CHAIRMAN Kevin Jenkins has received confirmation Worcester Raiders will be allowed to take promotion this season.

The West Midlands (Regional) League (WMRL) Division One title chasers require floodlights to take the next step with Football Association (FA) rules stating planning permission must be in place for floodlights that then need to be fully operational by the September 30 following promotion.

READ MORE | Supersub Smith reckons Raiders are dead certs for the title

Worcestershire FA has received planning permission to install the lighting, a 3G pitch and new changing and office facilities as part of a deal that will see them purchase the council-owned site and make it their headquarters.

Work is set to start at the end of the current playing season with a priority to get the playing facilities up and running first.

Failure to meet the September deadline would see Raiders sanctioned by the WMRL with relegation imposed by the FA should the lights not be up and running by March 31 2020.

But with the weight of the county FA behind the project and the timescales rubber stamped, Jenkins can now focus his attention on fulfilling requirements on the pitch.

READ MORE | As it happened - Old Wufrunians 1 Raiders 2

“We have just had it sanctioned by the FA to delay the ground grading until September because of the plans pending,” said the Raiders chief.

“It means that if we do win the league then it is step six here we come. We still have to see it through on the pitch but at least we now know we would get the prize at the end of it.

“It was a great feeling to see that land, it makes all of the worry and stress of the past few weeks over one or two things from previous games worthwhile.”

Six wins from eight remaining matches would see Raiders crowned champions and secure the single promotion place, meaning victories in each of their fixtures prior to travelling to title rivals Darlaston on April 13 would turn that mouth-watering fixture into a dead rubber.

They moved to within two points of the summit with a 2-1 win at Old Wulfrunians on Tuesday and victory at fourth-placed Team Dudley tomorrow (3pm) would finally see them hit top spot on a weekend where Darlaston do not play.

“It is one of those things you have to take a game at a time, there is no point in talking about winning the league before you’ve won it,” Jenkins added.

“I get a bit superstitious about things like that. Throughout my playing days we would not talk about it when we were getting close to a trophy.

“It would be nice to win it and to go to Darlaston as champions with our relationship with them but it is how it is.

“If we don’t win the league we will only have ourselves to blame."