For a non-sentient object the computer that churns out rugby’s fixtures has quite a sense of humour.

At least that’s one way to view the fact that having asked for the windfall of a home match on Boxing Day, Moseley were instead sent to cash-rich Worcester – who exist further from the breadline than anyone else in the Championship – and effectively had to pay for the privilege of a 43-7 beating.

Another of its favourite tricks is pairing clubs in the same region and either giving them an away fixture or a home game on the same day.

For a variety of reasons the situation has not been as extreme this season but when Coventry, Birmingham & Solihull and Moseley were in the same division clashes were commonplace and often all three were vying for the same market on the same afternoon.

And who would bet against it throwing up a few corkers next season too, indeed it will be no surprise at all if Moseley have to travel Newcastle or Leeds on the same day Bees visit Blaydon or Wharfedale.

However, following Bees’ relegation to National One, the proximity of the games will be where the similarity ends.

While Mose can look forward to a trip to Kingston Park or Headingley Carnegie, where the spotlight of television sometimes shines, the rural delights of Threshfield and rather more urban pleasures of Crow Trees await the Silhillians.

But first, in the days following their demotion, there is much thinking to be done and issues like who to take become more pressing than how to get there.

At least they won’t have to worry about where to stay. The loss of £300,000 in central funding means for the players at least overnight stops will be a thing of the past.

With both coach and club mutually making positive noises the chances are Russell Earnshaw will continue to be the director of rugby and the one responsible for making such decisions.

Perhaps more importantly for the club, chairman and chief backer Chris Loughran will continue to be the one underwriting the expenses – a fact that goes a long way to alleviating any fear of Bees taking an unbroken fall through the National Leagues and ‘doing a Manchester’.

He refused to confirm whether he will continue to do so to the tune of several hundred thousand pounds but his thoughts on the rebuild are otherwise unambiguous.

“I would dearly like to be part of the club and a backer of the club,” Loughran said. “I am prepared to back the club going forward but we have got some work to do.

“When we go into National One next year we are going to have to do so largely with a new squad. I am sure we will keep a few of them – I hope to.

“We don’t have the sort of funds where we can do what the current promotion aspirants are doing at the moment. To be really confident of coming back from National One in a season or two you have to be paying the sort of salaries you pay in the Championship.

“We can’t do that – that’s clear. We have got to try and find our level and I am hopeful we will do it in National One,” he said.

“We have got some reasons why people want to come here and I am hopeful we can find a way both on a playing front and financially that the club will continue to have a first team that operates at National One level.

“It’s going to be very tough, you don’t lose that level of funding and pretend it is not going to challenge but that was funding for a semi-professional side with the emphasis on professional.

“Others manage it at lower levels of funding. I am still here, I am prepared to give something – I am not going to disclose that now but I am prepared to back it and we have got to work out a plan as to how we do that.”

But the father of six denied his motivation is purely one of paternal obligation. “When I first started I felt a sense of duty and curiosity.

“The curiosity bit has been partially answered, there is a degree of duty, I don’t feel obliged to anybody in that sense but I still feel committed and I still feel that I want to keep this club alive,” he said.

“I am sure with goodwill and hard work we will find a way of doing so.”

Much of the hard work this season has been done by Earnshaw whose return to the team might have been ill-advised but whose efforts off the pitch are best characterised as perpetual motion.

The 36-year-old has already expressed his desire to ‘right the wrongs’ and even though there’s many a slip ‘tween pen and contract and all that, the concord appears mutual.

“Do I still have massive regard for Russell Earnshaw?” Loughran asked. “Yes. Do I think he has done everything he could for us this year? ‘Yes’. Would I like to see him here next season? ‘Yes’. Do I always recognise he has got a career and might need to go somewhere else to further it? ‘Yes’.

“We have begun some of those conversations but I didn’t want to distract him from doing his best to keep us here.

“Neither Russell nor I are making any statements of commitment as to whether he will be here next year.

"Personally I would like to see him here but I recognise he has got a number of options and I wouldn’t want to hold him back.”