Blues chairman Tony Durkin says he and the rest of the Chester FC board are 'thrilled' the club has been given a reprieve from relegation.

Hereford United were expelled from the Football Conference shortly after 4pm having failed to meet requirements agreed with the league's board at the end of last week.

Conference officials had warned the Bulls that failing to meet those requirements would result in the club being kicked out and an alternative constitution for the 2014/15 season being adopted.

That constitution sees the Blues again lining up in the Conference Premier next term.

Durkin said the board and management team of Steve Burr and Jon McCarthy would now focus on 'building a competitive and sustainable squad capable of competing' in the top flight of non-league football.

Durkin said: “The board of Chester FC would like to wish the fans and community of Hereford well in what is, as we know, a very difficult time for the club.

“Despite the circumstances, the board is thrilled for the members and fans that the disappointment experienced during the final days of last season are now behind us and we have been granted a reprieve.

"We would like to take this opportunity to assure everyone that we will endeavour to build on our strong off-season following, in particular, Steve Burr’s commitment to the club as full-time manager."

But the board has expressed its disappointment that sections of the Football Conference board received offensive messages from 'so-called' supporters over the past few days.

Durkin said: “The board of Chester FC is disappointed that members of the Conference board have been abused via social media, emails and verbally by people claiming to be Chester FC supporters.

"People need to understand that this situation has been a very complex one for the board to handle and behaviour of this nature, from so-called ‘fans’, is very unhelpful to our cause and has left an unsavoury taste from the situation."