A local newspaper appeal to save a 134-year-old rugby club raised £52,500 in just two weeks.

But sadly for the Coventry Telegraph, it still may not be enough to save the city’s club from going out of business.

Earlier this month the Trinity Mirror daily began the task of raising £100,000 in just a fortnight, publicising the appeal everyday.

Rugby Football Union chiefs met to discuss the future of Coventry Rugby Football Club and granted the two-week reprieve because of the Telegraph’s appeal.

The £100,000 was set by the RFU and would have acted as a security bond for two years to enable Coventry RFC to continue playing next season.

Money flooded into the appeal from local businesses and fans as well as from all corners of the globe as online stories spread to ex-pats.

The dean of a cathedral in San Francisco, a former resident of the city, sent money to the Telegraph while other donations came from New Zealand and Mallorca.

Rugby correspondent John Wilkinson, who has covered the club for 14 years, said: “In two weeks, it’s an unbelievable amount to come from fans and the general public.

“We had a day collecting money in the city centre which raised £2,000 alone.

“There was the odd £1,000 chipped in by businesses by not too many have come forward and wanted to help in a big way but it’s still a remarkable achievement.

“We’ve had some wonderful stories come out of the appeal.”

Now fans and staff at the paper are playing a waiting game to see if the RFU will permit the club to play again next season and use the amount collected as the bond.

If not, it would effectively act as a death knell for the club as it would have to apply to join the lowest tier of club rugby and lose its current staff of professional players.

Coventry RFC went into administration in February but the RFU allowed it to finish its fixtures in the second division of English rugby.

John added: “We will be informing the RFU but it’s in the lap of the Gods. All we can do is throw our mercy on them.

“What I’m hoping they will do is see the groundswell of feeling in the city to keep the rugby club going and give recognition to the part the people have played.”