WITH just five players signed on ahead of next week’s opening game, a long serving member of the West Tyne Cricket League has called it a day.

Having struggled for players for the past two years, Prudhoe Cricket Club have folded to bring the club’s 92 year history to a close.

The writing had been on the wall in recent years as the Eastwoods Park club had only been able to field nine or 10 players for their fixtures, and they were relegated from Division One last year after going the season without a win to their name.

There were talks that they wanted last year out of the way so they can concentrate on putting together more of a challenge in the second division, however it was decided at a club meeting last week that the club wouldn’t fulfill any fixtures this year.

They will be sorely missed from the West Tyne League as opponents enjoyed making the trip to East Tynedale, and they also received great credit for sticking at it despite some very poor results in 2015.

Honorary secretary Ian Scott has been at the club for more than 20 years since joining from Stamfordham, and said the decision to quit was the only option.

He said: “We couldn’t get any players and only had five of them at the start of the season. People couldn’t be bothered, and there’s a lot of lads work at weekends now.

“I am gutted but at the same time I am a little bit happy because the last couple of years has been a real struggle, and I won’t miss trying to chase players on Friday nights and Saturday mornings.

“We have struggled and had to drag people off the street to play, but they disappear after just one game.

“We have great competition from Stocksfield which have a great set-up, and a lot of young lads want to play there instead.”

While Prudhoe won’t be playing a competitive game in 2016, there are hopes the club will be back in the near future.

Mr Scott said: “We have packed in but we‘re hoping to start again next year, and we’ll see if people do miss it.”