Hamrun Spartans FC are facing a precarious situation at present as the Reds are highly unlikely to avoid the Relegation Pool when the split is effected next month.

The Spartans are third from bottom in the standings, six points away from sixth-placed Pietà and with only three matches to go. Not a healthy position indeed but to make it even worse for them, their problems were yesterday extended outside the pitch and into the boardroom when it was announced that club president Edgar Bonnici Cachia, who had been at the helm for just six weeks, had surprisingly decided to quit his post.

Bonnici Cachia had taken over during an extraordinary general meeting on November 28, a few days after former president Victor Tedesco and his committee had offered to make way for someone with better ideas how to lift the club from huge financial difficulties.

Bonnici Cachia yesterday cited lack of cooperation and family reasons as the motives which led for his resignation.

"At first things seemed to be running smoothly and in the right direction. We were facing difficult moments but the will was there to put the club back on track. However, soon indifference started creeping in and there was no teamwork any more in the new committee."

It seems that the straw which broke the camel's back came earlier this week when rumours of a merger between Hamrun and neighbours Pietà Hotspurs FC became even more persistent.

"They thought I was acting behind their backs but they were wrong. In fact, there was nothing official between me and Pietà Hotspurs FC. It was just a proposal which I was going to consult with my committee.

"In the end, I realised that I was dedicating most of my time to the club and this led me to stay away from home and my family... it was all extra pressure on me. I reckoned that the best way for me was to step aside."

The top item on Bonnici Cachia's committee agenda was to settle backdated payments to the players and coaching staff.

Sources said that first instalments, amounting to Lm10,000, were immediately made available but no more payments followed and this led some players to launch their complaints at the Malta FA.

The same sources added that Bonnici Cachia's way of running the club did not please the other committee members and this led to various disputes during his short presidency.

The club yesterday organised an urgent meeting to discuss the issue. It was decided to accept Bonnici Cachia's resignation. Vice presidents Stephen Saliba and Jesmond Mangion were installed as associate acting presidents until the situation returns to normal.

The club intends to hold another extraordinary general meeting in the coming days.