FOOTBALL club officials are calling for support to keep one of the North-East's oldest clubs afloat until a problem with the pitch is rectified.

An investigation will start this week to discover the cause of a ten-metre wide depression, which appeared in front of the goal at Tow Law Town, on Tuesday.

But officials fear that the Albany Northern League outfit will not play at the County Durham ground again this year and are urging the town's people to back the Lawyers.

Club chairman Harry Hodgson said: "We have an uncertain time ahead of us and will need local people to get right behind us, we'll almost certainly need to start raising cash soon.

"We might also need another club to help us out and consider ground-sharing.

"Fortunately, we've a little breathing space with away games for the next two weeks but the board will meet tonight to decide what to do after that."

Surveyors from the Coal Authority will visit the 102-year-old Ironworks Road ground to find out if the depression could be subsidence caused by old mineworkings, in which case the authority would put the area back to how it was.

If not the club could face a huge bill to repair the damage.

Assistant secretary Steve Moralee said: "Hopefully it will be something the Coal Authority is responsible for and they will sort it out, but that will not help us on a week-to-week basis."

People with donations or fundraising ideas are asked to call the clubhouse on (01388) 731443.