Gloucester chief pens open letter to fans after dismal start to the season

Gloucester chief executive Alex Brown has urged supporters to “stay with us” after a dismal start to the Gallagher Premiership season.

A 51-26 loss to west country rivals Bristol was Gloucester’s sixth-successive league defeat.

They lie ninth in the table, having collected just 12 points from eight games, with only five victories recorded from the last 20 Premiership fixtures.

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The six-match losing run has seen them concede more than 200 points and they are already 13 points adrift of the Premiership play-off pace.

Gloucester now break for two rounds of European Challenge Cup action, travelling to Tbilisi to face Georgian side Black Lion before hosting French heavyweights Clermont Auvergne.

And Premiership life is not about to get any easier for Gloucester either side of Christmas, with their next three opponents – Northampton, Harlequins and Bath – currently occupying top-five places.

Since beating Newcastle on October 20, they have lost to Saracens, Sale, Bath, Exeter, Leicester and Bristol, which has inevitably ramped up external pressure on rugby director George Skivington.

In an open letter to Gloucester supporters published on the club’s official website, former England lock Brown said: “As we enter a break from the Gallagher Premiership, I wanted to address the feeling among some of you following our disappointing start to the league season.

“No team runs on to any pitch to lose and that is certainly not the case with this group. But we can’t get away from the results and we know it’s not good enough.

“I understand some of you have broader frustrations regarding individuals, but I have no doubt whatsoever that everyone – players, coaches, staff – are dedicated to this club, to its success and have the talent to help us collectively achieve it.

“While I can’t address every comment about why our performances haven’t translated into wins, I do want to reassure you that no stone is being left unturned in an effort to make you proud of this club and this team, again.

“As we break from the Premiership and head into Europe, the next few weeks will give us an opportunity to review the start of the season, what has worked, what hasn’t and how we can reignite our Premiership campaign when it returns for our home game against Northampton.

“In the meantime, please stay with us – I wholeheartedly believe in this club and I know you feel the same.”