UNCERTAINTY REIGNS AT Worcester Warriors but a pair of Irishmen are hoping the consortium they’re heading up can save the beleaguered Premiership club.
Worcester were recently hit with a winding-up petition by UK authorities over unpaid tax, which reportedly stands at more than £6 million. Players’ wages have been late. Administration looms.
The club’s coaches and players continue to train towards their opening Premiership game on 10 September, but these are chaotic times for all involved with the Warriors. Fans fear for the future of their beloved club.
The current co-owners, Jason Whittingham and Colin Goldring, released a short statement insisting they’re working through their options and rather alarmingly said they’re looking for solutions involving “keeping rugby at Sixways,” the club’s current grounds. Implicit was the suggestion that rugby might not be staying at Sixways.
Enter Belfast man Jim O’Toole – Worcester’s former CEO – and the former Ireland U20 second row James Sandford, a native of Armagh. The Irish pair are heading up an American-backed consortium that hopes to buy Worcester, ushering in a new era of stability and success. There is reportedly interest in the club from other parties too.
The consortium O’Toole and Sandford are leading had not yet made a concrete offer to Worcester’s current owners earlier today, but O’Toole insisted it was close.
“We have put together a plan which we feel can save the club and put it onto a different commercial footing,” is how he put it.
O’Toole was Worcester’s CEO from 2015 to 2017, taking in promotion to the Premiership, and says he loved every minute of it. O’Toole still lives in Worcester. He has spoken to the locals, heard their concerns, and experienced the same worries they feel.
He oversaw the club’s successful bid to establish themselves in the Premiership rather than bouncing up and down, with signings in that era including Ireland and Munster great Donnacha O’Callaghan.
Donncha O'Callaghan during his time with Worcester. Billy Stickland / INPHO
Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO
“He had a massive, massive influence when he came over,” says O’Toole of O’Callaghan. “I was part of the taxi crew when I picked him up!
“He had a huge influence just through how he did things properly – his preparation, his warm-up. He did things right and it rubbed off on a hell of a lot of people. I’m still in touch with him.”
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O’Toole’s wide-ranging CV includes vast experience in marketing, sponsorship, and consultancy, as well as stints as the CEO of a powerboat racing series, a yacht racing series, and a horse eventing series.
Before joining Worcester, he was the commercial director of London Irish and his current day job is as a founder of a company called Spirit of Sport, based out of Dublin.
He may be a Belfast man and a former Antrim U21 footballer, but Worcester is in O’Toole’s heart.
“All I want out of this is for the club to survive,” says O’Toole. “We believe there’s another party interested [in buying Worcester] and if they win, I’ll shake their hands and tell them I’ll see them at a match for a pint.”
Working with O’Toole is Sandford, who played for the Ireland U20s in 2008 and 2009 alongside the likes of Peter O’Mahony, Conor Murray, Rhys Ruddock, and Dave Kearney.
He went on to feature for Rotherham, London Irish, Cornish Pirates, and London Welsh but was forced to retire early through injury. Sandford’s insurance claim at that time was denied due to issues with providing accurate, detailed medical records. The experience inspired him to create Atlas SportsTech, a company that says it will give clients “control over your own medical, health and performance data.”
O’Toole came onboard with Atlas SportsTech as an advisor and has been impressed by the 33-year-old Sandford.
James Sandford with the Ireland U20s back in 2008. Morgan Treacy / INPHO
Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
“I’ve never come across anyone who has so much energy,” said O’Toole. “He must sleep two hours a day!
“He was in a very dark place when he finished rugby but he reinvented himself and has had a lot of success bringing investment into Atlas Sports.”
O’Toole explained that just 10 days ago, Sandford contacted him about an American client which is launching in the UK soon and wants to invest in a sports organisation.
They discussed various options in rugby, including Worcester, and then in a moment of “stars aligning” the current situation at the Warriors came to light.
O’Toole was unwilling to reveal who the American company is, but did say, “it’s a big conglomerate with multiple interests. The product that they’re launching fits with rugby.”
Also involved are some local Worcester businesses, although O’Toole stressed that it’s about making sure that the right people with the right skills are part of any concrete bid.
“A camel is a horse designed by committee,” said O’Toole, who added that he wouldn’t be going in as CEO of Worcester or be part of the ownership structures if they make a successful bid. He just wants to facilitate a deal that means “the club survives.”
Among the motivations for O’Toole and other Worcester locals is ensuring the legacy of legendary club owner, Cecil Duckworth, lives on. He passed away in 2020 and Warriors centre Ollie Lawrence said this week that Duckworth’s legacy is now “close to being tarnished.”
Duckworth made his fortune through the development of combination boilers in the 1970s, selling his Worcester-based company to Bosch, which remains a big employer in the area.
When Duckworth started supporting Worcester rugby club, they were minnows way down the divisions but his investment led to a meteoric rise all the way to establishing themselves as a Premiership club.
Uncertainty abounds at Worcester. PA
PA
“He put in multiple, multiple millions over the years and not just into the rugby club but also the cricket club,” says O’Toole. “He was hugely involved in charities too.
“Cecil put far too much effort, money, blood, sweat, and tears in for this club to disappear. We can’t let that happen.”
The O’Toole-led consortium sees great possibilities for Worcester’s future, although there are concerns over whether all the club’s assets will be available to buyers.
BBC Hereford and Worcester reported that some of the lands around Sixways were sold off last week by the owners to another business they own, Mq Property Ltd.
O’Toole said that all club assets “absolutely” have to be part of any deal.
Worcester’s car park is currently only used for match days, he explained, while other sections of the land are underutilised and the American-backed consortium believes the site is ripe for commercial development.
“Our fear is that if the rugby club fails, the whole thing would be knocked down and turned into an amusement park or whatever because it’s such a good location,” said O’Toole.
“We have plans to build and turn them into significant additional revenue streams for the club.”
For now, Worcester’s players, staff, and supporters wait in anxiety to find out what happens next.
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Two Irishmen leading an American-backed plan to save Worcester Warriors
UNCERTAINTY REIGNS AT Worcester Warriors but a pair of Irishmen are hoping the consortium they’re heading up can save the beleaguered Premiership club.
Worcester were recently hit with a winding-up petition by UK authorities over unpaid tax, which reportedly stands at more than £6 million. Players’ wages have been late. Administration looms.
The club’s coaches and players continue to train towards their opening Premiership game on 10 September, but these are chaotic times for all involved with the Warriors. Fans fear for the future of their beloved club.
The current co-owners, Jason Whittingham and Colin Goldring, released a short statement insisting they’re working through their options and rather alarmingly said they’re looking for solutions involving “keeping rugby at Sixways,” the club’s current grounds. Implicit was the suggestion that rugby might not be staying at Sixways.
Enter Belfast man Jim O’Toole – Worcester’s former CEO – and the former Ireland U20 second row James Sandford, a native of Armagh. The Irish pair are heading up an American-backed consortium that hopes to buy Worcester, ushering in a new era of stability and success. There is reportedly interest in the club from other parties too.
The consortium O’Toole and Sandford are leading had not yet made a concrete offer to Worcester’s current owners earlier today, but O’Toole insisted it was close.
“We have put together a plan which we feel can save the club and put it onto a different commercial footing,” is how he put it.
O’Toole was Worcester’s CEO from 2015 to 2017, taking in promotion to the Premiership, and says he loved every minute of it. O’Toole still lives in Worcester. He has spoken to the locals, heard their concerns, and experienced the same worries they feel.
He oversaw the club’s successful bid to establish themselves in the Premiership rather than bouncing up and down, with signings in that era including Ireland and Munster great Donnacha O’Callaghan.
“He had a massive, massive influence when he came over,” says O’Toole of O’Callaghan. “I was part of the taxi crew when I picked him up!
“He had a huge influence just through how he did things properly – his preparation, his warm-up. He did things right and it rubbed off on a hell of a lot of people. I’m still in touch with him.”
O’Toole’s wide-ranging CV includes vast experience in marketing, sponsorship, and consultancy, as well as stints as the CEO of a powerboat racing series, a yacht racing series, and a horse eventing series.
Before joining Worcester, he was the commercial director of London Irish and his current day job is as a founder of a company called Spirit of Sport, based out of Dublin.
He may be a Belfast man and a former Antrim U21 footballer, but Worcester is in O’Toole’s heart.
“All I want out of this is for the club to survive,” says O’Toole. “We believe there’s another party interested [in buying Worcester] and if they win, I’ll shake their hands and tell them I’ll see them at a match for a pint.”
Working with O’Toole is Sandford, who played for the Ireland U20s in 2008 and 2009 alongside the likes of Peter O’Mahony, Conor Murray, Rhys Ruddock, and Dave Kearney.
He went on to feature for Rotherham, London Irish, Cornish Pirates, and London Welsh but was forced to retire early through injury. Sandford’s insurance claim at that time was denied due to issues with providing accurate, detailed medical records. The experience inspired him to create Atlas SportsTech, a company that says it will give clients “control over your own medical, health and performance data.”
O’Toole came onboard with Atlas SportsTech as an advisor and has been impressed by the 33-year-old Sandford.
“I’ve never come across anyone who has so much energy,” said O’Toole. “He must sleep two hours a day!
O’Toole explained that just 10 days ago, Sandford contacted him about an American client which is launching in the UK soon and wants to invest in a sports organisation.
They discussed various options in rugby, including Worcester, and then in a moment of “stars aligning” the current situation at the Warriors came to light.
O’Toole was unwilling to reveal who the American company is, but did say, “it’s a big conglomerate with multiple interests. The product that they’re launching fits with rugby.”
Also involved are some local Worcester businesses, although O’Toole stressed that it’s about making sure that the right people with the right skills are part of any concrete bid.
“A camel is a horse designed by committee,” said O’Toole, who added that he wouldn’t be going in as CEO of Worcester or be part of the ownership structures if they make a successful bid. He just wants to facilitate a deal that means “the club survives.”
Among the motivations for O’Toole and other Worcester locals is ensuring the legacy of legendary club owner, Cecil Duckworth, lives on. He passed away in 2020 and Warriors centre Ollie Lawrence said this week that Duckworth’s legacy is now “close to being tarnished.”
Duckworth made his fortune through the development of combination boilers in the 1970s, selling his Worcester-based company to Bosch, which remains a big employer in the area.
When Duckworth started supporting Worcester rugby club, they were minnows way down the divisions but his investment led to a meteoric rise all the way to establishing themselves as a Premiership club.
“He put in multiple, multiple millions over the years and not just into the rugby club but also the cricket club,” says O’Toole. “He was hugely involved in charities too.
“Cecil put far too much effort, money, blood, sweat, and tears in for this club to disappear. We can’t let that happen.”
The O’Toole-led consortium sees great possibilities for Worcester’s future, although there are concerns over whether all the club’s assets will be available to buyers.
BBC Hereford and Worcester reported that some of the lands around Sixways were sold off last week by the owners to another business they own, Mq Property Ltd.
O’Toole said that all club assets “absolutely” have to be part of any deal.
Worcester’s car park is currently only used for match days, he explained, while other sections of the land are underutilised and the American-backed consortium believes the site is ripe for commercial development.
“Our fear is that if the rugby club fails, the whole thing would be knocked down and turned into an amusement park or whatever because it’s such a good location,” said O’Toole.
“We have plans to build and turn them into significant additional revenue streams for the club.”
For now, Worcester’s players, staff, and supporters wait in anxiety to find out what happens next.
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Consortium James Sandford Jim O'Toole Takeover warriors worcester