UNHAPPY Halesowen Town Football Club co-owner Mike Burke confirmed he was walking away following a falling out with fellow owner Steve Lynch.

Burke, who owns 10 per cent of the club, admitted the situation had gone too far after his advertising hoardings were taken down at the ground last week.

The Big Pet Store owner insisted he had an agreement that the hoardings would remain up for another 12 months and said: "They've been taken down out of spite. It's petty and tells me I'm not welcome at the club anymore.

"I'd asked to have two of our smaller hoardings at the front of the ground so I could put them round the cricket ground, but instead they have taken all my hoardings down."

Burke revealed he had pumped £70,000 into the Yeltz and helped rescue the football club in their hour of need.

Burke maintains he paid off £8,500 owed to the council, another £2,000 to have the water put back on and three years of rent arrears.

Of that money, £40,000 is now part of a loan agreement and Burke gets £500 back every time the attendance goes above 750.

At the moment he's had £1500 back, some of which he has donated to the Friends of Halesowen Town group.

He also confirmed he had topped up manager John Hill's playing budget when gate receipts fell short.

Burke added: "There were bills outstanding from the previous two years as the income coming into the club was less than it cost to run it.

"We only started to get above break even point when the new bar opened. It coincided with us doing well on the pitch and the crowds picked up as a result.

"People asked me at the time why I was putting the money in - but I did it because I love the club.

"I have not missed a Halesowen Town home game since 1980 and it's something which gets into your blood. But that blood has been drained away now to the point where I just can't face going there anymore. It's a situation which I thought would never happen.

"When I came on board, I was quite friendly with Steve Lynch but our relationship started to go downhill following his involvement with Eastwood Town - a club which has now folded.

Burke, who now sponsors Halesowen Cricket Club, added: " I feel really down over the way I've been treated to the point where I can't take anymore.

"If Halesowen Town make a poor start to the season, money will be tight and if people think I'm going to help out again, they'll be wrong. I'll fiddle this time while Rome burns!"

Chairman Colin Brookes confirmed: "It's a great shame this has happened because Mike Burke did a massive amount for Halesowen Town - but these things happen."

Club commercial manager Chris Lambert added: "Mike's decided he wants to support Halesowen Cricket Club. He requested his advertising hoardings which have been taken down and I assume he wants to put them around the cricket ground.

"As a club, we have to look at all forms and ways of getting revenue and that is what we'll continue to do."

Steve Lynch claimed: "I don't have a problem or any issues with Mike Burke. He's been a lifelong supporter of this club and I don't run the club to upset people.

"We offered to keep the boards up but we had an email from Mike's son Darren threatening us with legal action if we didn't take their boards down.

"I was quite happy for the boards to remain up for another 12 months or two years for that matter in recognition of what Mike has done for the club but they wanted them back.

"To be quite honest it was more trouble for us to take them down than leave them up. Why would we make more work to do for the sake of it.

"As a result, its left us with five empty spaces that we need to fill again.

"The boards are now here waiting for collection as requested. Life's too short for silly little squabbles."