Kidlington CC chiefs have issued an apology for their emotional outburst after the club was kicked out of The Oxford Times Cherwell League.

Chairman Neil Woolerton told clubs and league executive members they should be ashamed of themselves as he walked out after Kidlington had been expelled at an extraordinary general meeting at Bicester & North Oxford CC on Thursday night.

It came moments after vice-chairman John Moss branded the decision a disgrace.

In a joint statement, Woolerton and Moss said: “Thursday night's vote has clearly left both ourselves and members of Kidlington CC in disbelief.

“The club have an AGM on Monday where we will be considering our next course of action.

“Both Neil and myself apologise to all those present at the meeting, for our unprofessional outburst after the result was announced, but as we are sure you can appreciate emotions were running high after months of hard work by all members of Kidlington CC.

“We thank all of you who have sent messages of support for Kidlington CC to ourselves.”

Moss also issued a threat of legal action as he left the EGM.

And Cherwell chairman Martin Phillips vowed at the reconvened annual meeting - which followed the EGM - that he would attempt to see the league through a difficult period.

“Obviously it is not going to be an easy time,” he said. “I will try and steer as calm a path as possible through what are bound to be choppy waters.”

He added that since the annual meeting the league had taken on directors and officers’ liability insurance and had appointed legal advisers.

Former league secretary Peter Fenn, who acted as one of two independent scrutineers in the vote on Kidlington’s future, spoke out against clubs who consider taking legal action.

Pointing out that the league was run by volunteers appointed by the clubs, he said: “It seems that the spectre of litigation is about to rear its ugly head. One of the reasons I finished as secretary was that our executive was being threatened with legal action.

“I think the possibility of anyone taking action, who will be hiding under the skirts of the legal profession, is quite deplorable.”

Meanwhile, Kidlington’s expulsion means that promotion and relegation from Divisions 1 to 7 is mainly on a two-up two-down basis.

Dinton are the big winners, joining Milton Keynes Park - who are changing their name back to Bletchley Town - in being promoted from Division 2.

In other news, two league cups are to take place this season.

Twenty-nine clubs have entered the Senior Cup and 20 the Junior Cup, with the first matches expected to take place in April.

Challow & Childrey and Long Marston have applied to enter 3rd XIs next season, while Didcot want to field a 4th team.

Winslow have applied to join the league, but have been told they don’t meet the league’s criteria.

PROMOTION AND RELEGATION Div 1 - relegated: Banbury 2nd, Great & Little Tew. Div 2 - promoted: Milton Keynes Park, Dinton; relegated: Bledlow Ridge, Leighton Buzzard. Div 3 - promoted: Sandford St Martin, Hanborough; relegated: Cropredy, Cumnor 2nd. Div 4 - promoted: Twyford, Buckingham 2nd; relegated: Chearsley, Challow & Childrey 2nd. Div 5 - promoted: Great Brickhill, Aston Rowant 2nd; relegated: Brackley, Didcot. Div 6 - promoted: Wallingford, Bledlow Ridge 2nd; relegated: Bledlow Village 2nd. Div 7 - promoted: Tiddington 2nd, Sandford St Martin; relegated: Dinton 3rd.