Worcester say move is only option

Worcester City supporters have been told by the club's board that the club have to leave St George's Lane if they are to survive.

Vice-chairman Jim Panter said: "Should we not get planning permission to sell St George's Lane then the bank is going to want repayment of the debt.

"That debt is quite significant, about £1.6m and the club does not have the money to pay that debt."

Around 200 shareholders and supporters attended a meeting on Wednesday.

The consultative conference was called by the board of directors at New Road and the full extent of the problems was spelt out to fans, but the board reiterated their determination to pursue the building of a new ground at Nunnery Way.

While they are reasonably optimistic that Careys New Homes will succeed in their bid to redevelop St George's Lane for housing, Panter admitted he is not yet as confident about the plans for the new ground.

"We and particularly [the developers] St Modwens have been in deep consultation with the City Council about the plans for Nunnery Way," he told BBC Hereford & Worcester.

"That planning permission has not yet been secured.

"We are going to be in the position of looking for alternative arrangements should the planning permission not go forward.

"But we can cross that bridge when we come to it."

Supporters groups remain unconvinced as to the viability of any move to Nunnery Way, with the board admitting there is likely to be a substantial funding shortfall.

Worcester City Supporters' Trust secretary Rob Crean said: "We have some serious concerns about the shortfall as there is still about £750,000 missing.

"We are still not entirely sure that what the board is proposing is going to fit in with Worcestershire County Council's local plan.

"At the end of the day they are going to decide on the planning application so whatever they say if it doesn't fit in with the local plan then it is not going to go anywhere."

Panter admits that time is not on City's side given RBS's stance that the club has only until the end of the year to repay its debts, but he stopped short of saying it would definitely mean the end of the road for the Blue Square South club.

"There's an amount of negotiation to be done with the bank should January arrive and we have got no further forward with this relocation plan," he said.