FANS and players at one of the region's most famous amateur football clubs vowed to team up and save the club after its chairman stepped down last night.

Spennymoor United's chairman Benny Mottram said farewell to the club after its 4-1 home win against Frickley Athletic in the quarter-final of the League President's Cup.

Talk among the 100 or so fans on the terraces was of a fight to secure the future of the club - which last year celebrated its centenary at The Brewery Field ground.

Spennymoor Town Council, players and loyal fans have all declared their support and called on the rest of the town to pull together for the crisis-stricken club.

The club could now follow the examples of York City and Gateshead Football Clubs, where supporters' trusts were created to take over and run the club.

Roy Yarrow, a supporter for 50 years, said last night: "I hope a trust can concentrate efforts to keep the club going.

"If the people of Spennymoor want a football team, they should come to home games.

"The gate money could get us to the end of the season at least."

Supporters are looking to launch a public campaign to attract financial backers to the club.

Last night, Mr Mottram, who saved the club from extinction when he took over in 2001, said that he had enough because he felt that there was a lack of support from people in the town.

He said: "I spoke to the players and they are happy to stick about for the foreseeable future.

"If it wasn't for a very good, loyal, but small set of fans, I'd have quit long ago."