Redruth consider help from fans

Penberthy says the club is not immune from the global credit crunch

Redruth director of rugby Dave Penberthy has assured fans the club will not fold under the current economic pressures.

The club are considering turning to their fans for help with funding as their sponsorship income has dropped.

"If we have to make cut-backs on the playing squad then that is something that we will have to do.

"There is no way that I'm going to put the club's future in jeopardy," Penberthy told BBC Radio Cornwall.

"Local businesses who have helped us in the past are not able to do so on such a degree.

Penberthy hopes a meeting of club members at the end of the month will identify costs that can be cut-back.

But any savings must not compromise Redruth's position top of the national two table according to Penberthy because promotion is necessary to ensure revenue comes in from sponsorship and ticket sales.

"We are in a position where every penny helps but we've prepared a budget this year that should we achieve each of our targets we should break even, so it's all about cost control," he said.

"I don't think we're going to go cap in hand [to fans] and say 'please give us money', I think there's areas of expenditure where maybe people can help us with.

"Our travelling costs are unbelievable this year, in the region of �40,000 and we've got six away games left this season so maybe there's something people can do to help us with that."

And he added that the club would take whatever measures necessary to ensure it did not go to the wall.

"Whatever happens Redruth rugby club will be an ongoing concern for the foreseeable future."