The chairman of Witney United FC believes the time is right for his club to come to the fore following the demise of the second senior football team in the town in the space of eight months.

Philip Webb, who, together with a group of former Witney Town supporters, is trying to put the name of Witney back on the footballing map, says that the closure of Witney Town and Witney Academy is a sad reflection on the town.

Witney Academy resigned from the Cherry Red Records Hellenic League over the weekend after struggling to raise a team in recent weeks.

Witney Town folded after 118 years last year.

Webb said: "This event offers the opportunity for Witney United to bring senior football back to the town in a much more community-focused manner.

"Witney United said from their inception that they would behave very differently from the way senior football had been run in Witney in recent times.

"Our actions have proved this, and we will continue to act in the best interests of the community as a whole."

Bob Haydon, who founded Witney Academy in April 2000, said: "I can only say that the news was of no surprise to me, when you consider the events of last May when chairman Brian Constable brought about the end of Witney Town - and 118 years of football history in the town.

"My position at the club seemed pointless after being told that the Academy had until April 30 this year to find a new home, or fold.

"The only hope of Witney having a senior football team now belongs to the members of Witney United

"And I can only urge the footballing people of Witney and the Hellenic League to support them in their quest for league status."

Constable said that people did not realise the amount of good work he had put into football over almost 40 years, and added that he doesn't care what people think about him because he feels his decisions to close the clubs were correct.

"The reason I pulled the plug on Witney Town was because of the financial situation, and with Witney Academy, it was because we just could not raise a team," Constable said.

"You cannot go on like that in any level of football, and so the decision was the right one for all concerned."

Constable says he will retire from football completely on April 30, but hit out at the lack of appreciation he had received over the years.

"I have been involved in football locally for nearly 40 years, and have never had any recognition for all I have done.

"What's the point of staying involved when nobody realises all the good work that I've done?

"I think it's ludicrous that people seem to forget all the good things I did for Witney Town and local football in general. I think I am better off finishing and doing something else."