WOULD-BE fundraisers at Brockenhurst FC will meet within the next few days to decide their next move after being snubbed by club bosses.

The historic club is split between its committee that wants to sell its run down home ground for a six-figure sum and its members who want to stay put.

Brockenhurst FC has played in the heart of the village for more than 50 years and club members have vowed to fight to keep their beloved home ground at Grigg Lane.

They have banded together to form a fundraising subcommittee to pay for the necessary improvements which they believe will cost about £135,000.

They wrote to chairman Brian Small to ask if he would co-operate with them on a number of levels.

Their requests included assisting efforts to apply for grants, keeping all funds raised strictly for improvement work and suspending talks to relocate in view of the public interest.

They gave him more than a fortnight to reply.

Members received an interim letter saying that the matter was being looked into but the deadline was ignored.

Life member and vice-president, Cyril Otter, 83, who is leading the campaign, said: "During the course of the next few days we will meet to decide what we are going to do. We have given him the chance to answer back but he does not want to co-operate. We have ways and means of continuing."

Club bosses believe they would be better off financially if they sold the Grigg Lane ground and relocated to a new home on the edge of the village.

Mr Small said: "The letter is in the process of being drafted on behalf of the trustees and the committee, not just me. I work for a living so haven't got as much time on my hands as a lot of people.

"They want the football club to assist them in getting grants. I phoned the accountants but any money that's got Brockenhurst FC's name on it must go through Brockenhurst FC's books; we are accountable. They want us to stop all discussions about relocation but that is not going to happen."