Gloucester are one of the most consistent teams in the Premiership, but they have gained the reputation as the top flight's nearly-men for their failures in the end-of-season play-offs.

Professionalism initially seemed to catch the club unaware, as the Cherry and Whites had no major investor by the time the sport turned professional in 1995.

However, the signing of Craig Emerson from Morley saw Gloucester become the first English club to pay a transfer fee for a player.

Midway through the 1998-1999 season Richard Hill was replaced by Philippe Saint-Andre as head coach and in his first full season the Frenchman guided Gloucester to third in the League.

Saint-Andre left the club under a cloud and was replaced by Nigel Melville, who in 2002-03 guided the Cherry and Whites to the top of the League. However, under the new play-off system, Gloucester lost to Wasps in the Twickenham final.

A downturn in form and failure to qualify for the Heineken Cup led to Melville's departure and the arrival of Dean Ryan as head coach.

Gloucester ended the 2005-06 season as European Challenge Cup winners and the following season was even more successful as they ended the season top of the League.

However, the Cherry and Whites were again beaten in the play-off finals, this time by Leicester, and history was to repeat itself in the 2007-08 season.

Gloucester topped the League, but were defeated in the play-off semi-finals by Leicester as the Tigers became the first team in Premiership history to win a semi-final away from home.