NOTTINGHAM director of rugby Glenn Delaney is convinced his class of 2010 will deliver the goods – given time.

The Green and Whites began their new Championship campaign with a 21-27 defeat at home to big-spending London Welsh at Meadow Lane last week.

But Delaney's new-look side more than held their own for long periods and he is quietly confident that they will grow into a formidable side.

But he accepts it won't happen overnight.

"There has been a lot of change. Three years ago we had a very solid and stable side that served the club very well and that group, for the most part, has now moved on – many of them going to the Premiership," said Delaney.

"But if you go back about five years, no-one would have heard of that group of players.

"We are going through a regeneration with a second cycle of players coming through in my stint at the club and we are looking to plan for the future.

"Look at London Welsh, who have spent a lot of money. They had £1.3m worth of talent out on that pitch last weekend, with a strong bench to back it up. I think they'll finish in the top three come the end of the season.

"We had 11 players missing and were down to a squad of 22 or 23 players yet still gave a fairly good account of ourselves.

"The frustrating thing was we were leading by six points and let that game go because of a couple of errors.

"They may have had the ball for long periods but a couple of their tries were down to one-on-one missed tackles.

"I am very comfortable with this group of players and will look to develop them. Patience is a virtue but people have this perception of what we should be doing because of what we have done in the past."

The Greens have endured a tough time financially in the past couple of seasons but with the club now having been taken over by Notts County chairman Ray Trew, Delaney can see light at the end of the tunnel.

In the light of those problems, Delaney accepts they have had to cut their cloth accordingly.

"The playing budget has come very much under the cosh, but I understand that and accept it," he said.

"We have to face up to the economic realities and the playing budget for this season is lower than it was in 2005.

"But at one stage we were fighting for the very survival of the club. There had to be sacrifices made and the spend on the team is one of them.

"That does not make me or the club any less ambitious and I think we have spent wisely. Yes, we have to be more realistic but I am nevertheless still very excited."