WORCESTER City will drop three divisions after directors confirmed the club had resigned from the National League.
The Blue and Whites will start the new season in the Midland Football League Premier Division meaning local derbies against Stourport Swifts and the newly-promoted Bromsgrove Sporting.
In a statement on Friday (May 12) the club blamed the ‘excessive’ costs of trying to retain National League North status for their decision.
‘Significant’ playing budgets for teams at the top end of the league was also slammed with the club’s directors declaring the league had become ‘an elite tier of non-league football with over-inflated player wages, and impossible for the club to remain competitive whilst operating within its means.”
Club chiefs had hoped playing at a higher level would have ensured the club had full access to grants to fund a new ground.
But continued delays in the planning process over a possible new stadium in Perdiswell and a decision from the Worcester City Council on transferring the land meant the club had ‘no alternative’ but to resign.
The move was made in March but the club was required to remain silent until the FA League Management Committee (LMC) made their decision on which division Worcester City would be placed in.
“Playing at a lower level of football will enable the Club to operate a reduced playing budget to ensure the remaining funds are protected to help support its return to Worcester at the earliest opportunity,” the statement read.
“It will also provide locally developed players with more chance of progressing and representing Worcester City Football Club.
“Regardless of the step at which we were to be placed the new management team was set a playing budget for next season and we hope to announce player news shortly.
“We have sympathy with supporters who will be disappointed with this news.
“However this action is aimed at being a pragmatic and sensible approach to ensure the club is given the best possible chance of survival until the goal of bringing the club back to a new home in Worcester has been achieved,” the statement added.