CHAIRMAN Mick Hemsted fears this could be the last season of the Clacton and District Sunday Football League.

The league, which started with 11 sides in 1967/68, has been a staple part of the area’s sporting landscape and in its heyday, in the early 1990s, featured 57 teams.

However, that number has crumbled to just eight.

Two of them have now indicated they plan to leave and that, in addition to a major issue finding referees to officiate matches, means the end of an era might be looming.

Hemsted said: “In my opinion, I believe this could be our last season.

“Sunday football has been in decline for years – not just here but across the country – and if the current trend continues, this could be the 49th and final season of our Clacton League.

“In my opinion, I’m almost certain that will be the case.

“It’s been going downhill for years and it’s not going to get any better, unless there’s an influx of clubs or old ones return.

“I can’t see that happening, though, and with two teams having already indicated they will leave, there wouldn’t be enough to continue.

“I’m certainly not optimistic. I’m pessimistic – unless something dramatic happens.”

Hemsted, who is also acting secretary, is hopeful this season’s fixtures will be completed.

The campaign is due to come to an end in early May.

He is also determined that the league’s end-of-season cup competitions are completed.

“It would be a disaster, in my opinion, if we couldn’t even play the cup finals,” said Hemsted, who has been involved since 1968 and chairman for 35 years.

“We’ve done all we can to keep it going but have to be realistic.

“Times have changed and people have got other things to do, apart from play football.

“There are so many other attractions, in addition to Premier League football on Sky.

“There’s just not the interest.

“That wasn’t the case before and people wanted to play every Saturday and Sunday.

“Now it’s so different and I feel disillusioned and sad about it.

“There are far less teams and players and the standard has dropped.

“It’s nowhere near as competitive as it used to be and, consequently, players have got fed up with losing heavily and being beaten every week.”