Stowmarket Town manager Rick Andrews has urged the people of Stowmarket to help raise the funds needed to keep their promotion hopes alive.

The Old Gold and Blacks climbed to the top of the Thurlow Nunn League First Division table at the weekend, following their 3-0 win at home to Downham Town at Greens Meadow on Saturday.

Andrews’ side are well on course to secure the first promotion in the club’s 134-year history, however their hopes of getting promoted have hit a stumbling block off the pitch with the news that their floodlights need to be upgraded in order to move up into the Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division next season.

The total cost of the upgrades has been quoted at a cost of £10,000 and the club have set up a crowdfunding page on the Just Giving website for people to donate and help them raise the necessary funds.

“It’s hard for every amateur club to make ends meet,” Andrews said. “You see more and more clubs fold in all levels of football.

“On Saturday, the club’s reserves got into a cup final, the first team were awarded a team performance award from the league and we won our game, which put us top of the table.

“On the same day, we learnt if our floodlights are not upgraded it will affect us getting promoted if we finish in the top three.

“At this moment in time the club are enjoying a far better period than they have done in the last 10 or 15 years.

“It would be such a huge disappointment if we couldn’t get the upgrades done and the club couldn’t get promotion.

“We’re after some help. If 100 people give £100 that’s £10,000 or if 1,000 people give £10 each that’s £10,000. I’m sure it’s doable.

“So we’re looking for people in the town to help and if any businesses around the town can afford £20 or £50, it all helps.”

To make a donation go to https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/ian-moyes-2?utm_id=33&utm_term=NAJ8qzK4e