A FOOTBALL club is having crisis talks about its future after officials announced it could fold.

Willington Association Football Club is once again facing closure less than a year after a community rallied round to save its clubhouse at its Hall Lane ground.

The future of the club, which has been at the heart of the town for almost 100 years, plunged into uncertainty after its annual meeting failed to elect both a chairman and vice-chairman.

Bob Nichols, who has been secretary since the 1984/85 season, said the club would almost certainly close if nobody came forward to fill those positions.

He said: "We have no chairman and vice-chairman and they are absolutely necessary to run a club. When we didn't fill those positions I wasn't keen to continue as football secretary and that means we have three major officials missing and that needs to be sorted out rather quickly.''

The club, which is in the Albany Northern League Second Division, is steeped in history, having been established in its present form in 1906. It has been in the Northern League since 1911.

It is also the home of several junior teams including a thriving Under 18s side that finished with three cups at the end of last season.

In 1997 the club looked certain to close after financial problems and the resignation of its chairman but the community rallied round and got it back on its feet.

Since then it has done well according to Mr Nichols but last year its future was threatened again after the clubhouse roof was in a bad state of disrepair.

Members were left having to find £5,000 for repair bills and it was the community that once again saved the day.

Mr Nichols said that if it was to survive for a third time it would need more people to come forward to help with the day to day running of things.

He said as well as filling the main positions, they needed people for the committee.

He said: "It would be pretty sad if a club with this history has to call it a day."