NORTHWICH Victoria are set to stick with Stafford as a home away from home next season after a ground share with Warrington Town was refused.

It is likely that Vics will be placed in Evo-Stik NPL Division One South as a result when the Football Association’s Leagues Committee makes public a provisional line-up shortly.

“The FA says we can’t play at Warrington,” owner Jim Rushe told fans at an open meeting on Saturday.

“We want to go there, but I don’t know why it’s been knocked back by them.”

However Warrington Town chief executive Toby Macormac has told the Guardian that his club – and not the game’s governing body – had made the decision not to share their pitch with a rival.

He confirmed that the two clubs had discussed entering into an arrangement though.

“We as a board decided that logistically it’s not right for us at the current time and the matter will not be pursued any further,” he added.

League officials, who would have to be convinced by Northwich that a swap from Stafford to another venue is acceptable after its March deadline has passed, say they have not been asked to approve a change.

A source told the Guardian: “Northwich Victoria has not made an application to ground share with another club.

“It submitted an agreement to play at Stafford Rangers prior to the deadline on March 31, which remains the club’s designated home ground for next season.

“The decision as to where the team is placed within the National League System is that of the FA’s Leagues Committee alone, and not the Northern Premier League.”

Northwich reached an agreement with Stafford, whose Marston Road home is more than 40 miles from Vics’ old one, hours before the league’s deadline.

The club had expected to play at Skelmersdale, but that accord fell through when the Evo-Stik NPL Division One North club’s West Lancashire College Stadium failed an inspection to host Premier Division matches.

Vics were left the Victoria Stadium in January after it was bought by a chemicals manufacturer based next door.

Mr Rushe turned down an offer from Thor Specialities (UK) Ltd to host opponents there until the end of last season, saying the terms of a draft lease were unfair.