Wray will stay at Sarries "for ever"

By Jason Harris (filed 27/6/03)
June 27 2003

Saracens benefactor Nigel Wray has revealed in an interview with the Evening Standard's Chris Jones that he intends staying with Saracens "for ever" despite considering throwing in the towel at the end of last season after yet another year of disappointment.

In the interview Wray said "I was very close to walking away, but the decisions Mark Sinderberry has taken and the people he will be bringing into the club has reinvigorated my enthusiasm. I also have half-a-dozen like-minded people on the board who are sharing the burden and that's vital. As a result, I am happy to stay at the club forever."

The multi-millionaire businessman added that the appointment of Chief Executive Mark Sinderberry will be key in Saracens' drive to return to the top of the game.

"He is the missing piece in our jigsaw. If you asked me to identify the biggest mistake we have made in the last seven years, it would be not appointing a proper chief executive. It was Mark who had a good look at Buck Shelford and he made the final decision.

"Mark has a good relationship with the players and he can make tough calls as we have seen. We are putting together a new team under Mark's leadership and I don't believe we will be making the kind of mistakes that occurred in past years when we let players like Danny Grewcock leave this club."

Sarries are poised to announce the signing of former All Blacks captain Taine Randell and they will also announce the name of a new head coach in the next couple of weeks, with Australia Under 21 coach Laurie Fisher favourite to take over from the sacked Wayne Shelford.