WORCESTER Raiders' chairman Steve Harris is hoping to officially sign off on a five-year lease at Sixways this week as their future at the stadium remains unconfirmed.

Owners at Sixways, The Atlas Consortium, said back in February that Raiders would be kept on at the home of Worcester Warriors, but an agreement remains to be officially confirmed.

Harris said on Saturday that things could be tied up this week, with Atlas' Jim O'Toole supposedly in the process of drawing up the lease agreement.

"It is not fully confirmed (their lease to play at the stadium) but it’s 95 per-cent there," said Harris.

Worcester News: Worcester Raiders have been at Sixways since 2020Worcester Raiders have been at Sixways since 2020 (Image: JMP)

"I spoke with Jim O’Toole last night (Friday) and he’s in the process of typing the lease up, it just needs some signatures on Monday by the sounds of it and then hopefully then we can sign a five-year lease and move on."

It has been months of uncertainty for the non-league club, who have been caught in the middle of the demise of top-flight rugby side Worcester Warriors, who went into administration last September. 

It took until May of this year for the Atlas group to takeover at Sixways and up until that point, it was not known if Raiders would be part of their plans to stay at the 11,000-seater stadium. 

Worcester News: Attendance figures at Worcester Raiders' games have been progressing steadily since their arrival, with some games close to reaching four figuresAttendance figures at Worcester Raiders' games have been progressing steadily since their arrival, with some games close to reaching four figures (Image: JMP)

Communications have often been sporadic between Atlas and Raiders, admitted Harris, but he says he has full support from the owners and is expecting the lease agreement to finally be sealed, potentially as early as Monday (today). 

"It’s been difficult at times. But every time I have spoken to them (Atlas – owners at Sixways) they have come back to me with information and kept me updated," added Harris.

"Jim (O'Toole) and James (Sandford, co-owner) have been very busy. They haven’t given us any explanations with why it has taken so long but with the situation they are in, there can often be complications, we don’t really know.

"They are fully behind us and fully supportive of the Raiders project. It’s been hard but having had conversations this week I am sure it will be tied up on Monday.

"I am not sure how everything stands with the administrators right now but I am told it’s coming to an end and told soon we shall get our lease."