Staveley Miners Welfare's Secretary has insisted that the future of the Inkersall Road club is not under threat.

It follows a report on the Official NCEL Website that claimed the stepping down of the club's committee was a "mass resignation" and that Welfare's game at Hall Road Rangers yesterday could have been "the team's last ever fixture".

But, Jane Burnand says that this is not the case and wants to put the record straight.

She told us: "The committee have NOT resigned en mass.

"We, like Mr Barry Wood and Mr Ronald Skidmore of the NCEL, have merely retired mainly through health issues and age.

"The decision for all of us to retire has not been taken lightly and the issue has been raised and discussed over several weeks now.

"The main Welfare committee are NOT meeting within the next couple of weeks to discuss the situation.

"The Chairman of the football club and myself will meet with Mr Watson, Chairman of the Staveley Miners Welfare, on or around the 18th of May but definitely not before this, to discuss the club's future.

"There are no financial issues, we have NOT resigned from the NCEL and the fees to enter the FA Vase and Cup have been submitted to the FA as per rule.

"As many clubs know, committees who formed together are all getting old together and unfortunately the youth of today just do not want to get involved in the background work and jobs.

"All they want to do is come along get a shirt and play but unfortunately, without the workers, football cannot exist.

"I like many others would like to think that there will be a Staveley MWFC in the years to come."