"You are stuck with me", says Anthony Hampson as he dismisses calls to quit as Worcester City chairman

Pressure is mounting on City’s long-standing chief to stand down from the role after the former National League North outfit plummeted three divisions.

Hampson and his directors agreed to quit the National League which led the Football Association to place Worcester in Midland League Premier Division – step five in the non-league football pyramid.

City’s fans have reacted angrily over the move with many urging Hampson to end his nine-year reign.

However, Hampson insists he is not going anywhere and says he is determined to see the exiled club back playing in the city.

“I want to see this stadium or football facility in Worcester,” said Hampson.

“I have offered to resign many times and I am afraid there have not been many hands in the air to take it up, so for the foreseeable future you are stuck with me.”

Rich Widdowson, director of Worcester City’s Supporters’ Trust, hit back at Hampson’s claims and said he feared for the club’s future when he took over the reins.

“The man is completely out of his depth,” Widdowson said.

“He said there weren’t any hands in the air, but there were four or five different people who said they would become chairman and he didn’t want it, so that’s an absolute lie.”

Hampson was co-opted onto the board in 2008 before swiftly becoming Dave Boddy’s successor when he quit as chairman.

Worcester left their St George’s Lane ground which was flattened and turned into a housing estate, in 2013 and have been in exile since. They played at Kidderminster Harriers’ Aggborough for three seasons before moving to Bromsgrove’s Victoria Ground last summer.

“When Anthony became chairman we had an asset worth over £7.36million,” Widdowson said.

“But now we have got nothing and now we are in the Midland League. That man should not be chairman anymore.

“I do (fear for the future of the club) with Anthony in charge.

“From the first day he walked in (I felt like that) when he rejected the change in constitution in 2008 in place of a board of people who were gone within five or six months.”

Widdowson also criticised Hampson for not consulting with fans or shareholders before contacting the FA and the league in early March over his intentions.

Worcester were relegated on the final day of the season following a 4-2 defeat at champions AFC Fylde.

“I find it incredible that they asked to resign at the start of March when there was still three home games to go,” Widdowson added.

“There were people travelling up and down the country spending hard earned money to support their football club thinking they might have a chance of staying up.

“It is a disgrace.

“Anthony and his board own less than 1.25 per cent of the club, so they have got no authority to do this.

“They have not even been to the shareholders to ask them what they think about this.”

Widdowson added: “I suggested that plan (to drop down levels) 10 years ago when Anthony first became chairman. He was the first person to reject it. Worcester City cannot play at this level were his exact words.

"I suggested to rebuild the football club from scratch when we had the money to do it. Now we have got nothing and it is his last resort. He has got nowhere else to go.”