Brampton FC have vowed to rebuild and come back stronger after pulling out of the Kershaw Premier.
The Thrapston Road-based side last week announced their resignation, bringing to an end their eight-year stay in the top flight of county football in Cambridgeshire, and only a year after their highest-ever finish of third.
The first team will now take the place of the club’s reserve team in Mead Plant & Grab 1b, having been promoted from 2b last season.
“It’s one of those moments in Brampton history,” said club chairman Tony Burnley. “I’ve been here 25 years and we’ve never had this happen before in my time.
“It was down to a lack of players basically. Two senior players retired and a number who had moved to London felt they couldn’t commit to the travelling.
“We also lost three to other clubs who pay players, and although we still had four or five bodies left, we didn’t have the basis of a squad which could compete in the Premier Division.
“It didn’t help that Wayne Ambler left after 30 years as manager as he was the glue that held it all together. But we will do our best to revive the team and come back as a stronger club.”
Brothers Richard and Sam Argyle had been primed to take over from Ambler, and Sam has now resigned while Richard has agreed to stay on as a coach under Malcolm Beswick, who was the reserves’ manager.
“Richard and Sam did their best to get a team together, but they just weren’t able to do it,” Burnley added.
The new first team got off to a flier this week with a 4-0 win over Cambridge University Press Reserves in the Cottenham Cup.
Meanwhile, the Cambs FA will meet tomorrow (Thursday) night to discuss how best to deal with the Brampton situation in terms of next season’s Premier Division.
There are three options on the table - namely running a 15-team division, handing St Neots Town Reserves a relegation reprieve or promoting Gamlingay United, who finished third in Senior A.
St Neots have already made a representation to the governing body in the hope of staying up, but nothing has been heard so far from Gamlingay, who were relegated from the Premier two years ago.
Meanwhile, UK footgolf international Craig Galbraith has been appointed as assistant manager at Kershaw Premier side Fulbourn Institute.
The former Newmarket Town and Ely City goalkeeper was part of the British team which lost to France in the Footgolf World Cup Final last December.
Galbraith will be number two to Mark Hobbs, who took the reins last month following the swift departure of Rod Gaffan, who had been last season’s manager David Abbs’ replacement.
