Birmingham & Solihull Bees make 11th-hour SOS for financial salvation

Oct 24 2009 by Brian Dick, Birmingham Mail

JUST four days before they are due to be wound up Bees have made a desperate appeal for financial support.

The club met with members yesterday with the intention of being able to put the existing company into liquidation.

But that meeting was adjourned until next Tuesday as the Solihull outfit require more time to attract the investment into the new phoenix firm.

And player coach Russell Earnshaw, who expects to be on the board of the new entity if and when it rises from the ashes, says while they already have one willing backer, they still require another.

“We need someone to come in and give some comfort alongside us,” Earnshaw said.

“We cannot make any excuses for the situation we are in, it’s our own fault, pure and simple.

“We have been run by developers for the last two years. But we have got 48-72 hours to sort this out.

“If we want to survive we need to put together another proposal for the RFU.”

Members will meet again in three days’ time to decide whether to liquidate the existing Birmingham & Solihull RFC.

Just 24 hours after that they have an appointment in court with the Inland Revenue where they face a winding up order for non payment of a near-six figure tax bill. And if they can survive that they are due to face local rivals Moseley at Sharmans Cross Road this time next week.

But that is a long way off and it appears the club’s mini and junior section and amateur arm, Solihull, are beginning to circle their wagons with a view to cutting the professional entity - Bees, adrift. That could mean the loss of Sharmans Cross Road and a relocation to the facility at Portway, near Junction 3 of the M42.

Meanwhile insolvency specialist Baker Tilly, who are overseeing the liquidation of the old company, will spend the next few days in negotiations to put together a rescue package although they are becoming more and more concerned about the situation.

Anyone wanting to help Bees should contact them at russellearnshaw@hotmail.com