By Elliott Josypenko
January 25 2005

Phil Maynard reckons he could make his considerable presence felt in National One by boosting his playing budget to around the £1million mark. The Pertemps Bees director of rugby currently has about £400,000 at his disposal, enough to build a team which is quite capable, in his words, of 'creating a nuisance'.

But to compete season-long against teams of full-time professionals - who in one day get through more coaching and training than Bees can manage in a week - then Bees have little choice but to join the fully-paid ranks.

Last week the members recognised that when they gave the committee approval to negotiate on their behalf with anyone who wants to invest in the future of the club, a Cecil Duckworth or a Sir John Hall willing to finance the move to the next level.

Chairman of that members meeting was Lawrence Grove, non-executive director, who said: "There were no formal proposals so no votes. It was an opportunity for the board and members to brainstorm the opportunities that exist to go to the next stage, whatever that is.

"First, it is maintaining a position in this league, which is becoming increasingly hard with the greater number of professional sides that are coming in.

"With the current level of investment the club has at the moment it is harder to stand still so that is the first challenge. "We also recognise we need a professional back-room team. We need a good chief executive and we need a good marketing director to sell the name to a far wider area than just a Solihull postcode.

"Everything is done on a voluntary basis behind the playing side and we need to generate a much greater income and support base.

"The next stage is to move towards a full-time professional side - which is not going to happen overnight - work up this league and pursue the opportunities for relocation.

"We are in negotiation with third parties in that regard, to build a stadium which is more commodious to entertaining people than we enjoy at the moment. Then we could have a pop for the Premiership.

"There is not a consortium in the wings or another Cecil Duckworth, there is no hostile

takeover waiting. It is nothing like that. There have been people who have indicated a willingness to chip in."

If a consortium or individual comes up with enough money and the right level of commitment then the shares of the club will be sold to give the investors the controlling interest.

Preliminary discussions have taken place with Solihull MBC and Solihull College about the

possibility of developing a new stadium adjacent to the Norman Green athletics track in central Solihull, finance coming from the sale of Sharmans Cross Road.

A percentage of any sale though is already earmarked for Portway, the home of Solihull RFC and the mini and junior section, to turn it into a centre of excellence for youth rugby and a training base for the first XV - all of which would be part of the agreement with any new investors.

Roger Clarke