INDEPENDENT fans group Northwich Victoria Supporters Trust has urged Vics followers to join after the club was expelled from the Northern Premier League on Friday.

The trust’s board issued a statement last night saying it planned to meet urgently to discuss what it planned to do next.

It read: “The situation is fluid and is likely to remain so.

“As ever, we’ll try to advise fans and members as to the latest situation as soon as possible.

“It is with a great deal of regret, but no little surprise, that the trust board views the news [last night] regarding the action that has been taken against the club.

“We recognise that many supporters will be extremely worried about this development and the implications it has for the club that we all love and support passionately.”

Last month more than 100 fans backed the trust’s board to continue working on plans for a new club should the current one cease to exist.

The trust believed a back-up was needed after the club’s owner, Jim Rushe, told supporters at an open meeting that the club’s current income was not enough to support a team at the same level next season.

In the meantime the trust reiterated that its primary objective was to ensure the continued existence of Northwich Victoria.

“It goes without saying that we will be taking immediate steps to contact the football club’s chairman, the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League and the football authorities to discuss the situation,” added the statement.

“In the meantime, we would urge all Vics supporters to become members of the trust as it is important that the views of the whole range of the club’s fan base are considered.

“The more members we have, the more representative our actions will be.”