Thame United FC chairman Jim Tite says his club will fight on, despite suffering the disappointment of having plans for a new stadium rejected by planners.

The cash-strapped Ryman League Division 1 North club had hoped to sell their Windmill Stadium, and use the proceeds to finance the building of a new ground on part of the playing fields at Lord Williams's School.

However, members of South Oxfordshire District Council planning committee voted 8-3 against the outline plan which would have involved building a ground, an artificial playing surface and two football pitches, plus a new cricket pavilion for the school.

Councillors said the proposal went against the local planning policy for Thame.

Tite, who said the club would be launching an appeal against the decision, said: "It's very disappointing. We were relying on that application being approved. But we will struggle on as best we can.

"The new ground would not only have been good for the football club, but also for Thame as a whole. It was to have been a community facility."

Boss Andy Sinnott said: "We are still alive and still planning for what will hopefully be a successful season. If we can do well on the pitch, that will stimulate interest off it.

"If would have been nice to have a new ground to look forward to, but we need to think the plan over again. It's not all doom and gloom.

Sinnott, who refused to comment on whether he had applied for the vacant manager's job at Aylesbury, which has now gone to former player Chris Boothe, added: "I know that times have been very difficult, but I think we will come out of this stronger."

Thame start their preparations for the new campaign when they host Oxford United at the Windmill Stadium on July 12.

PRE-SEASON FRIENDLIES

Saturday, July 12: Oxford Utd (home, 3pm); Friday, July 18: Woodford Utd (away); Wednesday, July 30: Beaconsfield SYCOB (away); Saturday, August 2: Windsor & Eton (home, 3pm); Thursday, August 7: Tring Town (away); Saturday, August 9: Ashford Town (away); Wednesday, August 13: Burton Albion (away).