FIGHTING to the bitter end, Salisbury City FC’s consortium board are refusing to lie down and let the club crumble.

Having done everything in their power to make sure the team stay alive, legal issues still haunt the club in their endless strive for ownership.

The club were meant to appear in front of an independent appeal panel on Tuesday to challenge the league’s decision to throw the Whites out of the Conference.

However at the eleventh hour the FA and Conference, along with the panel’s chairman, decided to reject the appeal on the basis that the club’s consortium aren’t the current legal owners of the football club.

Outraged by the treatment of the situation by the higher authorities, club CEO Paul Smith along with Mark Winter, Chris Farnall and barrister Damien Brown headed to the FA to make their presence felt.

Smith said: “We knew we wouldn’t get a hearing after they pulled the rug out from under us, but we just wanted to make sure they knew we were there and were alerted to our presence.”

“We stand by our statement; emotions were running high as everyone at this club wants all the issues to be resolved.”

“Now we head to the High Court and show our case for ownership, the hope is that a Judge will then see it in our favour and place an injunction, meaning we will take control in the interim.”

In an attempt to get the attention of the top football authority, Salisbury MP John Glen has addressed the sports minister and the FA directly to clarify the situation.

The board are now doing everything in their power to bring about a second independent appeal panel in the hope of being reinstated into the Conference South.

With two days until the season begins, time is of the essence to secure football at Ray Mac next season.

Smith added: “Unlike Mr Touzar we know that we would have to drop down a division, but we just want a football club.

“I think if we can obtain a judge’s injunction the Conference will be more inclined to reinstate the team. We are hoping that the league will see our situation and give us a bit of leeway as they can’t expect us to buy a whole new team and be match ready in two days.

“It may not be the ideal situation, but the club just want to get back to playing football, and the news being on the field.”

Steve Claridge managed to field a team of trialists on Saturday, against a Shrewton United side who filled in at the last minute.

Among the field of fresh faces was prolific goal scorer Duncan Culley, slotting in five goals in the 8-1 victory, seen by 353 loyal Whites fans.