JOHN Barton has revealed ambitious Worcester City were prepared to smash their transfer record to boost the club's title challenge.

The St George's Lane manager said a five-figure fee to sign a player had been rejected but paid tribute to Dr Michael Sorensen and his fellow directors for being prepared to stump up the fee.

Despite debts of more than £600,000 the club is determined to strike for a place in the Nationwide Conference following their best start to a season in more than 20 years.

Barton is already reaping the benefits of the £7,500 splashed out to Cambridge City for exciting winger Adam Wilde, who has scored three goals in his last four games, while the arrival of David Holmes for £4,000 has added a new dimension to Worcester's attack.

"This board has taken a lot of stick over the years but they deserve a lot of credit for the support they have given us this season," said Barton.

"I don't want to name the club or player but we made a five-figure offer which would have been a record fee but unfortunately it was rejected.

"The player in question has still got a period of time left on his contract but his club was not be prepared to let us prise him out.

"Having said that we were still a long way off their valuation.

"On the back of the board sanctioning the buys of Adam Webster, Wilde and Holmes it demonstrates the ambition that there is at the club.

"People can see with their own eyes the quality of play has increased as a result of what we have done."

The club's record fee remains the £8,500 they paid to Telford United for Jimmy Williams in 1981.

City were knocked off the top of the Dr Martens Premier Division last night when Tamworth scored a last-minute winner to beat Stafford Rangers 2-1.

Mark Owen received a confidence booster by scoring all the goals for Worcester's reserves in their 5-1 win against Chasetown in the Midland Combination last night.