THE NEW owners of Worcester Warriors have revealed their determination to put the club at the heart of the community after a boardroom shake-up which has seen former chairman Bill Bolsover step down.
Jed McCrory has been confirmed as co-owner alongside Morecambe FC owners Jason Whittingham and Colin Goldring who will sit on the club’s executive board while Cecil Duckworth has agreed to become Life President of the club.
Bolsover succeeded Anthony Glossop in January 2017 and remained in post when Warriors were bought by a consortium headed by Alcester-based McCrory in October.
“I agreed to stay on while the acquisition has taken place. I now feel that the club is in a good place and I shall let the new team get on with it. Therefore I believe that it is the right time for me to step down as chairman,” he said.
Speaking after the announcement, Whittingham said: “His help over the last two months has been invaluable and has ensured a smooth handover. Bill will always be a welcome visitor to Sixways.
“We are particularly delighted Cecil Duckworth has accepted the post of Life President. The stadium at Sixways and the fact that Warriors are a Premiership rugby club are lasting legacies of Cecil’s vision and generosity.
“Everyone associated with the club owes Cecil an enormous debt of gratitude. The owners have benefited from Cecil’s sage advice and we look forward to his continued input.”
An advisory board has also been established to build on the work started by Duckworth when he was chairman of the club and to strengthen links with community groups, schools and local businesses across Worcester, Worcestershire and the West Midlands.
The initial appointees are Charles Terry, David Seymour, James Naylor and Bee Bannister who will bring considerable rugby and business expertise to Warriors and the board will be chaired by Peter Kelly who has joined Warriors as operations director.
Kelly has more than 35 years’ experience in operational and commercial roles at director level in small, medium and large organisations across the UK including Whitbread and Arcadia.
Whittingham said: “We are determined to continue the good work that Cecil started and to build on the legacy that he has left. The new structure is designed to put Worcester Warriors at the very heart of the community with strong links to schools, clubs, community groups and the business community.
“We are proud of the outstanding work that the Warriors Community Foundation does to make rugby an inclusive sport and to ensure that Sixways is a place where everyone is made welcome.
“We have also been impressed by the work done in the Three Pears Warriors Academy which allows talented young rugby players from across the region to flourish in a high performance sporting environment,” he added.
