Bradford's Sunday football league have launched an appeal for new clubs following the resignation of no fewer than nine teams during the season.

Lack of funds and shortage of players are the main reasons why the number of Sunday football teams is declining, says secretary of the Sunday Alliance Pat Goodall, and there is also a shortage of referees.

She said: "The feedback we have is that teams don't apply to join the league because they think we have so many applications, but that is not the case. We are asking for new teams and the good news is that we have got eight inquiries at the moment.

"When the two Sunday leagues in the Bradford - the Amateur and the District - were amalgamated in 1985, we had 132 teams, but gradually we have had to reduce the number of teams and divisions, and this season we started with 108 teams in nine divisions of 12. If we don't attract more teams we could lose another division.

"We have lost nine teams this season and three teams from other leagues who were struggling have amalgamated with our clubs."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.