WORCESTER City are using the rewards of their FA Cup run to continue improving their St George's Lane home.

City received £12,500 from the Football Association's FA Cup pool as reward for reaching the first round this season.

The FA stipulate that the money must be used on ground improvements, and City plan to spend it on the main stand and the terrace in front.

The plan is to move the perimeter wall forward by two feet to create more terrace space, and erect a new pitch-side fence with emergency exits.

They also hope to remove the wooden steps leading up to the stand and replace them with wider steps made of steel to satisfy safety requirements.

That would also enable the club to use its full allocation of 1,100 seats -- they can only use 600 of them -- and increase the ground capacity by a minimum of 500.

Club director Alan Wills said: "The money from the FA has to be used for ground improvements and we don't even see the money.

"We have to get it approved, have the work done and send the invoices to the FA and they will actually pay them.

"We will have the drawings next week and then that will be put out to tender.

"If we can do that within the budget we have, we will do it, but if not, we may ask the FA if we can carry that forward, get a bit more next season and put the two lots together."

Other plans include new netting all around the ground to prevent stray balls flying out of the stadium.

The first nets have already been erected, helped by a £300 donation from City's supporters' club.

Even though there are plans for a new stadium at Nunnery Way in the pipeline, work will continue at St George's Lane to ensure they can be promoted to the Nationwide Conference -- regardless of where they are playing.

Wills added: "We can't allow it to fall into the state of disrepair that it was in a few years ago.

"The ambition of this club is still to get into the Conference -- we must make sure that if that situation comes, we are in a position to go up."

City are in home action in the Dr Martens League Premier Division on Saturday against Ilkeston Town.

Next Monday City entertain Solihull Borough in their Birmingham Senior Cup quarter-final.

Thursday, February 17, 1999.