PRESIDENT David Manuel has refuted speculation Hamworthy United is set to fold – but stopped short of providing assurances about the club’s long-term future.

United’s tumultuous campaign, which has already seen chairman Mike Davis and vice-chair Bruce Scammell relinquish their roles, took another twist yesterday when manager Shane Traynor quit citing "family commitments" a fortnight after he publicly denying cuts to the club's playing budget.

Rumours have since surfaced that the Hammers committee, comprising six people with equal voting rights according the secretary Pete Gallop, plans to discuss on Monday the withdrawal of its three teams competing in the Wessex League, Dorset Premier League and Dorset Under-18 Youth League.

Such a move would then have to go to the club's members but Manuel, who serves on the committee, quickly hit out at the claims, insisting the sole purpose of the gathering is to address United’s managerial vacancy.

However, the long-serving County Ground stalwart only went so far as to say the prospect of closing the 45-year-old club, formed through a merger of Hamworthy FC and Trinidad Old Boys, was not on the agenda “at this stage”.

Manuel told the Daily Echo: “The only reason we are having a meeting on Monday is to decide on a new manager. There is no discussion on dissolving the club, there is no reason to.

“Somebody has been spreading rumours that are not true and in any case, it is not for the committee to decide on dissolving the club, it would be (down to) the members.

“The chairman has gone and we have lost the manager but we will have no difficulty in appointing a new chairman. You don’t dissolve a club because of that. We have had these situations in the past and we have appointed new people.”

Hammers launched a bid for fresh faces to boost their off-field operations in Tuesday’s programme and Manuel revealed that three new people had been lined up.

He continued: “At this stage, there is no motion to dissolve the club."

Asked whether there were any concerns that could change, Manuel said: “It is not for me to say. At the present time, there is no reason for us to consider dissolving the club.”

Commenting on his departure, Traynor said: "The reason for me leaving is family commitments. It is nothing to do with the football side of it, there is nothing wrong, it is just down to personal circumstances.

"Unfortunately, I have to take a break at this time but I will be back in football, hopefully in the near future."

Traynor confirmed his assistant Jeff Taylor and coach Wayne Gavin had followed him out of the County Ground.

"They came in with me and we work as a team," added the outgoing boss.