Having helped create Antrim Eagles FC seven years ago, Wesley Allen feared it was all set to end with the club recently “a week or two away from folding” – but he’s determined to battle through tough times after launching a player recruitment drive to save what he feels is more than just a football team.

Antrim Eagles enjoyed a hugely successful start to life as a newly-formed club, rising through the Ballymena Saturday Morning League ranks up to Division One, where they currently ply their trade.

However, with close to 20 players departing over the summer, the Eagles are enduring a difficult period, losing all 10 of their league matches this season – they were beaten 16-0 by Clough Rangers last month.

Not able to compile a squad, the club were forced to forfeit on two occasions with Allen concerned a third would threaten their existence.

placeholder image — Antrim Eagles FC were on the verge of folding - but are determined to fight on. (Photo by Wesley Allen)

Rather than sit and watch the club he loves fall by the wayside, chairman Allen and his fellow committee members prioritised action with a social media post outlining the crisis viewed as a final throw of the dice.

It has worked with a number of players joining the Eagles, giving Allen a sense of encouragement, but he’s determined to breathe further new life into his beloved club.

The Eagles’ situation underlines the difficulties faced by many amateur football clubs across Northern Ireland just to survive on a weekly basis – and Allen was prepared to fight until the end.

"We've forfeited two matches this season due to having no numbers,” Allen told the News Letter. “We're pretty much in the last chance saloon, it is a ‘three strikes and you’re out’ kind of thing.

"We made the decision that we're going to have to put this out there on social media to let everyone know how bad it is and how much we are struggling to field every week.

"I was counting and we lost close to 20 players over the summer through a mixture of things...for any team to lose that number, and even for us to be still going, says a lot about the club.

"We're still obviously not in the position where I want the club to be. This is our seventh year and in the first five we won five trophies, so we’ve been doing well, just this summer got us.

"Despite the difficulties, we’re actively working to secure our future – our recruitment appeal has already attracted some new players and further interest, which is encouraging.

"We welcome players of all abilities, offer opportunities for game time and have no training fees or matchday costs.

"Training takes place on Tuesdays from 8–9pm at Muckamore Community Centre (3G), with anyone interested welcome to contact us through our Facebook page or speak to one of our current players.

"We are not asking people to feel sorry for us, we are asking people to recognise the value of grassroots football, the importance of community clubs and the role they play in bringing people together.

"We believe Antrim Eagles is worth fighting for, and we hope others will help us ensure it has a future.”

Through most of this season, the Eagles have pulled together a starting line-up and a handful of substitutes, but Saturday provided a source of hope – although they lost 5-0 to Seven Towers, the bench was at capacity, showing signs of an upturn.

Like many dedicated volunteers across Northern Ireland, Allen gives everything to his club, serving as chairman, coach and even put the boots on aged 42 during their recent crisis despite having had five knee surgeries.

Football clubs are about far more than results on a Saturday, they’re about community, about a purpose – and Antrim Eagles is no different.

Allen is fighting for the Eagles not only for his love of the club he helped form, but also for the wider impact it can have on people in the local area.

"I was definitely concerned that the club could fold,” added Allen. “We were probably another week to two weeks away from that...if we had not fielded again, that probably would have been it.

"We have a really good committee, a group of six or seven people there who are volunteers doing it as they can...mixing that in with family and work, it's very difficult.

"It definitely became more of a struggle whenever it was more difficult to get players in.

"It gave me a bit of anxiety, whether we were going to be able to finish the weekend. Even training, there was maybe four or five turning up. It was just very, very difficult from the summer.

"I guess up until about three or four weeks ago when that post went out, the Tuesday after, I think there was about 16 or 18 people at training.

"That gave me encouragement that the club is going to be okay and won’t fold.

"It's like building blocks, once you get to a stage where you're going to survive, then it is about adding quality to what you've already got.

"I'm now at the stage where I just want to see something grow and be successful.

"It's not even just about getting people playing for my club, it's about getting people engaging, getting them out of the house and getting them into the right headspace.”