AFTER a proud 66-year history as an Island League club, Oakfield were forced to concede defeat as a football club last week — their folding officially confirmed at a meeting of the Isle of Wight Divisional Football Association (IOWDFA) last night (Monday).

"We accepted their withdrawal from the league with reluctance and disappointment," Andrew Justice, the IOWDFA's honorary secretary.

"It is hoped they will re-enter the league next season, but it was run as a one-man band, so it was quite a job to keep it going.

"This is probably why they have found themselves in the state they're in at the moment.

"It shows that any club can pack it in at any time. This has been on the cards for a while.

"Their first two matches, Oakfield got stuffed, which is an indication of the strength of the team they had and cancelled five matches in a row, so it was only a matter of time really."

Oakfield were the last Island League club to win the Isle of Wight Gold Cup, back in 2001.

Only last season, Oakfield played in Division 1, following promotion and a Ryde and District Cup success in 2021.

In 2020, Oakfield registered their record win, 18-0.

But in the final third of last season, problems began and they went on an explicably miserable run, before making the shock decision to take voluntary relegation.

Before this season kicked off, Carisbrooke United, one of the Island League's founding members, and Yarmouth & Calbourne, folded.

Last season, Pan Community did likewise and, in the season before that, Adgestone and Wroxall folded.

With East Cowes Vics Reserves joining the Hampshire Combination & Development League, Division 2 has been whittled down to just eight clubs.

With the league predicted to come to an end as early as Christmas, plans are in place to run a new League Cup competition to extend the clubs' season.