BANISHED Worcester and District Football League Divi-sion Three champions The Tavern claim their exclusion from the competition is unfair.

The Tolladine-based team, who had only been in the league for one year, failed to gain re-election for next season following a vote by member clubs at the league's annual meeting.

Intimidation of officials and supporters getting drunk at matches were among the chief factors behind the decision.

But club chairman Toby Stringer said: "I think we have been harshly treated.

"We have had a lot of referees who have said what a joy it is to referee The Tavern."

Stringer also insists the team, beaten by AFC Severn-side in the Bernard Finnegan Cup final, had played within the rules.

He said: "It's unjust, particularly as we won the league. All the fines have been paid and everything has been dealt with.

"We even went dressed in suits to the Bernard Finnegan Cup final to try and show that we are decent lads.

"Maybe we were a bit over excitable with it being our first season."

He added: "We were going into Division Two but with us being kicked out of the league, that's not going to happen.

"We would like to get back in the Worcester League but we would have to start under a different name and in Division Four and we can't do that until next season.

"We are probably looking at playing in a different disrict."