Worcester Warriors can today announce that Cecil Duckworth CBE has become the club’s President.
Cecil, who was awarded a CBE in 2013, began his association with the club in 1993 and his early support signalled the inauguration of Warriors as a professional enterprise and the subsequent success in climbing the leagues.
He has since worked tirelessly to ensure Warriors’ long-term growth and was able to secure the backing of the organisation now known as Sixways Holdings Limited, which will continue to fund the club, as it has in recent years.
Cecil said: “One naturally cannot go on forever, so about five years ago I started to organise a succession plan. Firstly I strengthened the Board and brought in successful and experienced business friends whom I knew would be able to help Roger Murray and myself to develop the club.
“As a result we had a very strong team with Anthony Glossop, Bill Bolsover, John Crabtree, Nick Paul and John Leftwich together with Roger and myself. (Nick Paul and John Leftwich have recently retired).
“We had come a long way from Midland One to the Premiership but we had failed to kick on and be a top four to six side. Therefore our two priorities were:
1. To secure the appointment of a world class Director of Rugby and
2. To ensure that the financial support for the future was in place.
“Fortunately Dean Ryan was attracted to the idea that we were prepared to take the long view. I believe that Dean is one of the top six Directors of Rugby in the world and, since joining us, he has built a very powerful coaching and support group and the players are developing into what I am sure will make Worcester a very successful club at all levels.
“In addition we give tremendous support to the amateur club which has meant substantial growth of the mini-junior section (now totalling over 500 members), the Wanderers, who are currently second in Midlands One West, and the Worcester Ladies, who are fifth in the Premiership and were represented by six England World Cup winners last summer.
“The financial support we get from Sixways Holdings and Greg Allen’s involvement has been fantastic, and so the final piece of the jigsaw was to find a CEO. That has taken longer than we would have liked but Anthony Glossop has successfully filled the gap and Jim O’Toole will now be joining us on Monday 2 February.
“I have financed and been Executive Chairman since 1993 and feel that with all the above in place I am now very happy to step up to the new position of President, knowing that the club is in good hands and that significant plans are in place to take the club forward.”
Cecil will continue his role as a director of the club and will be succeeded as Warriors Chairman by Acting Chief Executive Anthony Glossop.
Glossop said: “This club and Worcester as a city owes a huge debt of gratitude to Cecil for creating this great enterprise.
“Our vision is to continue Cecil’s fantastic work and build on the foundations he has created to develop Warriors into a leading European club.
“I am delighted that Cecil will remain on the board as a director and that we will continue to enjoy the benefit of his wise counsel and experience.”