SEASON ticket holders have dismissed claims they are not getting value for money when they watch Worcester Warriors.

With the Guinness Premiership season about to start this weekend, the Sixways side have been placed firmly at the bottom of a table based on the calculations of the ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants). The results were found by adding the team’s 15 most valuable players – using a fantasy rugby website – dividing that total by the cost of the mid-range season ticket, and multiplying the result by 100.

Last season’s play-off champions Wasps finished top in this particular table.

Worcester Warriors Supporters Club chairman Ian Archer said he was surprised by the results, not least because there are much better facilities at Sixways than at other clubs like Saracens, Sale Sharks and Wasps.

“There’s no investment there for the supporters, you’ve just got a football stadium whereas we are developing a rugby stadium which will be envied by all of the Premiership clubs,” he said.

Mr Archer, who has been a Worcester supporter for 10 years, said he thought fans also get value for money on the field from the side which reached the European Challenge Cup final last season.

“I think if you ask any supporter just before the start of any season they will be optimistic but here at Worcester I think we are justified to be optimistic,” he said. “I don’t think we have quite got the team yet that can go out and win the league, but we will certainly be competitive from day one.

“It would be great if we could take a Heineken Cup berth this season, but we will have to wait and see.”

Graham Munn, who was the supporters club chairman for the last three seasons, called ACCA’s calculations “a pile of rubbish” and pointed to a whole host of quality players in the squad, such as new arrival Chris Latham.

“I think we get value for money,” said Mr Munn, who has watched Worcester for about 25 years.

“We definitely get it on the field. A lot of money has been invested wisely and I think we will see the results of that this year.”

A Worcester Warriors spokesman dismissed the ACCA’s survey and pointed to developments off the field, such as the new East Stand, and said that the club has received about 5,000 season ticket renewals and new applications for the upcoming season, a record number.

“At Worcester Warriors we feel that we offer great value for money both on and off the field and always strive to give our supporters a fantastic and memorable experience everytime they visit Sixways stadium,” said the spokesman.