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donnyladinsheffield 
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Joined: 25 Aug 2007 Location: er...Sheffield? Status: Offline Points: 1144 |
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 Posted: 09 Feb 2023 at 11:36 |
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BBC now reporting it will be Stourbridge for rest of this season. Will let this settle a little more and hopefully it will become clear at some point. Need to get back to work
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He's alright and he don't care; He's got thermal underwear
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islander
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Joined: 17 Mar 2010 Location: jersey Status: Offline Points: 7345 |
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Posted: 09 Feb 2023 at 11:57 |
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Latest BBC article says Stour will play at 6ways for rest of season...
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islander
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Posted: 09 Feb 2023 at 12:00 |
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More from Will Kelleher @willgkelleher · Also understand (and I know others suggesting this) that #Wasps are likely to play their home games at Sixways in the Championship - more of a ground share thing, not a merger with anyone. |
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donnyladinsheffield
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Joined: 25 Aug 2007 Location: er...Sheffield? Status: Offline Points: 1144 |
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Posted: 09 Feb 2023 at 12:03 |
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Do we think Kimbo is his source
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He's alright and he don't care; He's got thermal underwear
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FHLH
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Posted: 09 Feb 2023 at 12:07 |
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25 extra miles from Stourton Stourbridge 18 points adrift with 8 to play
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"My father told me big men fall just as quick as little ones, if you put a sword through their hearts."
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islander
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Posted: 09 Feb 2023 at 12:23 |
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More from O'Toole on BBC.
Instead, the new Worcester club will instead now partner with fourth-tier side Stourbridge, who ex-Warriors chief executive O'Toole said will play at Sixways, with a target of reaching the Championship by 2026. Semi-professional club Stourbridge, whose Stourton Park home is 23 miles up the M5 from Sixways, are currently bottom of National League Division Two West, having won just once in 18 games this season. "We will invest the maximum we can within the RFU regulations to get the club through the leagues to get to the Championship by 2026," added O'Toole. "They'll in effect become our first team in our journey to returning to top level rugby. They will play at Sixways from the start of next season. "We'll be sustainable, not reckless. The ultimate goal is to get back to the Premiership but the gut feeling is that it will be ring-fenced." So - Champ by 2026, he says - which means either staving off relegation over next 8-10 weeks in spite of deficit mentioned above by FHLH, followed by 2 promotions in 3 seasons, or relegation this summer followed by 3 successive promotions in 24/25/26
Edited by islander - 09 Feb 2023 at 12:24 |
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GreenThrough&Through
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Joined: 27 May 2014 Location: Threshfield Status: Offline Points: 695 |
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Posted: 09 Feb 2023 at 12:37 |
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The cynic in me sees this as:
Stour have retained their league position over the last 20 years off the back of a bankrolled 1st team, players with little or no tie to the club other than the cheques they were receiving, with the rest of the senior club left to go to the dogs. Juniors coming through saw little chance of breaking into the 1st team and therefore left to go to other clubs to seek game time. Prophecy self-fulfils - no players coming through, recruitment only interested in first team, senior club becomes a senior team. (There are many other examples of this around the country, Stour are far from alone in this). Summer of 2022 - Stour have run out of cash, can't afford to keep paying the players. As is the way nowadays, most of the players leave for clubs who can pay them. Stour soldier on with the best they can assemble and find themselves facing relegation out of the national leagues. Meanwhile, Worcester go bust. New owners come along and find that they cannot meet the RFU requirements to play in the Championship next season. Looking just up the road, they see a club who they've close ties with struggling. With little or no interest in starting from the bottom, they approach the club at Level 4 claiming to be their white knight. "We'll support you, help you stabilise and grow. Let you play in our fancy ground that's currently empty. All it will cost you is your name". Having had their ego's and pride nicely massaged, the people of Stour accept the white knight's offer, keen to not lose their place somewhere near the top table. Personally, i'd be very surprised if you see the name Stourbridge in any of the RFU leagues next season unless they were to re-enter at the bottom.
Edited by GreenThrough&Through - 09 Feb 2023 at 12:38 |
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KnightsBoy
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Posted: 09 Feb 2023 at 12:46 |
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In O'tooles statement he acknowledges that to keep the Worcester Warriors name they would have to start at the bottom. In my opinion they shouldn't have been given this option, same punishment as others eg London Welsh, Richmond.
Edited by KnightsBoy - 09 Feb 2023 at 12:47 |
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WEvans
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Posted: 09 Feb 2023 at 12:48 |
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It will be Wasps at Sixways next season. I would suggest they don't spend much money on the Wasps signage as they will no doubt be off to another part of the country in a year or so probably pursued by the latest batch of their creditors.
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Full Bodied Red
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Joined: 13 Jan 2010 Location: East Yorkshire Status: Offline Points: 211 |
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Posted: 09 Feb 2023 at 13:12 |
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I agree with knightsboy. The RFU should have made an example and made them start at the bottom like London Welsh and other well known and traditional clubs. Stourbridge isn’t the only club to become a “team” and suffer the consequences.
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Thatbloke
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Posted: 09 Feb 2023 at 13:16 |
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Absolutely scandalous - our governing body appear to govern absolutely nothing with "anything goes" allowed for the select few. Bring on this SGM!
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FHLH
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Posted: 09 Feb 2023 at 13:23 |
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But remain a member's club?
"......with Stourbridge remaining firmly a member’s owned club. It is our view that following an open forum with our members, a formal agreement can be established to secure Stourbridge Rugby Clubs' long-term future, from the M&J’s through to the First XV. Atlas Group is proposing a long-term investment into our playing infrastructure to enable our teams to play competitively at all levels, to grow our club to becoming a Championship Level Club (and beyond) to provide a pathway to senior competitive rugby for all, to provide additional player support for players to cascade at all levels in the men’s and women’s game. This investment will look to provide additional coaching at all levels, assist in strengthening our volunteer coaches, and grow the community-centered game which is the heartbeat of rugby in this country. We believe that this investment ensures the longevity of rugby at Stourton Park for generations to come. We will be holding a Special General Meeting shortly to present the proposal to our membership, however, an informal meeting will be held at Stourton Park at 7pm on Friday the 10th of February 2023, to answer any questions our members may have, as the timings to advance this potential arrangement is time crucial, which we will elaborate on in more detail. Please note, given the significance of this proposed investment into our Club, this will attract significant national interest. May I take this opportunity to assure the membership that the proposals being put forward can only be agreed upon following the full consultation and consent of Stourbridge Rugby Club membership at a proposed SGM where full proposals and outlines will be provided with adequate time for the club to fully consider the proposals. This is an unprecedented opportunity to put SRFC firmly on the map as a leader in rugby development in the Midlands for the foreseeable future and I hope that you will be as enthusiastic as we are in the potential of embarking on a journey that will secure rugby for many generations to come at Stourton Park. Richard Baron Edited by FHLH - 09 Feb 2023 at 13:32 |
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"My father told me big men fall just as quick as little ones, if you put a sword through their hearts."
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FHLH
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Posted: 09 Feb 2023 at 13:25 |
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Interesting to guage Moseley 's view
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"My father told me big men fall just as quick as little ones, if you put a sword through their hearts."
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FHLH
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Posted: 09 Feb 2023 at 13:31 |
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They've also lost 10 Loan players if I interpret their press release correctly "Previously, we had a long-term symbiotic relationship with them both which last year alone resulted in ten players (Alfie Bell, Tobi Wilson, Noel Heward, Finn Thomas, Greg Fisilau, Tom Bacon, Kofi Cripps, Pietro Turrisi, Emanual Feyi-Waboso, Seb Atkinson) playing regularly in Stourbridge colours. Unfortunately, these players are now no longer available, and the majority are all now playing at either Championship or Premiership level for other clubs. We have also had an unprecedented injury crisis with both our fly halves breaking their legs in the first 5 weeks of the season and a myriad of injuries followed during the winter months." Edited by FHLH - 09 Feb 2023 at 13:35 |
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"My father told me big men fall just as quick as little ones, if you put a sword through their hearts."
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corporalcarrot
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Posted: 09 Feb 2023 at 13:37 |
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Dont kick it. Pick it up and GO FORWARD.
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Thatbloke
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Posted: 09 Feb 2023 at 13:42 |
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It's an absolute disgrace!
What message does it give to the rest of the game - Go Bust - Runaway from your debts - Reform under new ownership - Takeover another club in a League of your choice to suit your purposes This is very obviously a 2 fingers up to the RFU for denying them a place in the Champuonship What IS the RFU doing about this? - sitting on their hands as usual when they really need to get a grip. Go Bust - start again bottom of the pyramid - as per their own rules. Knowing that was the consequence maybe clubs would exercise more sustainable financial controls and management Beggars belief!!
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Ste Vo
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Posted: 09 Feb 2023 at 13:57 |
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Only if the Stour membership allows it to happen.
If it's rejected, what does that mean for the people at the top at Stour?
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TAS63
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Joined: 13 Apr 2009 Location: Bourne Status: Offline Points: 172 |
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Posted: 09 Feb 2023 at 14:16 |
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Well that all asks way more questions than it answers!!!
The only certainty I can make from it is that Sixways will not play in the Championship next season. Now wonder if Wasps will make the RFU deadline next week. Having read the Stourbridge and Sixways statements, I am struggling to see why the Stourbridge membership would support this. They lose their name and 1st XV, and they need none of that to keep the minis and juniors going. They is plenty in the statement about the "lovely ground" at Stourbridge .... is it a development opportunity for the Sixways board? I don't know the location well enough to know but it doesn't sound like it would see a lot of rugby played on it if the deal went ahead. |
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Thatbloke
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Posted: 09 Feb 2023 at 14:18 |
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The problem for Stour is that they have run their 1st XV largely on the back of loan players from other clubs and now claim it is impossible to run without them and that this route is the only way out of a troubled position.
That there are "no local players around" is absolute "tosh" How about doing what the rest of us have to do? If their finances are sound, as claimed, it's not difficult to identify and recruit players on permanent contracts and/or growing your own through a well run youth system! Stourbridge is within easy reach of major conurbations so "no players around" is totally laughable. Look at teams in that league - Luctonians, Barnstaple, Newport - all fairly isolated but regularly putting out 3 or 4 teams and a Colts side. I hope the "Stour" members treat the proposal with disdain and throw it out as it will quite clearly be the end of Stourbridge as they know it - how many of the Stour would travel to watch effectively New Worcester? Relegation doesn't mean the end of the world - it's an opportunity to step back, re-assess and rebuild for a better future
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Ste Vo
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Posted: 09 Feb 2023 at 14:34 |
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Plenty in the division below right on Stour's doorstep not struggling for players either. To blame High Schools would be hilarious if it wasn't so sad.
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donnyladinsheffield wrote: