CHRIS Fortey will not be offered an improved deal and has left Worcester Warriors — a move that has left the long-serving fans’ favourite feeling let down by the club.

The veteran hooker, who made 144 appearances for Warriors, was offered a short-term deal to provide cover during the World Cup, but he was holding out for a longer stay, so the contract was taken off the table.

The 35-year-old former Gloucester front-rower, who is keen to continue playing at the highest level next season, feels he now has little time to secure a new contract elsewhere.

With Fortey in New York on an end-of-season break, his wife Jo said: “They off-ered him a short-term deal for next season, but then rang us on Tuesday to say there was no deal. We have not got anything lined up at the moment, so we’re really annoyed that it has all happened so late.

“We need to let people know that Chris is definitely leaving Warriors.

“He wants to carry on playing, but the problem is that he is so loyal to Worcester and just wanted to stay with them. He is absolutely gutted — he started in the Premier-ship and wanted to finish there too.

“The way this has happened means he has not even been able to say goodbye to his team-mates or the fans because he believed he was staying.”

Warriors general manager Charlie Little saidd: “We put a short-term contract offer to Chris about two weeks ago, but it was clear he wanted at least 12 months and more money.

“Fundamentally, Chris did not agree to the offer.

“We had offered him re-duced terms to cover for pre-season, the World Cup and until Ollie Hayes has recovered from an operation.

“Ollie was managing to play with an injury at Bristol last season but, seeing as we’ve signed him on a two-year contract, we wanted to get it sorted at the earliest opportunity so he will be fit and raring to go for the remainder of the season.”

Last season, Fortey nailed down a starting spot in Rich-ard Hill’s side and impressed during the latter stages of Warriors’ Championship win-ning campaign.

While there was also talk of a possible Sixways coaching role, Hill was at one stage keen to retain Fortey’s services as a player, but that has failed to materialise.

Tongan hooker Aleki Lutui is thought to have given the club assurances he will not be representing his country at this year’s World Cup in New Zealand, so Hill has decided to dispense with Fortey as he also has Ed Shervington and Hayes in his squad.