Tier 2 application update
I would dearly love to be able to report that the wait is over and we will hear the decision of the Tier 2 Board tomorrow morning. Unfortunately I am not able to do so as I simply do not know when the verdict will be declared. Although I don't have any new information to disclose I thought it would still be worth trying to "fill the void" and hopefully give some reassurance to those of a more pessimistic nature (ie almost all Worcester Warriors supporters!)
The City of Worcester has been known as the Faithful City since the restoration of the monarchy in 1660. As the site of two crucial civil war battles in 1646 and 1651, the city was well placed to appeal for compensation from the court of Charles II. The added moniker of Fidelis Civitas was a clever ruse to influence the King's insolvency Practitioners, Sir William Begby & Lord Henry Trainore. I imagine that negotiations would have been as heated as those regarding the rugby creditors.
The two most well known mottoes on Worcester's coat of arms are:
Civitas in bello et pace fidelis - In war and peace, a faithful city
Floreat Semper Fidelis Civitas - Let the faithful city ever flourish
A lesser-known version is
Semper fidelis mutare sperno - Ever faithful, I scorn to change
I think it is this last version that rings true for me currently. As supporters of Worcester Warriors we have been adamant that this is our club and we have remained faithful to that concept. There may be a few who have graced the stands of Coventry, Gloucester, Bath or Hartpury over the last two years but fewer still would want to keep that status quo over the opportunity to become a season ticket holder at Sixways again. It is this "scorn to change" that has helped push the club back to the brink of elite level rugby once more. Supporters have come together and reassured the Warriors' owners, that there is a realistic opportunity that we can re-emerge as a "gold-standard" sustainable rugby club. We have an amazing facility in Sixways Stadium, operated by the most loyal staff imaginable; we have an incredible supporter base who refuse to give up on their club. Now we also have an ownership dedicated to bringing Worcester Warriors back as a rugby club that will be future-proofed by the opportunities of commercial development. An ownership that is determined to do things properly, ensuring there is no risk that we will ever again find ourselves in the position we did in September 2022. There will be no corner-cutting, no excessive borrowing and no promises to agree to situations that might endanger the future of the club. This approach is not the norm in elite-level English rugby where sugar-daddies and an enabling governing body have plunged the professional game into financial free-fall.
The Supporters Trust recognise that we have published deadline after deadline for numerous decisions. These have been reported in good faith and, given their source, with a degree of confidence each time. We also recognise that many of these deadlines have been missed.
Tier 2 "deadlines"
The final decision on the exact format of the 14-team league will be made by the Tier 2 Board no later than the 1 August 2024, with the mechanism for any new teams in the league to be decided by Council and announced ahead of the new season (7th September) - (Conor O'Shea RFU Performance Director and T2 Board Member) (Clubs informed 30/9/24)
Selected applicants will be invited for interview and successful club(s) then invited to join before Christmas. (Minutes RFU Council meeting November 2024)
The adjudication of tenders will take place in November and we will aim to notify successful teams in December - (Conor O'Shea)
The Tier 2 Board will make a final recommendation to RFU Board which will approve the
final number and composition of teams for Tier 2 2025/26 season in January 2025 - (Conor O'Shea)
As previously reported, WWST have been in close contact with the club throughout the application process and we continue to be so. We remain confident that the club management are doing all they possibly can to ensure that Warriors are finally granted a place in next season's Tier two competition. We are also confident that this will eventually come to pass. Perhaps it is best that we don't have a set deadline in mind. However we do know that any decision must be made public soon; if only to give the Tier 2 Board a realistic chance of successfully launching the new league in time for the start of next season in just over 6 months time.
Since Junction 6 Limited assumed ownership in April 2024, the club itself has an excellent record of delivering on their promises.
Worcester Warriors deadlines
Expressions of Interest [for Tier 2 application] must be received no later than 5:00pm Sunday 13th October 2024. Submitted 12/10/24
A response to the request for proposals [regrading T2 application] must be submitted no later than 5pm on Tuesday 12th November 2024. Submitted 12/11/24
The club are now consulting with the public to view and provide feedback on the proposals for a renewed Sixways before a planning application is submitted to Wychavon District Council in December 2024. Submitted 30/12/24
Given this, we believe that the club has done enough to warrant the continued faith of supporters. The promises above have been kept and many of us witnessed the undoubted enthusiasm and passion of Chris Holland, Steve Vaughan, Chris Love, Carol Hart, Beth Reader and Laura Napper at our recent Supporters Event. A reminder below (albeit paraphrased) of the commitment given nearly a year ago by Junction 6 Limited:
Our ultimate and stated aim has always been to protect and recover elite level rugby in a sustainable way at Worcester under the name Worcester Warriors. Professional sport is important to Sixways and to Worcester, and the support of the business community and the Warriors supporters is not taken for granted. It is of huge importance to us.
We are ever hopeful that they are going to achieve this aim. The waiting is intolerable but let us, as supporters, live up to our city's motto and also remain ever faithful.
Rugby Club Grant Scheme
In my Chairman's statement released just prior to the AGM, I mentioned the WWST Board's intention to set up a Grant Scheme to help support our community rugby clubs. As you are aware, the community game has been starved of financial assistance for many years now and we hope to help ease the burden on club treasurers a little by offering the opportunity to apply for funding for specific rugby projects. Our aim as a Community Benefit Society is to do just that; our community is those involved, in rugby in whatever capacity, in the traditional catchment of Worcester Warriors.
We hope to have the scheme up and running properly prior to the start of next season. The board are currently working on exciting things like criteria, Ts & Cs, assessment etc etc. The total pot for the 2025/26 season will be £5000 which we anticipate should fund 5 or 6 projects amongst the Worcestershire and Herefordshire RFU clubs. This will be reviewed on an annual basis and we hope to be able to increase the number and size of available grants as our membership grows.
If any of our members have any strong opinions or interest in developing the grants scheme, we would be delighted to hear from them.
Comments