SUCCESS hasn't bred success as far as Woolverstone United is concerned.The village club has been a member of the Kingsley Healthcare SIL since 1947, but now find their existence in jeopardy after losing 16 players from last season.

Elvin King

SUCCESS hasn't bred success as far as Woolverstone United is concerned.

The village club has been a member of the Kingsley Healthcare SIL since 1947, but now find their existence in jeopardy after losing 16 players from last season.

After meandering around the lower regions of the SIL for many years, Woolverstone came back to life in 2000 when they won Division Seven.

They won Division Six in 2005/06 and were then promoted as runners-up to the Fourth and then Third Divisions in successive seasons.

“I have been with the club for 33 years,” said chairman Craig Catchpole. “And secretary and club stalwart David Hazelwood for longer than that.

“And we would both rather go back to the more stable days of the past.

“The more success we have had the more trouble it has been to run the club.

“Bigger clubs have come in and shown an interest in our players and management, and because we suffered a lull last season after a few good seasons we suffered serious disciplinary problems.

“The league has told us to get our house in order and to this end we let three players go.

“All but three of the cards we received last season were for dissent, and this shows that we couldn't handle things once the wins turned into defeats.”

At the age of 48, Catchpole was the only substitute named by the reserve team last weekend while the first XI also had just one substitute.

Having won Division Six in 2008, the second string now find themselves in Division Four following a league re-structuring.

“This has not helped,” added Catchpole. “A couple of our youngsters have said that they are not up to playing at that level.

“In the last week I have managed to sign on some extra players to improve numbers at both first and second team levels.

“But most are new to Saturday football, and it can take time to adjust to the extra expectations after Sunday football.

“To ensure that we survive we need new players to come onboard and hopefully this plea will enable us to carry on and ensure that Woolverstone United has a future.”

If interested in joining the club telephone Catchpole on Ipswich 680116 or Hazelwood on Ipswich 787544.