Parramatta Eels chief executive Scott Seward has expressed his disappointment that alleged dodgy Leagues Club dealings are once again overshadowing the club as they try to reassert themselves as an NRL force.

The Eels have confirmed they’re investigating the alleged tampering of membership records from last year’s Leagues Club elections and also the alleged theft of records from a club facility.

It’s an unwanted distraction for Brad Arthur’s team, who are currently fourth on the ladder and preparing to take on third-place Penrith on Friday night.

For years dysfunctional boards, chief executive issues and Leagues Club dramas have created an ongoing off-field saga for Parramatta which hasn’t made turning around their NRL fortunes any easier.

Seward, who has been at the helm since September, said the club was sick and tired of back-room controversy.

“It’s extremely disappointing that this club has to continually deal with these kinds of issues and hopefully this is the last time we have to deal with this kind of issue,” Seward told AAP.

“Because right now the Parramatta Eels have a pretty good story to tell.

“We’re playing well on the field, we’re doing well commercially off the field, our membership is great, our merchandise sales are great, our corporate partners are great … and how the Parramatta Eels are coming back as a footy club is getting lost in the distraction of this kind of story.

“It’s disappointing … but it gives us the opportunity to fix our governance and structure for the right reasons and that’s a positive.”

The alleged tampering to backdate memberships so those people would be eligible to vote in the elections reportedly took place on Eels’ club computers last April.

Members have to be financial for three years in order to cast a vote.

An internal investigation is underway.

Seward said the club has undertaken a lot of changes in the past six months, centred around making the fans the No.1 priority.

The Eels boss has only worked under the new board which was elected in May last year, but he’s confident the club is in good hands.

“There’s a positive vibe around the club again,” Seward said.

“It can be a massive positive for the club that our members and fans can be assured that the board they elected are actually doing the right thing by the members and fans and if there’s any form of impropriety or tampering that’s taken place, they’ve put the steps in place to find that out.”