Barraclough, who also acts as the amateur rugby league club’s “media manager”, says he wants to make it clear to supporters and the rugby league world in general why the club could not speak on the matter “due to reasons not imposed by us”.

Rangers were thrown out of the National Conference League Division Two last month for the playing of an unregistered professional player.

They were only half way through their second season in the amateur game’s flagship competition when they were hauled before the league’s management committee for including Halifax's Clifton-based hooker Stuart Proctor.

Barraclough’s letter reads:

“As acting secretary of Brig-house Rangers ARLFC I would like to make a few points clear to the people of Brighouse.

I refer specifically to David Parker’s column where he stated that the Brighouse Rangers’ officials clammed up and would not speak to the paper regarding the Stuart Proctor affair and our expulsion from the National Conference League.

We were told by the National Conference League that under no circumstances should we say anything to the press at that moment in time regarding the matters in question.

So even though we may have had a very slight chance of being kept in the National Conference League we were not going to jeopardise our chances by letting the local press know what was happening at that moment in time.

May I also point out that the registered press relations officer with the RFL for the club is myself, and at no time was I contacted regarding this matter by your paper. Other outlets did and I gladly provided the correct line of information available.

Mr Parker did contact various members of the club apart from myself but under the directives of the National Conference League at the time they were not permitted to make any statements due to the restrictions imposed.”

Rangers’ results and their positition in the league table were expunged and, Echo Sport understands, Rangers chairman Paul Wormald will meet the players and coaching staff on Saturday following their rearranged home National Cup first round home game with Thatto Heath (1.30).