what works with who to get the quickest results to get them ready and safe for selection.

I have and 16 years experience as a physiotherapist as well as working as a full time private physiotherapist with my own clinic. I can see players if required "at the drop of a hat" as i have done which again has been a valuable asset. I worked closely with the conditioning coach ensuring players were fully fit and safe for selection. Lastly i had the respect and confidence of the players, there knew i could do my job well and that I cared about them.

The team and the club should come before personal issues, replacing key members of the back room staff should never be done at this level as it can have a detrimental affect on the squad. In the short term disturbing the flow of things but in the long term it may have an affect on the treatment and rehabilitation of players. In general it undermines what the manager of the club is trying to achieve on the playing side because you are have become an integral part of the mangers plans and what is going on with the players.

Only at the end of the season should real change be carried out. If its the back room staff the manager should be making the decisions about who he works with not the chairman.

Speaking of which i was an important member of the rehab staff that ensured we had a full team for JD to select from for the final.

Then i should have been replaced for the next season not in the middle of one.This can be seen in most well set up teams in many sports. Not that i wanted to be replaced. And the manager should pick and fire his staff not the chairman.

The RFL had nothing to do with me being replaced. They did the best they could considering their policies.

In my opinion it was not a cost cutting exercise as considering all the hours i worked, the work i did away from the club and the years of expertise and experience i gave and have as a physiotherapist i was very cheap.

In my opinion this was an opportunity ceased by Gary Fawcett and possibly other persons to get rid of me. the evidence suggests i was constructively dismissed. Why, because i wanted to be paid on time and i complained when i was not.

Some of what i have said to suggest i was constructively dismissed could be considered circumstantial but what i have written here is true and can be verified, some by hard copy bank statements.

I have given out alot of sensitive information about myself in relation to this matter. I was going to stay quiet about the whole matter but i have found the behaviour of Gary Fawcett even after what i call being constructively sacked appalling.

I have told the truth. No doubt opening my self up for ridicule but i have made a stand and said my piece.

I thank you, the great fans at Keighley Cougars for your support and the well wishes i have had from the players and staff. And a special thanks to Barry Eaton for accepting me in the first place.

I hope the season goes well for the Cougars.

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