FORMER Worcester Warriors chief executive Jim O'Toole's consortium has been chosen as the preferred bidder to save the rugby club, it has been revealed. 

Jim O'Toole consortium, which involves American investment, has beaten a rival bid from ex-Warriors boss Steve Diamond.

The bid was selected by Worcester's administrators Begbies Traynor. The firm was appointed after the Sixways Stadium-based club went into administration last month.

Announcing the move in a tweet Mr O'Toole wrote: "Exciting news. 

"Thanks to Julie Palmer and Begbies Traynor for believing in us over the past weeks. 

"We will share the full vision, plan and team once the contractual negotiation phase is complete."

Mr O'Toole, added that they would be making no further comment. 

 

 

 

O'Toole first joined Worcester in 2015, having previously worked at London Irish, before departing in 2017.

Previously he told BBC more about the bid saying: "There was an approach from some local businessmen here in Worcester to see if there was anything we could do to save the club.

Ledbury Reporter: BIDDER: Jim O'Toole has been chosen as the preferred bidder to save Worcester WarriorsBIDDER: Jim O'Toole has been chosen as the preferred bidder to save Worcester Warriors (Image: Newsquest)

"Which tied in nicely with some work I was doing with a former colleague from London Irish, James Sanford (CEO of Atlas Sports tech), we were advising an American company on some plans to launch a service they are launching in the UK.

 

READ MORE: Worcester Warriors: former executive bids to save rugby club

READ MORE: Worcester Warriors: Steve Diamond outlines plan to buy club

 

"Rugby was the sport marketing platform and we started discussing the current rugby union landscape, premiership rugby was the answer to it."

Only last Thursday (October 27), former Warriors coach Steve Diamond was optimistic his bid, with two other mystery investors, would be successful - but that appears to have been dealt a major blow when the latest news broke on Sunday night, (October 30).

Ledbury Reporter: RIVAL: Steve Diamond had led a rival consortiumRIVAL: Steve Diamond had led a rival consortium (Image: JMP)

Warriors were suspended from all rugby and condemned to relegation after the club were placed into administration at the back end of September.

That was followed in early October by the company that employed all staff and players being liquidated in court over an unpaid tax bill in the region of £6 million pounds.

Players and staff therefore had their contracts automatically terminated and since then, no less than 27 players have moved onto new clubs.

Worcester Warriors memorably won their final match at Sixways Stadium against Newcastle.