A LADIES football team face the possibility of folding after the club were evicted from their home ground.

Financial irregularities behind the scenes at Leyton FC meant bailiffs locked the gates to the Lea Bridge Road stadium last week and the side were forced to find a new home.

The club has not recovered after former chairman, Costas Sophocleous, was jailed for eight years last year over a £16 million VAT scam.

The men’s team disbanded last year.

With the players needing to pay a fee for a new ground up-front, the club may not be able to survive the season without new sponsorship.

Player Lydia Cooper said: “We are the only side that is now carrying the Leyton FC name.

“It would be a great shame if there was no longer a side as it is one of the oldest clubs in London.

“I think what we really need is some sponsorship because we need the money for a new home but everything has to be paid before the season begins.”

As well as losing their stadium, the side have also had to deal with their manager and coach leaving the club in the past week.

Ms Cooper said: “It is disappointing that they have left but we will just keep going. At the moment we have no manager, no coach and no ground but we all still want to play and will do everything we can to keep the club going.”

The side, who recently won the Gramsbergen Football tournament in Holland, have been told they will be able to start the season later than other teams.

But Ms Cooper said without a new ground there is a strong chance the club could fold, leaving the team devastated.

She added: “I think if we can’t get everything sorted out all the players at the club would be distraught.

“We are such a close group, especially after we won tournament in Holland.

“Some of us have been playing together since we were 12-years-old and we would hate to now be broken up and have to go and find other teams.”

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