ONE of Hampshire’s biggest sports clubs is launching a fund-raising drive to stave off future potential financial problems.

Winchester Rugby Football Club is seeking a cash injection to help it match its sporting ambitions.

The club is riding high in London 2 South West and, after a 13 year gap, is looking for promotion to the London and South-East level 1 which will see greatly increased costs, especially travel to away fixtures.

Club president Rolf Stratford said the club was debt-free but there was the potential to slip into trouble in the future and the club has emailed members asking for financial support.

Mr Stratford said: “It is business as usual. But we are looking for more support.

“The club costs a lot of money to run every year, around £60- 70,000.

“We are hoping for promotion and want to be prepared if we do go up a level.

“If we carry on without asking for more support that may become a potential issue about paying our debts. Accountants have done projections and we may run out of money if we don’t do something about it.”

Mr Stratford said the club needed to make the public more aware of the facilities it has at its clubhouse. “We are putting ourselves back in the public eye and making them aware of our fantastic facilities.”

Mr Stratford said some commercial sponsorship had ebbed away recently but with the World Cup coming to the UK this September he believes now is a good time for businesses to get on board.

The Abbotts Barton-based club has some 1,000 households as members mainly for its thriving junior section, as well as four senior teams.

Fundraising ideas include a summer ball and beefing up its 100 Club initiative.