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Application, Complication, Supplication

Updated: 19 hours ago

30th January 2025


Many of you will have attended our Supporters Event at Sixways a week ago. The WWST Board is very grateful to everyone for submitting such a diverse range of questions, providing the perfect formula for our panel members to be able to share their plans and hopes for the future of Worcester Warriors, the Warriors Foundation and the wider rugby community of, not just our two counties, but the whole North Midlands RFU catchment area. More on the event later.


Warriors' Update


One question, posed early on in the evening, concerned the timing of announcement of the Tier 2 Board's decision on the short-listed applications to join next season's second tier. As regular readers of this blog will know, we were originally expecting to have had the verdict by Christmas 2024. However, due to the complex nature of the assessment process, the schedule had already been re-drawn and, as of last Thursday, our anticipation was of a formal announcement before the end of January.

The club has held further constructive discussions with the Tier 2 Board both this week and last, following which, representatives of WWST met with Chris Holland (Junction 6 Limited) and Steve Vaughan (Strategy Officer for Worcester Warriors) at Sixways this morning. We are confident that progress continues to be made but a pronouncement on the fate of the short-listed clubs is not now anticipated before the middle of February.


The Supporters Trust continues to have every confidence that the best possible application to join the new Tier 2 League has been tendered by Worcester Warriors. Although it is frustrating for all supporters that the decision has been further delayed, we hope that the news will be that much sweeter when finally received. Objectively we understand that a decision in favour of returning any of the three "phoenix clubs" would be met with meticulous scrutiny by the rugby press, not to mention varying levels of suspicion. It is vital that the Tier 2 Board are overwhelmingly convinced of the viability and sustainability of Worcester Warriors; never again do we wish to see our club in the same predicament in which it found itself in 2022. No further delays are expected beyond the next fortnight...... and remember, in the words of Benjamin Franklin: "He that can have patience can have what he will."


Photograph of original painting at Sixways Stadium Level 1


Q&A key points



On what would have been Cecil Duckworth's 88th Birthday, the Supporters Trust held our first ever AGM and a fan's forum hosted by another Worcester legend, Dave Bradley. Press coverage of the event last week was kept to a minimum so that our panel could feel less restrained in providing meaningful answers to the audience. For similar reasons we will not be providing full minutes or transcripts of that element of the evening. However, we will soon be uploading the minutes of our AGM to the members documents section of this website and a few of the key points revealed on the evening are listed below:


  • Junction 6 Limited now has control of the freeholds of Sixways and all the surrounding land previously owned by the club. They are in direct dialogue with DCMS regarding the outstanding charge held by Sport England over Sixways Stadium. The administrators/receivers have no further involvement.


  • Conditions for inclusion in Tier 2 include the settlement of valid rugby creditors. Junction 6 Limited will settle in full the total amount as assessed by the relevant RFU finance committee.


  • Planning application for the development of the site has already been submitted to Wychavon District Council and the planned works will progress regardless of Worcester Warriors' status as a rugby club.


  • The core of the business plan for Worcester Warriors and Sixways Stadium is sustainability. A stated aim is that match-day revenue will cover the costs of the coaching and playing squad; meaning that the more supporters attend and the more we pay for tickets, refreshments, merchandise etc, the more money will be available to spend on player contracts.


  • In due course, the site development will cover the costs of running the stadium ensuring that there is no "single point of failure" in the business.


  • If Worcester Warriors are admitted to Tier 2, time will be short to assemble a squad. However work has already started on potential recruitment of coaching staff/players and ensuring the facilities at the stadium, including the pitch, are ready for a team to train and play.


  • The RFU are looking to rename and re-brand The Championship. It is hoped that a deal for the sale of television coverage rights will be made.

Thanks to Nigel Downes for jogging my memory!


Panel of Steve Vaughan, Chris Holland, Carol Hart and Marcus Mulcahy answer questions invited by host, Dave Bradley
Panel of Steve Vaughan, Chris Holland, Carol Hart and Marcus Mulcahy answer questions invited by host, Dave Bradley

Ticketing Survey


One area of questioning alluded to above concerned the sometimes sensitive topic of ticket prices. Work is ongoing between the Supporters Trust and Worcester Warriors to better decide the appropriate level of both match-day and season tickets. There will be a direct link between what we, as supporters, are happy to pay and the quality of our playing squad, with the club determined to ensure that affordable budgets are in place. If Sixways does, once again, begin to host professional rugby in September it will have, by most measures, the outstanding facilities in the second tier of English rugby. For that reason alone it could be argued that we should be willing to spend a little more than other clubs on our days out at the game. Given that we expect work to start on the stadium development sometime in 2026, it is likely that most supporters would be sitting in the East & South Stands should we be playing in 2025/26. Comparative prices for the current higher echelon Championship clubs are between £21 and £25 for seated adults. Similarly, season tickets range from £210 to £290. Season ticket holders for teams participating in Tier 2 next season can reasonably expect to have 18 home games included in their season ticket package (13 league, 3 Premiership Cup & perhaps 2 pre-season games).


As board members, almost by definition, we are probably all on the slightly loopier end of the scale as far as support for Worcester Warriors goes so our willingness to part with our hard-earned cash to support our team is probably greater than most. With this in mind we would certainly welcome any communication from supporters as to what pricing level you would be happy to pay if we are given the go-ahead to return.


A new submission form has been added on our Contact Page, designed to make sharing your views simpler. However opinions via email, general contact form or social media would also certainly be most welcome. Please give your suggestions for (at a minimum) Adult Seated (East Stand) & Adult Season Ticket (East Stand).

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4 Comments


Unknown member
Jan 31

You should start at the lowest tier of English Rugby. You are no different to other clubs that have suffered that fate..

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Unknown member
Feb 05
Replying to

The circumstances are very different to the clubs that suffered a similar fate, and not all of them re-entered at the lowest tier but let's not let facts get in the way......


English rugby is in dire straits and something drastic has to change. ALL clubs have been invited to join the new Tier 2 and we have/will repay the DCMS loan and 'rugby creditors - meeting the current requirements of 'phoenix' clubs that are applying to re-join.


Hope you're enjoying watching your team - never take them for granted - it's painful when they go!

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Unknown member
Jan 30

Thanks for all that. As clear as it can be at this stage. Some consideration of those long-standing supporters who stood by the club and continued with their season tickets through turbulent and rugby-less times (and had their names added to that

board of supporters) would be appreciated if things get up and running again - e.g. to be specific on which seats to claim.

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