Oxford United could receive a massive boost if the Football Conference decide to throw Chester City out of the Blue Square Premier.

Chester’s players, who went three months without pay until receiving a week’s salary last week, refused to get on the team bus ahead of the game at Forest Green.

The fixture was called off at 5.11pm, prompting the Conference to call an emergency meeting to discuss their fate.

And expulsion from the league is a real possibility.

If that happens, Chester’s record this season would be expunged – and that would send United level on points with Stevenage at the top of the table.

Chester’s players have twice threatened strike action earlier this season, only for the games to be called off on each occasion due to bad weather.

The protest is the latest in a long line of problems for the club, who were docked 25 points at the start of the season after going into administration.

Their game at home to Wrexham on Sunday has already been postponed.

Conference general manager Dennis Strudwick told the Oxford Mail that he felt the offence was the worst kind.

“My personal opinion is that I feel it (refusing to play a match) is the most serious offence,” he said.

Asked whether expulsion from the league is a possibility, Strudwick replied: “It is an option in our rules.”

Should Chester be kicked out, Stevenage would be the big losers, having already beaten them twice.

Oxford and York have won their only game against them, so gain three points on the leaders.

Interestingly, however, Luton could only manage two draws against Chester, meaning they would move to just eight points off the top.

After losing to Luton, Oxford were three points behind Stevenage, with two games in hand.

The new-look table would see them level on points – in second on goal difference – but having played one game less.

Oxford chairman Kelvin Thomas feels the situation needs to be resolved one way or another.

“It is obviously an unfortunate situation for Chester,” he said. “But I certainly feel the matter needs to be dealt with.

“It is very tough with teams preparing for games and not knowing whether if they will go ahead or not.

“Losing points will benefit some teams and not others, but ultimately whoever wins the league will be the one that wins the most games between now and the end of the season.

Forest Green director Colin Peake, who is also on the Conference board, said: “I think this is the end of Chester City.”

“I think that the only outcome is that they will be expelled from the league and their record expunged.”

Oxford are due to travel to Chester on Saturday, February 27.