Jersey Reds announce plans to restructure rugby club
Jersey Reds' Chairman Mark Morgan speaks to ITV Channel's Sports Correspondent Keilan Webster about the club's planned restructuring
Jersey Reds have announced plans to restructure the rugby club.
The board intends to separate the professional and amateur sides in order to secure their future.
It would see the professional side become a new company, completely separate from the amateur team.
The hope is that this would allow them to seek investors and strengthen their position to win the RFU Championship within the next two to three seasons.
The proposals say this move would also ensure the future of community amateur rugby on the island with Jersey Reds' Athletic, women's team and juniors still able to use the club's facilities.
At a general meeting held earlier this week members supported the board's plans, led by Chairman Mark Morgan.
He explained: “It has become clear to me, as well as to our board members, that running a fully-professional rugby squad owned by an amateur rugby members’ club is no longer financially feasible.
"No other rugby club tries to run a professional squad on this basis.
"The board therefore decided to strongly recommend to the membership that the professional club be separated out as a private company which could then raise equity by taking in private investors as shareholders.”
The Reds’ board will now work on the changes before going back to members for final approval at a meeting on Monday 25 April.