Worcester owners Colin Goldring and Jason Whittingham blame financial issues on players and fans

Worcester owners Colin Goldring and Jason Whittingham sparked new outrage on Friday night with a statement seeking to partially blame players and supporters for the club’s plight.

Responding to calls to apologize for their actions, they released an astonishing response that read: ‘We are grateful to all the staff who have supported the club through Covid in accepting a significant cut in their salary, but we are sorry us that the playing team could not accept a similar level of reduction – and some players would not accept a reduction at all.’

They turned on the fans and added: “We are grateful to those supporters who came week in and week out to support the club but we are sorry there were not more nor enough of you to help the club financially realistically .’

Worcester’s beleaguered players and staff face the doomsday of mass unemployment next Wednesday as the company supposed to pay their wages will be liquidated.

Employees of the financially ravaged West Midlands club did not receive their September salary by Friday’s deadline, but their condition could deteriorate significantly within days. An HMRC request for liquidation against WRFC Players Ltd will be dealt with as scheduled on October 5, after a request for a postponement was rejected by the club’s trustees, Begbies Traynor.

The suspension of the club’s Wi-Fi network – for non-payment – meant administrators had to wait three days to clarify that players’ and staff’s wages are the responsibility of WRFC Players Ltd, not WRFC Trading Ltd and Sixways Stadium Ltd – the companies that have gone into administration. That aspect of the complex business arrangements made by Worcester owners Colin Goldring and Jason Whittingham has left those players and staffers in the dark.

Sixways Stadium Ltd was one of the Worcester companies that went under administration

Now that wages have not been paid, they can issue 14 days’ notice to leave the club, before being free to leave after a further 14 days if the club does not rectify the situation. But that scenario will likely be overtaken by events next week, if the rescission order is approved, as all employees would be out of work — a crushing predicament for those who have shown such selfless dedication at a time of turmoil.

Two consortia continue to negotiate a takeover, but time is running out to save the Warriors. Captain Ted Hill told the BBC: ‘We want to get the club back on track and restore it to its former glory. If so, people stay. But it’s a professional sport and you have to have a plan B.’

Worcester staff have relaunched a Go Fund Me page as they continue to struggle with no pay, as most received only 65 percent of their paychecks in August and some received nothing at all. A well-placed source revealed that pension payments have been missing for at least two months, tax and premium payments – and agent fees – have not been made despite wage deductions, and staff have had no contact with their colleagues at all. owners or drivers.

Worcester Warriors captain Ted Hill told the BBC his side needed to prepare for ‘plan B’