UNLESS an amateur Oxfordshire football club is able to find more volunteers to fill key roles it will be forced to close at the end of the season.

Chalgrove Cavaliers FC has 11 teams, from the U9s to a walking football team for those over 50, takes part in six different leagues and has around 200 players, but in May will be left without a chairman, secretary, treasurer or match secretary.

An open letter from the current Chalgrove Cavaliers FC club committee, which was published on the club's social media accounts last week, called on parents for help to save the 50-year-old club.

It said: "The club depends on your support and if you take on a new role full training will be provided, but if volunteers are not found for these four core roles in the club we will have no choice but to cease its activity and the players will need to find another club to play football for. Please help your club to survive."

Club secretary Mark Wasmuth said closing the club, which plays at Chalgrove Recreation Ground, Baronshurst Drive, was 'the last thing' anyone wanted but without a new committee would be unable to keep going.

He said: "We've been appealing for help since the start of the year but have had no response and with the AGM coming up in eight weeks we are getting desperate.

"If we don't get more volunteers by the meeting in May then our plan B is to get as many of the players onto other local teams. The clubs are saying though that they will struggle to accommodate all our players."

He added: "It's not the way it was in the past, a team can't survive on its own any more if you want to be part of the FA or other leagues. All those forms need to be signed by July and properly affiliated."

The 57-year-old said current committee members were stepping down for a variety of reasons, saying: "Some people are moving away and some have been hanging on hoping to find new volunteers.

"I first got involved around 10 years ago when my son was seven and started playing in the youth team. He's now off at college and I’m still here.”

Mr Wasmuth added the problem was not at the team managing level but in filling time-consuming admin roles.

He said: "I think amateur football is unique in that respect, if your child does dancing then they go to lessons with a professional who is paid. We are looking after 200 players and handling around £15,000 a year but our roles are entirely voluntary.

"In Oxfordshire there's also no central organisation so clubs have to find their own referees, pitches and training facilities."

The father-of-three said, despite the challenges, there was still time for parents or other volunteers to step forward and save the popular club, saying: "They don't need to have any experience, we'll provide full training.

"We've just had our FA Charter Standard Development Club status renewed for another and we've got a club full of enthusiastic coaches and players ready for people to carry it on."

Chalgrove Cavaliers FC will hold its annual meeting on May 19. Anyone interested in volunteering can contact the club via chalgrovecavaliersFC.net.