RFU chiefs' final decision due on Bees' future

Oct 28 2009 by Andy Walker, Birmingham Mail

THE RFU Management Committee were set to meet today to make a final decision on the future of Birmingham & Solihull Bees.

The cash-strapped club have grown used to preparing for their next D-Day but today should finally mark either the sad end of the Solihull-based outfit or the beginning of a new era.

Bees officials appear to have secured the investment to support a new phoenix firm and have now put their plans for the club forward to the sport’s governing body.

They were left to wait with bated breath for the outcome of today’s all-important meeting in London, when the RFU will either rubber-stamp or throw out a proposal that will allow them to remain in English rugby’s second-tier.

There is also still the small matter of an appointment in court with the Inland Revenue today over the non-payment of a near six-figure tax bill, although the club do have plans in place to avoid a compulsory winding up order.

The majority of Bees officials were last night remaining tight-lipped over the details that have been put forward for today’s crunch meeting, although chairman Brian Marshall appeared to be quietly confident.

“We are waiting for a response from the RFU to the proposals we have put forward involving a new set-up which is being supported by other parties, at a level sufficant to allow the club to go forward in the Championship,” said Marshall.

“We have got a reasonable amount of light at the end of the tunnel but we are waiting for guidance and to see if we have met the protocol that they have requested from us.

“The committee deal with a lot but this is top of their agenda at the moment.”

If there is to be a happy ending to the long-running saga surrounding Birmingham & Solihull’s financial struggle, then attention will immediately turn back to the club’s on-the-field fortunes with the visit of Moseley to Sharmans Cross Road on Saturday for the first chapter of this season’s Second City rugby derby.