Club president Tim Currie said the club had put in $10,000 as part of a project to replace light globes in three of the four light towers at Tormore Reserve.

Knox Council was also to put in $10,000, with the club expecting the work to be done in time for the football pre-season.

However, the council has since spent the budgeted $10,000 on "consultation and design" to upgrade floodlighting at the ground, leaving no funds to change the globes.

Mr Currie said the council had been quoted more than $250,000 for upgraded floodlighting. "It's not what we agreed on or asked for."

He said the council had not consulted the football club during the design process. "No one from the council told us what was going on. They simply went off and got this quotation."

Mr Currie said it had taken the club a huge effort to raise $10,000 to pay for its share of the lights. "It's really disappointing."

Knox councillor Peter Cole said the proposal to change the light globes had been supported by other councillors.

"At no time did the football club or I ask anyone at the council to do a lighting design and quotation on a full upgrade of the lighting system and power boxes.

"I would like to see the council find the $10,000 that was originally agreed upon by the councillors as soon as possible so we are able to change the globes over by the start of the football season."

Knox chief executive Graeme Emonson said $10,000 had been allocated for floodlighting at Tormore Reserve in the council's 2009-2010 budget. Stage one was to involve consultation and design.

"We will seek expressions of interest from qualified experts in the area to do the work required."

The issue is expected to be discussed further at this month's council meeting.