MEMBERS of a football club, which has been running for 110 years, have been forced to hang up their boots after the squad folded because of a lack of players.

Grove Rangers — the only men’s team in the community — is suffering from a lack of facilities and funds, which has seen the club drop out of the North Berks League.

And this season they have been unable to attract enough players to field a team.

But club treasurer Mick Rea is calling on Grove Parish Council to help get the team started again — with the hope of getting the team playing again in the league.

Father-of-two Mr Rea, of Wantage, has been playing for the club for the past 12 years.

The 49-year-old, who works at Harwell science centre, said: “The team was forced to fold a week before the start of the season and that’s a real shame because we have a 110-year-old history.

“We played on a pitch at Cane Lane but we didn’t have our own clubhouse and had to use the rugby club’s facilities. As a result, it is difficult to attract players and we don’t have a proper base for fundraising.

“It’s a great shame for the village because when young players reach the age of 16 they will have to go further afield if they want to keep playing football.” He said: “Last season we got a £2,000 grant from the Football Foundation for a new set of aluminium goalposts and we would like to be able to use them again if we can get a team together for next season.

“Nearby Ardington and Lockinge’s team folded and then they came back, so, hopefully, we can do the same. We intend to get the side going again but we could do with as much help as possible from the local authorities.”

He said the club had paid the parish council £27.50 a week to rent the pitch.

He added: “New football pitches were laid at Mably Way, and we asked if we could build a temporary structure next to them for a clubhouse, but we were told it was not allowed.”

Stephen Dexter, chairman of the parish council’s leisure and recreation committee, said Grove Rangers’ troubles were mirrored by the withdrawal of the village’s Bay Tree pub team from the Autotype UTV league.

He said: “There can’t be many communities of Grove’s size with a population of about 9,000 which do not have an adult football team.

“What future do the young footballers have when there is no adult team for them to migrate to?

“We are constantly informed that the nation’s population is getting more obese and we should all be doing more exercise.

“There are surely local people who want to exercise by playing football on a regular basis.”

He said the local boys football team, Grove Challengers, and the rugby club were both bidding to use Grove Rangers’ pitch.

He said: “We might not be able to keep the pitch available for ever.”

Phil Annets, a spokesman for the North Berks League, said: “Grove Rangers have played for 88 years in this league so we don’t want to lose them.

“We are hoping they will be in a position to field a team next season and make a comeback like Ardington and Lockinge, who were out for a season.

“Grove Rangers lost some players to other clubs and simply didn’t have enough players to field a team.

“It is possible to make a comeback and we will do everything we can to help — we don’t want to see teams disappear.”