NOTTINGHAM Rugby Club is staring into the abyss. And if chairman Geoff Huckstep can't drum up at least half of the £150,000 he needs before Christmas then the Green 'n' Whites, currently just five places below Premiership champions Wasps in the English leagues, will play their last home game in a little more than four weeks' time.

In the odd quiet corner, Huckstep has copped some flak about his Nottingham "business model". I don't agree.

In simple terms, it was dependent on three things: firstly, that an average of 2,000 paying customers attend games this season at Meadow Lane; secondly, that the land deal involving the sell-off of the club's spiritual home in Beeston wouldn't go bad; and, thirdly, that a proposed share option scheme encouraging investors to put their money into the club would prove reasonably successful.

Unfortunately, Nottingham's gates have been closer to 1,000 than 2,000 while David Wilson Homes, who have already built on part of the old Ireland Avenue site, have pulled out on a deal that would have enabled them to start work on the rest of it. As for the share options, they've been credit-crunched.

On the up side, the insecurity over the future of the Green 'n' Whites doesn't have too much impact on the junior side of the club.

The professional arm and "the minis" went their separate ways earlier this year. And an e-mail distributed by John Ward, president of Nottingham Boots Corsairs, has allayed concerns of scores of parents whose kids trundle off to Lady Bay every Sunday morning. "I encourage you all to support as best you can the initiatives to keep professional rugby alive in Nottingham," Ward wrote.

"At the same time, please be reassured that the amateur arm of the club, now it is merged with Boots Athletic RFC and collectively known as Nottingham Boots Corsairs, has no current issues with financial problems.

"This side of the club is not under threat, is self-funding and sustainable in the current difficult climate."

What's happening with Nottingham Rugby is a crying shame. On a budget that is probably around a quarter of the size league leaders Leeds have to assemble their squad and about half the money second-placed Exeter spend on theirs, Nottingham are boxing above their weight.

They are third in rugby's equivalent of football's Championship and not a million miles away from playing Leicester in the league and top French sides in Europe.

Frankly, there is no realistic prospect of Nottingham gaining promotion to the Guinness Premiership this season.

But if they can overcome their current crisis and attract the sort of investment that keeps Premiership clubs afloat, then who knows what the future holds? In fact, in a bizarre way, this could yet prove to be the best thing that's happened to them.

Three years ago, a group of South African investors were desperate to gain control of a leading English club with Premiership potential and had a bid to buy Rotherham blocked by the Rugby Football Union.

Perhaps such people are still around? If they are, a club that is third in National League One and carrying a very cheap price tag would be the perfect fit.

Let's hope someone with a few thousand krugerrands to spare shares not only my love of rugby but also a vision for the future of professional rugby in Nottingham.