Bristol are hoping to boost their fortunes by persuading former England coach Jack Rowell back into a coaching position at the Memorial Ground.

Rowell, a non-executive director at Bristol, quit as coach Bath in 1994 to take over the England team but his business commitments outside the game saw him eventually replaced by Clive Woodward in 1997.

``Something might or might not happen but first I have to button down my day job,'' said Rowell, who stepped down as England coach in 1997 because of business commitments.

``I am the chief executive of a public limited company and therefore there are Stock Exchange sensitive issues that need to be addressed first.''

Bristol are one place off the bottom of the Premiership after their 30-26 by London Irish in front of less than 3,000 at the Memorial Stadium.

Bath millionaire Pearce gave a vote of confidence to player-coach Dean Ryan last week, but said after Bristol's latest defeat: ``Somebody has be brought into the club to sort things out now.

``I'm not going to mess around any longer, someone has to shake things up.

``I understand that Jack (Rowell) may have more time available soon and if he can devote more time to Bristol, then we will be willing accept his offer.''

He added: ``The situation that we find ourselves in at Bristol cannot be allowed to continue.''

``There should be enough good players within the club but they are just not clicking together. Everything was put in place for them during the closed season but they are not performing.

``We are not getting the supporters through the turnstiles at Bristol, we are not being taken as seriously as we should be for a club of our standing.

``Bristol is playing a very small part in English rugby at the moment. Our influence at the EFDR and other governing bodies is on the wane.''

Bristol suffered their fourth successive league defeat today when they were beaten 30-26 by London Irish in front of a crowd of less than 3,000 at the Memorial Stadium.

Club owner Malcolm Pearce, speaking while taking a short break in Spain, gave a vote of confidence to player-coach Dean Ryan last week.

Ryan, the former England number eight, was appointed first team coach at the start of the season when Bob Dwyer, Australia's 1991 World Cup winning coach, was moved upstairs before taking up a new post in Australia.