REIGNING McDonald’s Worcester League Sunday Premier Division champions WCT Raiders have stunned the competition by quitting half-way through the campaign.

The Brickfields-based side, who have won the top-flight in each of the past two seasons and were leading this term, pulled the plug citing a lack of player commitment.

Secretary Ryan Probert admitted he had a core of “eight or nine” players he could rely on but was continually being let down by “five or six” others.

The decision was taken after their Katherine Rayer Cup defence ended with a second round extra-time defeat against Callow End last Sunday.

WCT Raiders were also smarting from last month’s penalty shoot-out defeat to Hare and Hounds in the Worcestershire FA Sunday Premier Cup, the one competition that has eluded them during their dominance.

They have been fined £200 by the league for withdrawing but, because they have no money, the sum, along with any administration charges, will be shared among the registered players.

It means they will not be allowed to sign for another club until they have paid.

Probert said: “I had to disband the side reluctantly. There is a lack of player commitment but why that is I am not too sure.

“I had quite a superior side and whether it wasn’t challenging enough I don’t know? I had eight or nine players I could rely on but five or six who were regular offenders and not turning up.

“After last Sunday’s game they were all disillusioned because they felt they had been let down by players who didn’t turn up.

“I said we could carry on until the end of the season and try to win the league, which I was confident of doing, or we could call it a day.

“The majority wanted to knock it on the head. So after some consideration I went with it.

“I am devastated and it was very emotional to think a successful club like ours no longer exists.”

Probert also said many players had been put off by the increased costs of playing amateur parks football.

He continued: “It’s very difficult, football used to be a cheap game but that’s not the case now.

“I had to charge a minimum of £5 a match and training on top so it was £10 a week just to kick a ball around and some of my players were unemployed.

“Something drastic needs to happen with grassroots football. We need to be promoting it but we are just killing it off.”

Worcester League secretary Tim Phillips said: “We are always disappointed when a club folds but particularly in this case when we are losing arguably the best team in the league.

“Sadly, it shows that, in the current climate, no club appears to be safe from the apparent lack of commitment from some players.”

WCT Raiders’ record has been expunged.