Jersey Reds players could be 'stranded' after Championship club ceases trading

Jersey's final home game was against Exeter in the Premiership Cup on Saturday

Jersey Reds players risk being "stranded" on the island after the Championship club ceased trading.

Players were told early on Thursday morning that the club was closing down after an investor pulled out, leaving Reds unable to meet the payroll due on Friday.

Up to 70 players, coaches and support staff have been affected.

"The timing of it is terrible," director of rugby Harvey Biljon told BBC Channel Islands.

"It's the end of the month, so they won't get paid in the next couple of days, and I can assure you some of these guys won't even have the funds to book a flight to get on to the mainland or get home.

"Those are some of the guys who are from Australia or South Africa, they'll be stranded."

Jersey's squad, who won the Championship title last season, had been due to board a flight at 08:00 BST on Thursday morning to take them to their Premiership Rugby Cup game at Cornish Pirates on Friday.

Jersey director of rugby Harvey Biljon struggled to contain his emotions when being interviewed about the club's demise

Instead, the players were called to the club's ground at St Peter at 07:30 and given the news they were out of jobs.

"It's destroying for everyone and their families as well," centre Dan Barnes told BBC Channel Islands.

"It doesn't just affect us as players, it affects the whole network, families.

"They've got kids, rent to pay, bills to pay, and one day before getting paid to be told that an investor has pulled out doesn't make sense to us.

"At seven o'clock this morning I was a rugby player for Jersey Reds with a job; at 10 o'clock, now I'm not."

'This club is the heartbeat of Jersey'

Jersey Reds took the lead against Exeter last week before the Premiership Rugby Cup holders came back to win

Biljon says the club did not overspend and kept the budget they were set for players, stating the average wage was about £25,000.

They are the fourth major club to reach such a crisis point in a little over a year, after Premiership sides Worcester, Wasps and London Irish.

Reds were the first and only professional sports team in the Channel Islands, giving them a unique place in Jersey's culture.

"I honestly believe this club is the heartbeat of Jersey," Biljon said.

"The value it brings to the island, whether it's people coming to support the players at a game or just coming to socialise, all the intangibles and the value that this brings to the island is just unbelievable.

"I just don't know how we're in this position."

Reds chairman Mark Morgan addressed players at the morning meeting on Thursday, when Biljon said Morgan would not divulge who was behind the proposed investment that fell through.

"By all accounts there's some confidentiality agreements so he can't actually tell us who the individual or organisation is that are not prepared to help support and fund the club," Biljon added.

"I'd like to hope that comes out in the future because it will hopefully give people an understanding, myself included.

"We didn't really get a lot of answers to a lot of the questions, and it's just happened too quickly."

Analysis

Chris Jones, BBC rugby union correspondent

This is another desperate blow for the English domestic game, coming just months after the greatest moment in Jersey's history when they clinched the Championship title.

It is a bolt from the blue, with even head coach Rob Webber blindsided by the news.

After the demise of Worcester, Wasps and London Irish, plans had been - and still are - afoot to re-structure professional rugby union in England, with the establishment of a strong second tier, or 'Premiership 2'.

The proposal is for teams to apply for a place in this revamped second-tier, with the aim to build a vibrant and sustainable league with promotion to and relegation from the Premiership, made up of ambitious clubs like Jersey Reds.

So while the RFU and Premiership Rugby insist an agreement will soon be reached to underpin the future of the sport, this news raises urgent questions once again about the governance and sustainability of the pro game.

It also comes on the eve of a crucial RFU council meeting, where the running of the union is expected to be under scrutiny.