Worcester owners blame players and fans in statement branded 'shameless'
Worcester Warriors owners have apportioned blame on the playing squad and on their supporters in a statement branded ‘despicably shameless’ by one journalist.
Warriors have been placed in administration with the club facing debts totalling more than £25million, including at least £6m in unpaid tax, and have been suspended from the sport by the Rugby Football Union.
Now owners Colin Goldring and Jason Whittingham have taken aim at the players and the supporters for the club’s failure in a remarkable missive.
In a lengthy statement issued to ITV News, the pair hit out at players for not taking the same salary cuts as staff and bizarrely, blamed supporters for not turning up at Sixways in sufficient numbers.
“Dear Staff, Supporters and Community of Worcester Warriors, we are sorry to you all that the Club is in this current position and for the emotional distress this must have caused but we remain hopeful, through the process of Administration, that the Club can find a new Owner and emerge in a stronger position in order to preserve Rugby at Sixways.
“We are thankful to all of the staff that supported the Club through Covid in accepting a significant reduction in their Salary but sorry that the Playing Squad could not accept a similar level of reduction and in some Player’s instances would not accept any pay cut at all despite our openness at the financial impact this would have on the club.
“We are thankful to all of the Supporters who continued to support the Club in any way they could, including many that donated their season ticket payment during the lockdown, and to the Government for the Furlough support that enabled us to keep every single staff member fully employed throughout the pandemic when many Club’s and Business’ were making redundancies. In doing so the Club took on enormous debt like so many others but we felt it was the right thing to do.
“We are thankful to those supporters who turned up week in week out to support the Club but sorry that there were not more, nor enough of you on a regular basis to help make the Club financially viable despite the significant personal funds we put into the Club.
“We are sorry that we did not have the foresight during the Pandemic to cut back on the Squad budget but instead remained committed to giving the Club the best chance of being competitive.
“We are thankful for the highlights on many match days but sorry that we were not able to win more games for those Supporters that did turn up.
“We are thankful to the DCMS for the Financial Support they gave to all Clubs during the Pandemic but sorry that the post-pandemic recovery did not happen overnight and that many Clubs, like Worcester, are struggling with the debts we incurred during Covid.
“Despite this we remain committed to working with the Administrator, and DCMS, to deliver the best possible outcome for this Club, Supporters and the Community of Worcester.”
Head of player affairs at the RPA, Christian Day slammed the statement, writing: “I’m not one to speak out of line, and I’m not even going to give airtime to that disgraceful statement from 2 ex-owners that should have been consigned to the bin. The Worcester players and staff have been a credit to that club, it’s supporters and city. Show some dignity.”
I’m not one to speak out of line, and I’m not even going to give airtime to that disgraceful statement from 2 ex-owners that should have been consigned to the bin.
The Worcester players and staff have been a credit to that club, it’s supporters and city. Show some dignity.
— Christian Day (@christianday) September 30, 2022
Rugby journalist and commentator Jamie Lyall described the statement as ‘beyond shameless’ and ‘cowardly’.
“Latest statement from the Worcester owners is beyond shameless. As though Donald Trump has taken up residence at Sixways. Blaming players, fans… anyone but themselves. A cowardly offering.”
Latest statement from the Worcester owners is beyond shameless. As though Donald Trump has taken up residence at Sixways. Blaming players, fans… anyone but themselves. A cowardly offering.
— Jamie Lyall (@JLyall93) September 30, 2022
Irish journalist Andy McGeady described the statement as ‘despicably shameless’. “The Worcester Warriors ownership. Shameless. Absolutely, despicably shameless. It’s really odd that they didn’t mention the car park.”
The Worcester Warriors ownership.
Shameless. Absolutely, despicably shameless.
It’s really odd that they didn’t mention the car park 🧐 pic.twitter.com/zWnc0Z4zFw
— Andy McGeady (@andymcgeady) September 30, 2022
Telegraph writer Charlie Morgan branded it ‘utterly grim’.
Statement from Worcester Warriors owners essentially reads like “sorry, not sorry”. Utterly grim. https://t.co/mqvcIRqEif
— Charlie Morgan (@CharlieFelix) September 30, 2022
Current Warriors back row Matt Kvesic poked fun at the statement, suggesting a Public Relations Officer was urgently needed at the club.
‼️URGENT JOB VACANCY: Public Relations Officer.
Salary: TBC
Start Date: 4 weeks ago https://t.co/KMJ8k31w44— Matthew Kvesic (@mattkvesic) September 30, 2022
Two consortiums, one involving former Worcester chief executive Jim O’Toole, are understood to have expressed interest in buying the club out of administration, but it could take place after a player exodus.
Contracted personnel were due to be paid on Friday but the PA news agency reports this has not happened, meaning staff are entitled to move elsewhere after a statutory two-week notice period.
additional reporting PA
Comments on RugbyPass
Pick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
15 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
4 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
4 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
15 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
15 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
4 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
15 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
14 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
15 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
15 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
15 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to comments