Chairman John Hilditch has rubbished claims Norwich United are about to turn their back on the chance of moving up the non-league ladder.

The Planters walked away with the Premier Division last season but rescinded their application for promotion.

And it appears social media rumours that they will do the same again if they retain their title this term appear to be wide of the mark.

Hilditch, whose Eastern Counties top-flight league-leading club are five points clear of their nearest rivals with a game in hand, said: 'I haven't had anyone ringing me and asking if we don't want to go up.

'I said the other day we intend to accept promotion if we win the league again.

'These rumours are just rumours. I really don't know where they come from or why people are trying to unsettle us.

'But I don't get involved with it. I don't listen and I haven't even looked at Twitter.

'As a matter of fact, we've carried out quite a lot of work on the requirements we need to make to go up this week. Nothing's changed at our end.'

A Thurlow Nunn League spokesman confirmed that they had received no requests from the Planters, or the FA, to pull the plug on their bid to join two other Norfolk clubs at Step Four of the semi-professional pyramid.

It means United – who will need to meet certain criteria before being able to go up – remain in pole position for what looks likely to be an instant reunion with former boss Damian Hilton, if he manages to keep Wroxham in the same Ryman League Division One North set-up as Dereham Town.

The Planters' push to secure a successful defence of their crown continues this afternoon when they visit Mildenhall Town.

John Edridge will be looking for a positive response after losing his first game in the hot seat – 2-1 at home to Godmanchester Rovers – since stepping up to replace Hilton.

Elsewhere, Swaffham Town travel to Brantham Athletic, relegation-threatened Fakenham Town host Felixstowe & Walton United, third, Gorleston entertain Godmanchester, Kirkley & Pakefield travel to Hadleigh United and Thetford Town, themselves desperately trying to avoid the drop, host Long Melford.

In the First Division, Great Yarmouth Town can continue a promotion push of their own when they visit Dereham Town Reserves.

Diss Town host AFC Sudbury's second-string while King's Lynn Town Reserves and Downham Town – who contested a midweek derby at The Walks which was won by Lynn 2-0 – are without a game.

The Linnets' Thurlow Nunn side are back in action on Tuesday when they host higher-level Dereham Town in the Norfolk Senior Cup semi-finals.

Wisbech Town will face a daunting test when they visit United Counties League Premier Division league leaders Leicester Nirvana. The travelling Fenmen are unbeaten in six matches but lost the reverse fixture 2-0. They did however beat Nirvana on penalties after drawing 0-0 in the UCL Knockout Cup.