FEATHERSTONE ROVERS’ fourth-round Challenge Cup tie against Catalans Dragons at Post Office Road today represents as big a test of the progress being made by one of the game’s most famous names off the field as it does on it.

The size of the crowd could be as important as the score in convincing authorities that Rovers’ ambitions of regaining their former eminence have substance. “I don’t anticipate they’ll bring a great deal of spectators and we had quite a poor performance at Halifax in our last game, so if we get more than 1,200 I’ll be satisfied,” said Andy Prout, Rovers’ chief executive. “That doesn’t sound a lot but it’s 10% of our catchment area, and if Leeds were doing that they’d need a new stadium twice the size of Wembley.”

It is a far cry from the days when crowds of 17,000 were squeezing into the ground. In 1983 Rovers won this competition, beating Hull 14-12 in front of more than 80,000 at Wembley, but having rejected a merger with Wakefield and Castleford, they missed out when the Super League began.

Though they came within minutes of promotion in 1998, the club has struggled to stay afloat, going into administration in 2002 and 2006. The latter was the catalyst for reforms that Prout says have put them on the road to success. “We embarked on a business plan with the goals of firstly becoming solvent, which we now are, and to get out of the depths of Division Two, which we did last year.”

The Rovers players and staff are all part-time, which does not augur well for their chances against a Catalans side coming into the contest after six games undefeated. To make matters worse, coach David Hobbs - man of the match in that 1983 final - has key players out with injury. Even so, he is confident his brickies, plasterers, insurance salesmen and IT specialists will make the Dragons know they have been in a game.

It is backsides on seats that concerns Prout, though: “The people around here have a lot of choice, and they will watch Cas, or Wakefield, or Barnsley FC, depending on where they think they’ll be entertained. It’s up to us to make them choose Post Office Road, and for that we need some momentum.”

For a report on last night’s game between Harlequins and Castleford please visit www.timesonline.co.uk/sport