TROUBLED Worcester City have plummeted into the Midland League Premier Division after resigning from the National League.

City’s board have released a statement, confirming they will play three divisions lower than last season following relegation from National League North.

Due to rising costs, bosses at the cash-strapped and exiled club felt they had “no option” other than to contact the Football Association and the league about their intentions to play at a lower level “at the beginning of March” despite the team’s best efforts to stay up.

But they insist the “pragmatic” and “sensible” move will give the club "the best chance of survival”.

Worcester’s new joint managers Lee Hughes and John Snape will now look ahead to clashes with Boldmere St Michaels, Heanor Town and Shawbury United as well as derbies against Westfields, Stourport Swifts and landlords Bromsgrove Sporting.

“The football club wishes to advise supporters and shareholders that due to the excessive costs attached to retaining National League North (Step 2) status, and despite a battle to the end of the season, a decision was made to resign from the National League,” the statement read.

“This decision was made collectively by the board of directors, with input from the management team, to ensure the future survival of the football club.

“This season in particular has seen significant playing budgets being available to many other clubs at step two, making it 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.”

The Blue and Whites have been playing outside of the city since leaving St George’s Lane in 2013 and currently ply their trade at Bromsgrove’s Victoria Ground.

An application to build a ground in Perdiswell is waiting to be heard by Worcester City Council’s planning committee.

“The identification of a ground that is affordable and deliverable in the City of Worcester has been of the highest priority for the directors of the club over the past three years and a number of sites reviewed through the council working party,” the statement continued.

“With the continuing delays of the Perdiswell Project, both for planning, but more importantly confirmation of a land transfer from the council, the board of directors concluded that there was no alternative but to resign from the National League in order to give the club the best possible chance of survival for forthcoming seasons.

“The reason for the club having sought to hold onto its step two status had been to ensure that maximum available grants were available to support the building of a new ground in Worcester.

“However with the doubtful nature surrounding any council land transfer at Perdiswell and the need to safeguard remaining funds towards a new ground, the directors had no option other than to advise the FA and the league in accordance with the rules at the beginning of March of our intention to play at a lower level of football with a more sustainable playing budget.

“At this point immediate savings were made by moving on a number of the playing squad.

“The club made an application to the FA to cease being a member of the National League and be placed in a lower league for next season.

“The FA League Management Committee (LMC) has absolute discretion in terms of the step at which it places a club.

“Despite speculation, the club were required to remain silent until the outcome was known.

“The LMC has now confirmed it has decided to place the Club at step five of the National League System for season 2017/18, which is the Midland Football League Premier Division.”

Despite the drop in divisions, chairman Anthony Hampson and his board said they had set a playing budget for Hughes and Snape.

“Playing at a lower level of football will enable the club to operate a reduced playing budget to ensure that the club’s remaining funds are protected to help support its return to Worcester at the earliest opportunity,” the statement added.

“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 it is intended 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 football club back to a new home in Worcester has been achieved.”