Pearce poised to pull the plug

Bristol owner Malcolm Pearce has given the club four months' notice to quit and give up professional rugby as a bad job.

If he does pull the plug at the end of the season, one of Britain's most famous clubs will collapse in a heap as it did three years ago without a realistic prospect of anyone else spending a fortune to put it together again.

Like Sir John Hall (Newcastle) and Ashley Levett (Richmond) before him, Pearce, 61, confesses to being 'totally disillusioned'. Considering that he has pumped £5million into rescuing Bristol from bankruptcy and bought a multi-national squad only to see gates fall this season by a thousand to 3 ,883 , he has every reason to be disillusioned.

He has issued his threat despite Dean Ryan's team winning four of their last six Premiership matches and despite persuading Jack Rowell to take over as chief executive. 'Whether there is still a Bristol Rugby Club at the end of the season remains to be seen,' said Pearce, who made his millions from the family's retail business. 'I desperately hope so but I am seriously considering my future involvement.

'No individual or organisation has come along and said they want to help the club financially. It makes me wonder whether Bristol is capable of supporting two professional soccer clubs and a Premiership rugby team.

'Rugby union in this country seems to be run by people who don't have the game at heart.'