A PLAN to 'bring City home' is to go before council chiefs next week - with a cash injection from Worcester City Council recommended to help bring the plan to fruition.

In May, the Worcester News exclusively revealed that council-owned land off Parsonage Way in Warndon, Worcester, had been earmarked as a possible new home for the troubled football club.

Worcester City have not played home games in the city since 2013, and in the summer we reported on how another proposal - a 4,400-capacity stadium in Perdiswell - was dramatically thrown out by the authority's planning committee.

This morning, Worcester City Football Club has issued a statement saying they are backing the Parsonage Way scheme as the way forward to fulfilling the ultimate ambition to bring the club back to the city in time for the start of the 2019/20 season.

Rob Crean, from Worcester City's supporter's trust, says they are not anti Parsonage Way, but they have always been pro Perdiswell.

The plan is for club officials to submit an outline planning application for a pitch, a stand, a club house and flood lights at the site, which would be available for community use.

Under the policy the council would grant a long lease of 50 years to Worcestershire Football Association, who will then grant an underlease to City - the reasoning behind this being to protect public assets through a not-for-profit organisation.

The club would then be paying a peppercorn rent of £1 per annum.

The recommendation is going before Worcester City Council’s Policy and Development Committee next Tuesday, September 19.

It is also proposes that up to £100,000 from the City Plan Fund is set aside to enable the development of Parsonage Way. This money would be used to fund technical work required for the planning application and contribute to the costs of preparatory work required to make the site viable for the proposed use.

The statement says: "Club directors believe that this is the best opportunity to bring City home in a realistic time frame.

"With on-going uncertainty over the future home of Worcester City Football Club, the club board of directors have continued to work with Worcester City Council and the Worcestershire Football Association to make this a reality.

"A recommendation proposal, relating to the land at Parsonage Way, has been submitted for hearing at the Policy and Resource Committee.

"This is a chance to build an exciting new future for the football club."

Mr Crean said: "We are certainly not against Parsonage Way, we had a mandate from members to support Perdiswell.

"The trust and supporters don't know much about Parsonage Way.

"You have to be realistic though - can the club get it off the ground, and the money to build it.

"Can they get planning permission for it?"