LONDON Welsh vice- chairman Kelvin Bryon has urged Oxfordshire people to back the club in numbers.

Bryon issued an impassioned plea for support after labelling the Exiles’ latest crowd at the Kassam Stadium “disappointing”.

Leaders Welsh were watched by just 1,203 fans as they hammered Cornish Pirates 41-6 in the Greene King IPA Championship last Saturday, despite having put back the kick-off to attract greater numbers.

“If you want to see Premiership rugby return to Oxfordshire, now is the time to support us,” said Bryon, a long-time financial backer who joined the club’s board this season.

“I believe there are great opportunities for London Welsh to make Oxfordshire their permanent home in the Premiership.

“However, we need greater support from the Oxfordshire rugby fraternity, more sponsorship and volunteers to help the club move forward and even more importantly, we need additional benefactors.

“The current financial load is on a couple of shoulders and we need to spread it.”

Bryon was cheered by Welsh’s display against the Pirates, but not the size of the crowd, with the club publicly targeting 3-4,000 for ‘big games’ this season.

He stressed that Oxfordshire was the “obvious choice” for Welsh’s base and restated the club’s aim to find a local training ground.

Welsh visit Leeds Carnegie on Sunday.