A CHRISTMAS DAY blaze came close to spelling the end of a proud footballing history for one of the country's best- known amateur football sides.

Officials at Spennymoor United have been left devastated after a fire swept through the clubhouse at their Brewery Field ground.

It could cost the club up to £2,000 a week in lost revenue at a time when they are fighting for a place in the top 13 of the UniBond Premier League and an automatic place in the new Northern Conference next season.

The blaze is the latest in a long line of blows to hit the Moors, after being rescued from financial ruin by chairman Benny Mottram two years ago.

Last year, they faced the threat of eviction from the ground that has been their home since 1904, when there was a problem with Spennymoor Town Council over the lease renewal.

Then they began the current season a fortnight late because the Football Association threatened the club with expulsion, wrongly believing they had not reached an agreement with their creditors.

As Mr Mottram and secretary Brian Boughen surveyed the smoking ruins of their newly-modernised but uninsured bar and lounge early on Christmas Day morning, their initial reaction was that their dream had died.

Mr Boughen said yesterday: "Our first thoughts were that it was the death knell for the club," he said.

"Thousands of pounds had been spent making the clubhouse one of the best in the league.

"It is one of the best venues in the town and brings in the money to keep us going.

"But then we started thinking towards the future and making arrangements to replace it.

"We are hopeful that we can go forward.

"If the town wants to get behind us, it will never have had a better opportunity."

Police said yesterday the blaze was thought to have started behind a fruit machine and was not being treated as suspicious.

Spennymoor's proud record includes lifting the Durham Challenge Cup 16 times, as well as four wins each in the North-Eastern League and the Northern League. The Moors also reached the semi-finals of the FA Trophy in 1978.