Only four teams sign up for historic football league

Broughton Wanderers are one of only four teams that have signed up for this year's league

A football league that has been running for nearly 100 years is in danger of being wound up because of a shortage of teams.

So far only four teams have signed up to play in the Ashbourne Summer Football League in Derbyshire this year - four short of the eight-team minimum stipulated by organisers.

The league was established in 1930 as a way for farmers to participate in the sport as many lacked the time during the autumn and winter.

But a trend of younger adults moving away from the area and fewer men playing grassroots football has led to a drop in the number of teams signing up, according to the league's organisers.

An appeal has now been put out calling for more teams to join the league ahead of the deadline in March.

'Really dropped off'

Patrick Newbold, from the league's organising council, said the league was originally started 95 years ago.

"In the winter they [farmers] were either working away on Sunday mornings and it meant they couldn't play football, so they designed a league that allowed them to play during the summer nights," he said.

Mr Newbold said the drop in numbers was partly down to more local younger generations moving away from the area to attend university.

"Generally grassroots football doesn't have the core of youth coming through that has made it difficult for these teams," he said.

Chris Berezia, the league's media officer, said when he came to the area in 2005 there were many more teams competing.

"It was buoyant. It was vibrant. They had about 13 or 14 teams," he said. "It was very competitive but in the last couple of years the number of teams has really dropped off."

Teams have until mid-March to register with the league for this summer's competition.