A 136-YEAR-OLD cricket club is holding an emergency meeting to decide its future.

Winsford Cricket Club has issued an appeal for as many people interested in saving the club to attend the meeting at 4pm on Saturday, April 20. 

The club, which plays at the Knights Grange Sports Complex in Grange Lane, is struggling for numbers, with concerns raised it may not be able to field a team this season.

In a post on social media, a club spokesman said: "There will be an emergency cricket meeting held at the clubhouse this Saturday at 4pm.

"This will be to discuss the upcoming season, and if we have enough players to go ahead and start the season.

"We are currently very low on players who have committed to the season and the committee is concerned there won’t be enough to field a team throughout the year.

"The meeting will be determine the amount of people who are interested in playing this year and if there is not enough, to decide on what we are going to do going forwards with Winsford Cricket Club.

"This is a worrying time for the club, and we will need all the support we can get if we hope to play another season at Winsford."

Mark Skellon, who has been associated with the club since 1976, also made a social media appeal for people to attend the meeting.

His post reads: "This club is a huge part of my life, it’s engrained in my DNA, it’s in my blood, so many memories, lifelong friends have been made.

"On Saturday afternoon at 4pm we have an emergency meeting to decide if we close the doors for the final time, it is that serious.

"We currently don’t have enough players to put out one team never mind two, which we had last season and now a decision has to be made as to the direction the club must take.

"I’m appealing to everyone who cares about this club to attend the meeting, any players old and new are needed so if you can play or know anyone who fancies a game please get recruiting.

"We also need volunteers to fulfill roles within the club too. If my plea sounds desperate it is, it is also from the heart.

"Winsford is on the brink of losing a great club. Remember those afternoons in the sunshine watching the team, do we really want to lose all that because it’s happening quickly.

"The sun is setting rapidly on Winsford Cricket Club."