SHAP will almost certainly not have a football team this year due to a lack of interest among players and the resignation of committee members.

The club, which has a proud tradition of football going back more than a century, plays in Division Two of the Bluefin Insurance Westmorland League and has been managed for the past nine seasons by Trevor Stamper and Ian Hodgson.

There was a very poor turnout for the club’s Annual General Meeting last month, at which three members of the committee resigned.

Stamper said he was willing to continue but needed the support of enthusiastic players.

He said he would take on the manager’s job if he could get a team, and the Westmorland FA gave the club until June 15 to find one.

He contacted all the lads and received eight positive and eight undecided responses.

Stamper said that was not enough and that there was a lack of enthusiasm, with the club ideally needing at least 20 players to get a proper team.

As a result he informed the club that he will not be doing the manager’s job again this year.

Stamper said: “You don’t want to see your own village team fold, but it looks like that for this season.”

Anyone interested in playing for the club or joining the committee is urged to contact Stamper as soon as possible on 01931 716913.

Although he is standing by his decision to step down as manager, Stamper said that he would be willing to help out anyone who wanted to take on the job.