APRIL FOOLS DUPED BY BROWN STUNT

CHARLTON ATHLETIC and the London Broncos Rugby League team managed to dupe a number of media organisations with their April Fool`s Day prank after revealing that Addicks defender Steve Brown will not be playing Super League this summer as declared on Saturday.

A number of reports emerged announcing that the 27-year-old had signed for The Broncos in a short-term deal for the summer, meaning that he would become a rarity in modern sport by playing two games.

However, the official Broncos website has revealed that the whole thing was just a joke, and that Brown will, in fact, be preparing himself for a probable return to the Premiership with The Addicks rather than playing for last year`s Challenge Cup finalists.

Brown had said: "I`ve always been a big fan of Rugby League. This could be a big opportunity for me, it`s up to me now to make the most of the chance."

However, his hopes of paralleling New Zealander Jeff Wilson, an international at both Rugby Union and Cricket, turned out to be nothing more than a publicity stunt which appears to have sold a number of news agencies.

The Broncos, who boast Richard Branson as a major shareholder, are now based at The Valley, sharing with Athletic, after moving there during the winter break.