WORCESTER City and its supporters' trust has issued a joint statement following last night's announcement that the club will play from Claines Lane next season. 

It is claimed Bond Group Investments, the group that owns Worcester Warriors told club and trust bosses that it was "not the right time" to pursue a takeover, the option preferred by some supporters to bring about the exiled club's return to the city.

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STATEMENT

Following the recent announcement of an in-principle agreement to play out of the County Sports Ground on Claines Lane, Worcester City FC and the Supporters’ Trust would like to offer clarity on recent events regarding the two proposals that were available to the football club.

To be clear, the options presented to the football club were a 100 per cent takeover by the owners of Worcester Warriors (Bond Group Investments) and relocation to Sixways Stadium or remain community owned and move to the Worcestershire FA-owned site at Claines Lane.

It must be stressed that the football club was approached to engage in both proposals.

Both options were taken seriously because, although they offered distinctly different realities, they were considered to be viable proposals that would deliver the much sought-after return of Worcester City to Worcester and facilitate a sustainable future for the football club.

Despite recent reports, the supporters’ trust would like to assert that its aim is not solely to own Worcester City FC and its ground, but rather to ensure a sustainable future for the football club and for it to return to Worcester, in whatever form that might take.

Further(more), it must also be understood that the neither the football club nor supporters’ trust turned down the offer from Bond Group Investments.

On the contrary, it was agreed by both club and trust boards to be a viable and attractive offer.

As shareholders and trust members who attended the recent joint meeting are aware, the football club had an offer letter from Bond Group Investments dated October 30, 2019, which was to be discussed with shareholders and trust members.

Bond Group Investments were made aware of the intention to openly discuss their offer and were content with the time frame.

The football club was only made aware of the retraction of Bond Group Investments’ offer via a Worcester News article published on November 19, 2019.

The football club was given no prior indication that this was Bond Group Investments’ intention. When requesting why the offer had been retracted, the football club was simply told "it’s not the right time".

Despite this, the football club and supporters’ trust did have two viable options to move Worcester City FC forwards.

The club and trust are committed to making a success of the move to Claines Lane and to finally bring Worcester City FC back to Worcester.

The club and trust remain unified in their approach and will continue to work in chime to bring this to fruition. It is hoped that supporters and the public can unite behind the football club to allow it to finally have stability and certainty.

The football club and supporters’ trust boards would like to reiterate their strong belief in communicating openly with the most important people involved in the football club – the supporters.

We will continue to provide updates on our progress as they develop.