WHARFEDALE Rugby Club have set their sights on promotion to rugby union's Premiership Two next season - but an unexpected development means they could be there as soon as this August.

Wharfedale missed out on promotion from National League One by one place this season. However, they may be asked to take the place of Premiership Two club London Welsh, who are considering a move into the Welsh League.

There are many ifs and buts to sort out along the route. However if the pieces in the jigsaw fall into place, then Wharfedale may well find themselves in Premiership Two - and thus secure a £215,000 cash bonanza.

This week the Welsh RU confirmed that London Welsh had been given the all-clear to enter the Welsh First Division - a league below the Welsh/Scottish Premiership.

Ron Holley, the London Welsh general manager, said that his club saw little future in the English Premiership Two because of the implications of the so-called Rob Andrew plan for promotion and relegation. This would allocate places in the Premiership One on a franchise basis, much like rugby league's Super League, with no automatic promotion or relegation.

Mr Holley said the members would decide, but his feeling was that they would vote to join the Welsh League and with it have a chance of promotion into the Welsh/Scottish Premiership.

That would create a vacancy in the English Premiership Two. There is already talk of increasing the number of clubs in that league to 16 by promoting Otley and Birmingham-Solihull but having no relegation. If that happened, and London Welsh left, then there would be a vacancy which sources at the RFU say would be filled by Wharfedale.

If the number of clubs in Premiership remains at 14, and London Welsh left, then there are three alternatives: to promote Wharfedale; to relegate only one club and allow, Rugby, who finished next to bottom to stay in the league; or to stage a play-off between Wharfedale and Rugby.

That would not be welcomed by Wharfedale, whose players are touring Washington on the west coast of America at the end of the month.

Michael Harrison, Wharfedale's director of coaching warned supporters not to get over-excited as the odds were against a promotion lifeline.

"It is a glimmer of hope, there are three things which have to come off but it is a possibility, not a likelihood," he said.

He added that if London Welsh did leave, he had the impression that the Division Two clubs would prefer 14 clubs, not 16, as more clubs would mean a smaller share of the cash pot and that had to favour Rugby not being relegated.

"A play off is unlikely but if we have to, we will do it. We will have to work round the tour," said Harrison. He said the club now felt that, looking at clubs near the foot of the table, Wharfedale could survive at Division Two level.

Whatever the outcome, Wharfedale officials made it clear that they were keen to experience life at a higher level next season at the club's annual dinner last Friday.

"We are going all out for promotion next season," said president John Spencer. "Wharfedale not wanting to be promoted? What rubbish."

Harrison also spoke of promotion being a goal for the next campaign.

"Next season we have to crank up all parts of the club. We have to start hard. Four of the first eight games are in London and that's the way I want it. We need to know we will have to start hard and fast," he said.

However, there was the usual Wharfedale warning that the club must not abandon its roots.

"You have to keep in perspective what we are and where we came from and what we are doing," he said. "We have no paid administrator, the only club in Jewson One. That's the way we keep the books balanced which is fairly unique in our league."

He presented the club's Kath Harrison Trophy, awarded to the team with the best percentage of wins, to the Fourth Team and its captain, Nigel Shuttleworth. The Fourths will be re-emerging next season as the Rams and playing in the league system.

Shuttleworth was also to return to the top table to be presented with the Damian Foley trophy, for outstanding contribution to the club.

There was a surprise too for John Spencer, as he was made an honorary life member of the club after serving 22 years as president.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.