Jon Wilkin, a former St Helens legend who spent 16 seasons in the red jersey, told Sky Sports Rugby League that Paul Rowley's sudden departure as head coach of the Saints came as no surprise. The former player argued that the supporters had already shown their discontent, essentially "voting with their feet," during what he described as a "bizarre period" for the club. The announcement arrived on a Thursday morning, catching many observers off guard. Rowley was dismissed with immediate effect, just a day before St Helens were scheduled to travel to Wigan for a high‑profile Super League derby.
The match ended in a heavy 38‑16 defeat for the Saints, underscoring the turmoil surrounding the team. Rowley's tenure lasted only nine months and 23 games – the briefest spell for a St Helens head coach in the club's history and the shortest in English rugby league for more than half a century.
Wilkin said, "I'm not surprised. I think the writing was on the wall for Paul Rowley at St Helens." He pointed to the low attendance at the Catalans game as a key indicator of the growing disconnect between the club and its fan base. "The most telling thing in Rowley's demise was the attendance for the Catalans game," Wilkin noted.
He added that St Helens has long struggled financially, and when supporters stop turning up, it sends a powerful message to the board. Wilkin explained that the fans were unhappy with several aspects of the team: the quality of the squad, the playing style, and the shift away from the winning formula that had made St Helens a dominant force. "For me, the fans are simply not happy with the substance of the team, the personnel, the style of play, and the change in tack from what's been a champion club," he said. He highlighted the stark drop in average home attendance: 13,000 spectators in 2024 fell to around 11,000 in 2025.
The situation was even more dramatic on the night at Wigan, where a stand that normally holds 5,500 was occupied by only 1,700 fans. "Every time I played here, that stand was full," Wilkin recalled, emphasizing the sense of disengagement that now pervades the club. The former player also suggested that the relationship between the players and the supporters had become strained. "It's the lack of engagement with fans, and I think there's a disconnect between players and fans too," he observed.
Wilkin continued, "If you think only nine months into his tenure, he can't get a tune out of players and he's got a decimated team, he's had loads of challenges, but if they need to change the coach to get a group of players towards getting into the play‑offs, I'm sorry. I was at St Helens for 16 years; it's the most un‑St Helens thing that I've ever said. 'We need to change our coach now to get into the play‑offs and get our players motivated.' It's a bizarre time at this great club." He expressed sadness at the current state of affairs, especially when recalling the club's recent achievements, including four consecutive league titles.
"It makes me sad to look at that stand down there in Wigan. For a club that recently won four in a row, I just find it desperately sad," Wilkin said.
Former Saints star Sam Tomkins echoed the shock, describing the timing as "horrendous." He noted that sacking a head coach on the eve of a crucial match against a direct rival was a massive gamble. "The day before a huge game, their play‑off hopes sitting in the balance, the day before they play Wigan, they sack the head coach.
It's a lot to process, and I'm as stumped as anybody," Tomkins said. Tomkins added that while the Saints were sitting in sixth place, the club might be seeking a dramatic shift in performance. He pointed out that a coaching change can sometimes spark a rapid improvement, but it is always a risk.
"You very often see it – a coach changes and the players respond, but it's a big gamble. It's just, again, bizarre timing.
It blew my mind," he said. Both Wilkin and Tomkins agreed that the decision was likely a joint one between the board and Rowley, rather than a unilateral resignation.
"It would amaze me if Paul Rowley took it on himself to say I want to leave," Wilkin remarked. "But we're a results‑based business, and I don't think it's Saints have lost too many games this year, I think it's probably the manner in which they've lost at times." The Saints have a storied record of making the playoffs every season, never missing out.
Wilkin warned that a prolonged slump could threaten that tradition. "This is a side that has always made the playoffs. Never once have they missed the playoffs.
There is a chance they could slip out of there," he cautioned. In summary, the consensus among former players is that the club is at a crossroads. The board appears to be looking for a charismatic figure who can reinvigorate both the squad and the fan base, restoring the excitement that once filled the stands. As Wilkin concluded, "They need a big personality, who gets a big club, to excite fans and players.
I don't like the state St Helens are in. It makes me sad to look at that stand down there in Wigan. For a club that recently won four in a row, I just find it desperately sad."