CHAIRMAN Anthony Hampson insists he “cannot see how there can be much criticism” of the running of Worcester City since St George’s Lane was sold.

Hampson, who took over from predecessor Dave Boddy in 2008, argued there had been “no option” but to agree to sell City’s home of 108 years in a deal struck a matter of months before he joined the board.

A decade on and almost five years since the club became exiled from Worcester, Hampson remains part of a five-man board working in conjunction with Worcester City Council and Worcestershire FA to build a new home at Parsonage Way, the third proposed site in that time.

The latest set of club accounts up to May 2016 showed the business had less than £500,000 left in the bank on the back of £150,000 losses, prompting City, now in the Midland League Premier Division, to opt for voluntary relegation last season from National League North to trim costs.

On top of losses sustained at the time, Hampson cited the ongoing costs of remaining competitive as a drain on cash reserves and warned City would be left in “a self-fulfilling situation” if fans do not get behind the Parsonage Way project.

“St George’s Lane was sold at the height of the banking crisis at a price that reflected its market value at the time,” said Hampson.

“The previous incumbents watched the value of it decline and as a result of that delay the club had no choice.

"It had to accept the price to repay the Royal Bank of Scotland £1.5million which they were pressing for and about to wind up the club over.

“There were no options, it had to be sold. It was borrowed up to the hilt, there was a significant tax bill to pay and VAT outstanding.

“We are talking 10 years ago and in my mind it is a credit to the directors that we have been able to keep Worcester City going through what will be a third stadium planning application.

“To absorb all of those costs and have kept the club going is a feat in itself. I cannot see how there can be much criticism to be honest."

Asked whether there had been anything the board could have done better, Hampson replied: “Reflecting on it, there is very little one could have changed.

“Football does not make money, at any level it has a ratio of loss.

“You simply have to look at the gates, clubs such as Whitehawk in National League South get less than 300.

"There are others and figures like that will lead to significant haemorrhaging of money for those clubs.

“They will drop through the leagues eventually, they have to. Worcester City had to take that difficult decision just to keep going.

“Almost all clubs lose money, there is no level of sponsorship or turnstile revenue that will stop the imbalance with playing budgets.

"They are largely out of context these days.

“If we get this planning (permission) at Parsonage Way it will be up to the supporters to then get behind the club.

"If we find no one wants to support the club at that point then we will end up with a self-fulfilling situation."