THREE directors of Bromsgrove Rovers Football Club have resigned following an emergency board meeting at the Victoria Ground last night.

Phil Baker, Tony Partridge and Tom Herbert quit after they were unable to give financial support to help pay the £18,000 HM Customs and Excise bill on Monday.

The trio issued a joint statement this morning explaining their decision: "We have endeavoured to ensure that the club was well run for the benefit of the players and supporters and financially stable with the principal intention of trying to bring about success on the football pitch."

Unfortunately, we no longer feel we can make a contribution to these objectives at board level and have found it necessary to resign.

"We will, however, continue supporting Bromsgrove Rovers from the terraces and wish the club well for the remainder of the season."

The resignations follow a turbulent last few months between the trio and chief executive Pat Bannister.

In October last year, they issued a statement voicing their disapproval of Bannister's protracted take-over of the club, his running of the club and of the resignation of manager George Rooney.

Bannister, meanwhile, has been unhappy over Baker's decision to set up a Supporters' Trust independent of the club.

The news comes just three days before Rovers are due to appear in court in Liverpool over a winding up order which could see the club fold.