North Shropshire football league fails due to lack of teams

An emergency meeting of the North Shropshire Sunday Football League was held last week after the severe lack of interest and the league has been suspended until September, when it is likely to be wound up.

Roger Candlin, the league's secretary, said it would be a sad dayif the league did close.

"There is a lack of interest from clubs this year and there are only two teams who have said they are definitely interested in taking part in the league," he said.

"There are a number of reasons for this. We have been hit by the international clearance guidelines which state that players who play on a Saturday in Wales can not then play on a Sunday here, and of course being on the border we have a lot of players who will do that and not be able to play on the Sunday."

Last season Lodge Inn FC were removed from the Shropshire Sunday Challenge Cup following a protest by their opposition, for playing a player who plays in Wales on a Saturday.

"But it is also the costs," he said. "It is about £150 just to rent a pitch to play on these days and that is before you pay for the officials – its not a cheap hobby these days."

Mr Candlin said these issues affect other Sunday leagues in the county, but that the north was hit harder because of its geographical location.

"Because of where we are we have struggled to find teams," he said.

"But we did have as many as 36 teams back in the 90's. All the Sunday leagues have lost teams over the years but they have had more to start with so it hasn't affected them quite so badly.

"Personally I think the pub extension hours on a Saturday night haven't helped," he said. "People are out longer at night and and either can't or won't get up to play on the Sunday."

Roy Waterfield, Shropshire FA chief executive, said: "Since about 2007/08 all of our leagues lost a lot of teams and people put that down to the cost of living.

"If you look back 15 years there would not have been smaller sided games like the power leagues in Shrewsbury or Telford.

"People still get there football fix but in midweek and it usually doesn't mean as much commitment and takes less players to get a team.

"Also the pubs don't pull the people in that they used to and a lot of Sunday teams are linked to pubs which has also had a significant impact. One of the things we have tried to do is strengthen the Saturday offering and we are aware some Sunday teams might gravitate towards Saturday football."

The Wem and District Sunday League was formed in 1972, and became the North Shropshire Sunday Football League in 2010.