Quins chief executive to move on

Harlequins chief executive Paul Blanchard will leave the club at the start of the season to take up a role at The Surrey Sports Park.

Blanchard moved to the capital two years ago after a spell at Hull KR, having previously worked for a range of companies, including the Scottish Premier League, NFL Europe and Ladbrokes.

He said: “It will be a real wrench to leave in February but I have a fantastic opportunity with The Surrey Sports Park that I cannot turn down. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Harlequins RL and feel both honoured and proud to have been a part of this great club’s history”

“I have been fortunate to work with some great people during my time here, particularly our Chairman and owner, David Hughes. Without David, quite simply there would be no Rugby League in London.”

Blanchard sits on the board of directors and is responsible for the day to day running of the club, with a top priority being to increase attendances at Twickenham Stoop.

Chairman Hughes added: “I would like to really thank Paul for the work he has done for the club in the last two years. I believe that we are now in an excellent position to move forward and begin to realise some of the potential that this Club has.”