Broseley Juniors face battle to survive

Broseley Juniors – one of Shropshire's most successful football clubs – is in danger of folding.

County Premier League side Broseley are due to kick off their 2011-12 campaign at home to Dawley Villa tomorrow but that game has already been postponed.

And, with no manager and a shortage of players, the club is facing an uphill struggle to continue.

"As it stands, we haven't had a manager since Ryan Dobson decided to step down," said secretary Chris Jaundrell.

"We've only got two people on the committee and we're short of players as well.

"We've got about 15 players signed up but they are not all definites for every game and we're concerned that we are going to struggle to start the season.

"We've only had around eight players turning up at training sessions and last week we only had three who got back to us saying they could make it, so we had to knock it on the head.

"Fortunately, the league have given us the option to defer a few games and that gives us until about the start of September to try and get something sorted."

Should Broseley be forced to fold, it would signal the end for one of the county's real success stories of recent times.

The side entered senior football in 1996, stepping up to the Bridgnorth League and winning promotion at the first attempt.

They went on to go through the County Premier League first division and won the premier division title in 2005.

Last season they finished eighth in the county's 12-team top flight – a division that has now been expanded to 14 teams.

"It would be a shame just to chuck it all in now," said Jaundrell. "We're still hoping people will come forward."

Anyone interested in coming on board as manager, player or committee member should contact Jaundrell on 01952 252749 or 07779603917.