It’s amazing the difference 12 months can make. A year ago, when Warwickshire staged their late-summer forum, there were heated scenes.

A packed room vented their fury towards the director of cricket and it became abundantly clear that The Chuckle Brothers (Mark Greatbatch and John Claughton) were in their final days at the club.

The contrast between that and this year's occasion could not have been more stark. Fewer than 200 members attended, half the number of last year, and enjoyed a relaxed and convivial atmosphere.

That’s largely understandable. Warwickshire’s performances on the field have improved and there is an appreciation among most spectators that the team are in the process of a rebuilding operation that will, in Ashley Giles’ words, not be complete until 2010.

What is more, Warwickshire have become much better at staging such events. Hosted with charm and wit by Dougie Brown, questions were answered with disarming honesty, while members were also encouraged to chat informally with club officials.

And yet, in other ways, this was a puzzling evening. To read the internet chat rooms and forums, you’d think they were burring effigies of Colin Povey on the streets of Birmingham.

Yet there were no questions about the sale of half-year memberships, no questions about the sale of Ashes tickets and no questions about Lee Daggett.

Instead Povey, who must have been expecting a tougher evening, gave a thorough update of the ground development plans; a process he described as “like herding cats.” The plans and explanations, impressive as they are, were generally very well received.

Meanwhile, Giles described how his expectations had changed as the season progressed and how disappointed he would be if the side now failed to achieve championship promotion.

“I’d be very disappointed if we’re not promoted from this position,” he said. “I’ve said to the players: good sides get us into the position we’re in now, but very good teams make it count. We mustn’t waste this position.

“I said at the start of the season that we had to manage expectation, but we’ve played some solid cricket and we are ahead of where we thought we’d be. Maybe we have to re-manage our expectations. We’re in a good position but there have been times recently when we’ve looked a little nervous.”

Ian Westwood seemed remarkably confident, however. He described how the players were simply trying to keep their “feet on the ground”; a process that should not be too difficult for a team that was bowled out for under 100 last week and has won only one championship game at home in two years.

Still, better such confidence than the misery of last year.

The club also announced that they were aiming to go on a pre-season tour of Bloemfontein ahead of next season.