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Rovers chairman Peter Hall today announced the South Derbyshire club would stay in the league they dominated in1990-91 and battle to “achieve a higher standard of football” from there.

The decision by Gresley’s committee last night ends a desperate late hunt for promotion after their rejection by the Beazer Homes League, which could yet bring a legal showdown.

A letter outlining Gresley’s dilemma and hinting at their possible withdrawal from the former Banks’s League was “suspended” by the club and not discussed by the league’s management committee last night.

Today West Midlands League chairman Bob Juggins said he was pleased Rovers would be in their set-up for next season and offered backing in future campaigns.

“The club have pursued all avenues open to them to try and achieve a higher standard of football for Gresley Rovers and their supporters in the near future.

“If it had meant moving to another league then Gresley were prepared, subject to assuring themselves of achieving that higher standard, to take that course.

“Even at the 11th hour the club were still seeking those assurances, but it could not be done by moving to another league.”

One avenue for the club, highlighted in last night’s Mail, was to move into the Central Midlands League Supreme Division and aim for progress through a Northern Counties East campaign.

Hall said Rovers would have been unwise to move to another standard of football, no matter how attractive that may be.

He said: “Gresley Rovers will strive to win the West Midlands League and work tirelessly during the coming season to secure for ourselves a higher standard of football whatever way possible – such as by development of the ground and in connection with the ground.”

Hall stressed the club had not given up in its fight to reach its “rightful position” in the higher reaches of non-league soccer and would “leave no stone unturned on and off the field.”