AN Oxford junior football team that has been part of a club set up more than 60 years ago is appealing for players as it faces folding.

Quarry Rovers Dynamite, the current under-10s seven-a-side team that plays in Oxford Mail Youth Football League, has made a public appeal for youngsters who want to play the beautiful game to join them.

But next season they will become under-11s, meaning a change to nine-a-side games that could see the club struggle to field enough players to continue competing.

If it is not able to sign up to the league in the next few weeks, the boys will forfeit their training pitch at Margaret Road playing fields and miss out on benefitting from the new pavilion and pitches planned to be developed.

Dynamite manager Rob Bown urged anyone in the community who would be able to play under 11s football to sign up.

The Cheney School teacher added: "It’s such a shame.

"We have a small group of enthusiastic and committed players but are faced with having to tell them they no longer have a team if we can’t get new recruits for the under 11s line-up next season.

"It’s disheartening because we have seen the boys come on so much in terms of their skills and match play. To have to tell them we can’t carry on because we are short of

one or two players is heart-breaking."

Quarry Rovers, an FA charter standard club, was set up over 60 years ago and the Dynamite boys, now aged nine to 10, have been playing together twice a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays for the past five years.

Under the league rules, once they reach the under-11s age group, they must move to nine-a-side team and to Sunday matches.

Julie Meikle, whose 10-year-old son Louis plays for the team, said it was important to allow youngsters in the local community to develop skills.

She added: "It really brings boys together from different schools and from all over the area – some of them are really close friends.

"It would be difficult for them to find a new team and it's a shame as they are getting exercise and leaning different skills."

The team have recently lined up two new coaches from Oxford Brookes University to lead training sessions and coaching during matches.

Mr Bown added: "We’re a friendly and inclusive team, and we try to make sure that each child gets time on the pitch during matches."

The team hopes to continue to train on Wednesday evenings during school-term time, and start playing league matches on Sundays from September.

For more information on the team contact Rob Bown at rbo@cheney.oxon.sch.uk and visit quarryrovers.org.uk