MEMBERS of Worcester Rugby Club, the amateur set-up based at Sixways, will convene tonight for talks to discuss the best way to move forward in conjunction with the professional club.

The amateur club, which owns the majority of the land at Sixways, including the new pitches to the east of Pershore Lane, leases the stadium land to WRFC Trading Ltd, the organisation that runs the Warriors and Sixways Events business functions.

There have been long-running discussions between Cecil Duckworth and members of the amateur club and tonight’s meeting is the next stage in these talks.

Both parties need to find harmony to enable the club as a whole to move forward, particularly with regard to the continued development of the Sixways complex.

Tonight’s meeting is exclusively for members of Worcester RFC and vice-chairman Adrian Harling said: “It is an internal club meeting and if the details from it need to be relayed to the press, they will be.

“It is a meeting for members to discuss the way forward for the club as a whole, not just the amateur club.”

Warriors managing director Charlie Little added: “The amateur club will discuss the partnership with the trading company (WRFC Trading Ltd). It is not a meeting between the amateur club and the professional club.

“It is a meeting that has been called by the amateur club to discuss the on-going relationship with the trading company.

“A letter has gone out from the amateur club to inform its members of the current and historical situation.

“From a Trading point of view, we want to continue to develop the Warriors, which dates back to 1994 when Cecil got involved.

“We also need to continue to maintain the amateur club in its current form so that it can also continue to develop.

“It also needs security of land ownership and a thriving membership, which can benefit from its association with the Warriors.

“The Warriors have had back-to-back audiences of more than 12,000 in the last fortnight and we will need further development in time to ensure Worcester remains at the forefront of English rugby.”

“To be able to do that, we need to improve the capacities of the North and West Stands at Sixways and to further develop our stadium for non-rugby purposes. We need to work together with the amateur club to achieve the goal and to be able to move forward.

“Despite all the money that Cecil has put in to Trading over the last 16 years, there are restrictions in place that inhibit our future development.

“Cecil has turned Sixways into a dedicated 65-acre site for rugby union shared among the amateur section for men, women and children, as well as creating the professional Warriors set-up.

“Worcester has become a city renowned throughout Europe for its rugby, but Cecil still has plans to take us further.

“The David Lloyd Leisure Centre and future hotel all further enhance the Sixways site and I sincerely hope that the meeting allows us to continue.”