Bicester & North Oxford have withdrawn their first team from Division 1 of the Cherwell League.

Their decision – which has been agreed in principle by the league’s executive – is expected to be officially confirmed either over the weekend or early next week.

It follows a mass exodus of players from the club, with around eight or nine first-team regulars moving on.

Rather than get thrashed every week in the top-flight, Bicester have asked the league to drop down the divisions and field just three sides instead of four.

These are likely to be placed in Divisions 4, 7 and 9.

No-one from Bicester or the league would comment, with the make-up of the new divisions and logistics of the move still being discussed.

The club, who play at Chesterton, were formed out of a merger between Norh Oxford and Bicester, after the former had to move from St John’s College.