WORCESTER Olympic have risen from the ashes with bosses at the reformed club aiming to fuel people’s passion for Saturday football in the city.

The Brickfields-based side are gearing up for their first season in Cheltenham Association League Division One after being brought back to life this summer.

Formerly known as AFC Worcester Olympic the club were playing in West Midlands League Division Two before folding in 2015.

With Worcester City ground-sharing at Bromsgrove Sporting’s Victoria Ground, Worcester Raiders were the only senior men’s side playing on Saturday in the city.

But Tom Stone and Gary Jones were determined to get Olympic back up and running again ahead of the 2017-18 campaign.

“AFC Worcester Olympic folded because of money problems and a lack of players,” secretary Stone said.

“But we have changed it to Worcester Olympic with different people in charge.

“We have gone into the Cheltenham League because it is cheaper and easier for a team starting out.

“We want to play at the best level we can. Obviously we need funding to get us up to a higher standard but I think we have got the players to do it.”

Olympic, who will play their home games at King George V Playing Fields, have appointed ex-Worcester City youngster Ashley Banner as player-manager after a spell with Raiders.

After leaving City Banner spent nine years at Archdales 73 before having a spell at Perrywood and was part of the Bromyard Town side who won the West Midlands League Division One title in 2015.

He took temporary charge of Archdales after Darren Bullock departed and won a league and cup double as manager of Oak Apple in the 2012-13 Worcester and District League Division Two season.

Stone continued: “We have recently got Ashley on board to manage the team and he has brought a lot to the table.

“He thinks we can go a long way and I believe we can.

“I think we should have as many teams as possible playing in Worcester.

“There were a few but now it has petered out and there has only been Raiders.

“But we have had loads of players interested in joining us.

“All the players want to do is play against good quality teams week in week out. It’s a lot for people to give up their whole Saturday to play not the best standard of football.

“But our aim is to play in the West Midlands League like Raiders have done.”

Olympic are set play against Andoversford, Bishops Cleeve A, Cheltenham Civil Service, Dowty Dynamos, Kings, Newton, RGS, Shurdington Rovers, Tewkesbury Town, Upton Town and Whaddon United this term.

They will start in the Junior Charity Cup at home to Upton next Tuesday (6pm) before the league opener against Kings in Worcester on Saturday, September 2 (3pm).

“We have been playing friendlies throughout the whole of July and August and have been doing really well,” Stone added.

“We have about 22 signed on but since Ashley has arrived we have had a few more interested so it could rise to about 26.

“It’s our first season together as a proper team since two years ago so we can’t guarantee we will win the league but that’s the aim.”