ARCHDALES 73 say they were forced to resign from the Midland Football Combination after being left in the lurch by a host of players chasing cash at rival clubs.

The Claines Lane side, one of the oldest in Worcester, pulled out of the competition just a week before the start of the Division One campaign earlier this month.

It is claimed the majority of the squad quit because they could earn up to £50 in expenses playing for other teams in the county.

Striker Dan Polan and midfielder Brad Birch have joined Hereford-based Westfields, while Dales also say several followed assistant manager Wayne Oliver to Premier Division outfit Pershore Town.

Pershore, however, insist that is purely coincidental and Oliver, whose son plays for the King George V Playing Field club, has no official role.

Dales, who say they can’t afford to pay players, will now face a fine for late withdrawal from the league which is believed to be £800.

It also means that, with Worcester City now based at Kidderminster Harriers, Perrywood and Worcester Raiders are the highest-ranked Saturday clubs playing in the city at step eight of the non-league ladder.

“There’s no loyalty, it’s all about money,” Dales secretary Dick Widdowson said. “We can’t afford to pay players, it’s hard enough not charging them subs but we waived that.

“For our first friendly against the Worcester College of Technology, we had 18 players turn up but, for the next match, only six came.

“We found out four had gone to Pershore, three to Littleton, two to Westfields and the Worcester City academy took three or four.

“We just didn’t have a side. If we’d had another few weeks we might have been able to do it but it was coming up to the first match. We sent out 21 texts for players to come to training and three turned up.”

Dales have not ruled out returning to competitive football for season 2014-15 but are renting their pitch to West Midlands League Division Two new boys Raiders for now.

However, the club’s under eights, 10s and 12s will continue to play at the ground.

Widdowson added: “It was a body blow because we have spent a lot of time getting those pitches to how they are. The upkeep of the ground costs us about £2,500 a year.”