LES Cusworth my have come and gone but the man who started Worcester on their A-road to the top is still at the heart of the club.

Phil Maynard joined the club seven seasons ago and following four promotion campaigns is still working towards the holy grail of the top flight.

It will not happen this season though, as they now look certain to finish no better than third in Premiership Two.

"It certainly would be success in anybody else's eyes," he said.

"It's clear we're disappointed because we want to win the thing and we've had a bit of a dry run for a couple of years when we haven't won anything.

"But there's only one promotion place, with a play-off at the end of the season, and even if you win the league it won't guarantee you going up which is an astonishing system.

"Although you don't want to acknowledge it, psychologically one slip and you're not in the race any more.

"But by the same token, Rotherham seem to do it week in week out and maybe we've been switching the side around too much."

Maynard joined Worcester from Kings Norton when both were still in the Midlands leagues, yet he refuses to be intimidated by the prospect of pitting tactical wits against Premiership Two coaches with international playing experience.

"What you've got to bear in mind is that two years ago we beat Swansea, Cardiff and Neath the biggest clubs in Wales and also held Newcastle to ten points who went onto to become the champions of England," added Maynard.

"That's a barometer of how good we were and you're judged on results so I've never been intimidated by others."

And he is still enjoying his role at Worcester even though it has now changed beyond recognition.

"As we've climbed up the leagues the rugby has arguably got easier, it's more clinical and everybody plays to a certain system," her added.

"Everybody does this or that a certain way and it's about being brave enough to break that trend and I've enjoyed the whole thing immensely."

And Maynard feels that he and Worcester have not yet come to the end of the road.

"I've been round this area long enough and I'm convinced that if we get the thing right we would be first in the first division," he said.

"We're still in the top 15 in the country and we're very comfortable at this level, but my ambition won't be fulfilled until we win the first division."