BICESTER'S 'struggling' football club has vowed to fight back after it was forced to fold last week.

A 'regretful' Bicester Town said it had no option but to withdraw from the Hellenic League – but vowed to return to competitive action as soon as it can get its own ground.

The decision to quit their Division 1 East campaign was take due to a lack of players and follows the club's long-running battle to find a home for the 'Foxhunters' in Bicester.

A statement from the committee said: "We were unable to accept promotion to the Premier Division each season due to the fact we have no home ground or the prospect of getting one in Bicester.

"The club has lost several of last year’s winning team because they wanted to play in the Premier Division, and this has left us struggling to get a team.

"Bicester as a club have received little or no help from the councils and organisations. The club only managed to survive as long as it did because of the help it received from local businesses and Norman Stacey at Ardley United."

It is the second time in seven years that Bicester's home team has had to withdraw from the league.

A dispute with landlords Bicester Sports Association over its tenure at its former Oxford Road Sports Ground home originally forced the club to fold in 2011.

Four years later, the town's team returned to the Hellenic League under new management – sharing a home ground with Ardley United.

Despite a number of successful seasons the fact the club does not have its own ground prevented it being promoted to the top-flight.

Bicester Town Football club fan Callum Vinall said: "This is awful news but the fault lies with the Bicester Sports Association not allowing Bicester Town back to Oxford Road.

"Bicester Town has been suffocated by not being allowed back to Oxford Road where they could have been a self-sufficient club, achieving promotion, attracting new players and in the perfect town centre location for spectators.

"A town this big needs a team representing the people, if only the BSA did the same, we could have a top facility again accessible by all."

Bicester Sports Association has long argued that it is simply not viable to keep running both a run-down Oxford Road and its sports ground in Chesterton.

A spokesman from the association said: "BSA is committed to supporting local grassroots football and already caters for Bicester Town Colts, which includes Bicester United Football Club, who have over 200 members between them.

"Bicester Town Football Club is a relatively new limited company and has no connection with the old, now defunct, club of the same name, which ceased using our premises some years ago."

The association has plans to turn the Oxford Road ground into shopping development 'St Edburg's Walk' which it says is still 'progressing'.

Despite its struggles Bicester Town Football Club has vowed to return and said it will 'continue its affiliation to the Oxfordshire Football Association and continue with the efforts to find a home ground in Bicester'.