KYLE Perry claims Worcester City’s shock decision to axe him on the eve of the new season will have an impact on his livelihood.

The experienced striker says he is “gutted” and "disheartened” after manager Carl Heeley told him he was no longer part of his plans for the upcoming campaign.

Although part of a band that perform at weddings and functions, Perry, 30, who has a three-year-old son, admitted football was his main income stream.

And, with two days before the season gets under way, he feels he has been left in a “very difficult” position to find a new club.

“I am disheartened and gutted,” said Perry, who said he agreed to stay at cash-strapped City in May after a short stint last season but was waiting for a contract to be drawn up.

“I have planned the last four months to come to Worcester.

“I have had clubs interested in me in the summer but I would not even give them the time of day on the principle of Carl bringing me in at the end of last season.

“When he brought me in (in March), I said, ‘I am not fit’. I said, ‘My ankle isn’t right’ but he did everything he could to try to convince me to come to Worcester on the basis I was in his plans.

“But he now says the picture has changed.

"I am in a position now where most clubs at this level will have squads sorted with a few days left before the start of the season.

“This isn’t just football, this is mine and my family’s livelihood.”

Perry added: “I am a single dad and football is my number one wage. I do stuff on the side so I can see my boy on Monday, Tuesday and Friday.”

After joining the National League North outfit in March, he scored once in eight games and helped City avoid the drop.

Speaking to the 6ft 4in 18-stone centre-forward at the end of last season, he vowed to be “fitter”, “sharper” and “more mobile” in a bid to rediscover his goal-scoring touch.

However, Perry failed to find the net in pre-season and spent most of it on the bench, being one of two unused substitutes against Leamington last Saturday.

“(I was told I was going to play a) massive part,” he said. “It was going to be me and Lee Hughes up top and I was told, ‘You would frighten other teams’.

“I have spoken to other teams and they have said the same thing, saying, ‘Worcester would be alright with you and Lee up top’.

“But what they have done is just get a load of kids in.”

A club statement said: “Kyle has been informed by Carl he will not be part of the plans for the upcoming season.

“The reasons for this have been explained to Kyle. We would like to wish Kyle the best of luck in his future career and thank him for his efforts as a City player in his short spell with us.”

When the Worcester News contacted Heeley, he refused to comment further.