WORCESTER City have applied to join a proposed new Nationwide Conference feeder league.

The St George's Lane club is one of a number of Premier Division clubs from the Dr Martens, Ryman and Unibond leagues invited by the Conference to join.

They would form either a Conference Division One or, if enough teams applied, a Conference North and Conference South.

Club secretary Steve Bond confirmed the board had met and decided to push ahead with an application but said they would not be resigning their membership of the Dr Martens Premier Division.

This decision leaves them liable to a £4,000 fine by the Football Association whose rules and regulations sanctions committee meets later this month to discuss what action to take.

At least 20 clubs from the three leagues have applied to join the new-look league, which has been earmarked to start next season.

But Dennis Strudwick, secretary of the Dr Martens League, is urging caution among its members especially in view of the FA's rejection of a similar proposed two feeder league to the Conference in the summer.

"We expect our clubs to be ambitious but we don't want them to jump into a blind hole but tread carefully," he said.

"Our clubs are going to be no better off in this proposed new division - they will just be in a reconstituted division, still a league below the Conference.

"The Conference don't have the facility to accept that number of clubs, clubs haven't seen the rules of the new competition and haven't a clue what they are getting into.

"At the end of the day they have still got to get approval from the FA who rejected a similar two feeder league proposal in July which we were in favour of.

"The Conference have not consulted us about this at all so we will wait and see what the FA's decision is going to be.

"But if it does happen I don't think it is fair that it should start next season.

"Clubs started the season knowing exactly what they were playing for but by the end of the season the rules will have changed."

City will, of course, still be gunning for promotion directly to the Conference by winning the Dr Martens Premier Division title this season -- they visit leaders Tamworth on Saturday.