By Damian Derrick BBC Sport

It is often said in the world of sport that there is a thin line between success and failure but Bristol's inability to bounce straight back to the Premiership has affected the bottom line - on their balance sheet.

The net effect of defeat against Exeter in the play-off final in May has cost them in the region of £1.5m and a busy, turbulent summer.

"It cost us a lot of money not going up and we're not going to hide from that," chief executive Steve Gorvett told BBC Points West.

"We had to let some players go and make cuts right across the club. It was a shock. We felt it was ours to take and we didn't take it."

Head coach Paul Hull added: "In sport, you get ups and downs and that was a bitter pill to swallow. It took a while

"We had one terrible night where everything went wrong for us and the ultimate prize was lost."

Bristol lost eight players, most of them in the back division, wingers Lee Robinson and Tom Arscott going to Leicester and Worcester respectively.

Tom's older brother Luke joined Bristol's victors Exeter while centre Luke Eves travelled north to Newcastle.

Many of those that stayed had their contracts re-negotiated down but Gorvett refutes that the claim figure was 50%.

"That's where we started and had we not managed to move any players on that's where we would have been, so that first headline wasn't the ending position at all," he said.

"We've got a playing squad of about 30 now in total where as a couple of years ago it was around 50 so that was a big start.

"We've had to slim down the support staff around the team and the admin team as well. And we're very happy with the squad we've got for this season."

That squad is now a lot younger, many of the academy players having been given their chance to prove that they have got more than just potential.

"They could be stars of the future in rugby, both internationally and for Bristol so I'm quietly excited about what we have in store," said Hull.

"Full-back Jack Tovey had a great season last year but had the likes of Luke Arscott in his way. And I'm looking forward to seeing the likes of Jack and winger George Watkins given their opportunity."

For this season anyway the spotlight will not be shining quite so brightly on Bristol with the arrival in the Championship of Worcester Warriors just up the M5.

Their place in the league is all the more intriguing with former Bristol head coach Richard Hill at the helm and Alex Crockett and Tom Arscott in the ranks.

"Worcester have come down with a big playing budget and a great infrastructure so they're probably the bookies' favourites to go straight back up," added Hull.

Our goal is to be back where we think we belong and that's the Premiership Steve Gorvett

"I think that's fair to say the pressure's off - not that the pressure was on us all the time last season."

"If you're the favourites to go up the pressure's on you a little bit more."

So while the fans and everyone else at the club are going to have to get used another humbling season visiting some of the less glamorous environs of rugby Gorvett does not plan on being there for too long.

"Our goal is to be back where we think we belong and that's the Premiership."

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