Lowestoft Town suffered a major summer blow yesterday when they were ordered to play their football in the Conference North next season.

The Trawlerboys were preparing for life in Conference South after their sensational play-off victory over Hornchurch in early May.

But those preparations were ripped to pieces by the league when the news came through yesterday.

The reason behind the controversial change stems from Hereford United's demise - the one-time FA Cup giant-killers were expelled from the Conference after missing their latest deadline to pay football creditors.

The knock-on effect was that Chester, relegated from the Conference on the final day of last season, will be reinstated and Hayes & Yeading will not be relegated from the Conference South.

But as far as Lowestoft are concerned, the final knockout blow came when that piece of the jigsaw meant they were switched.

The club issued a statement last night which said: 'Lowestsoft Town Football Club are disappointed with the decision by the Football Conference to move them to the Conference North.

'The club were informed of the decision late this afternoon and have been informed that due to Hereford being expelled from the Football Conference, Hayes & Yeading have been reprieved and Lowestoft have been switched from the South to the Conference North.

'This has come as a shock for the club and once we've had time to digest the news, we will respond in due course. Until this point the club will make no further comment.'

Lowestoft's management team had been busy building a squad based on a move to the Conference South - they have already brought in highly experienced goalscorer Jefferson Louis on a two-year contract.

But there will now be questions marks over other imminent transfers, while current players who made decisions on their futures based on Conference South football may need to reconsider now that the goalposts have been moved.