AN appeal to raise funds for a football club stand which will help it maintain its league status has been a roaring success.

Stockbridge FC, which plays in Division 1 of the Wessex League, faced relegation to a lower level under new rules from the Football Association if it did put into place plans to build a new 50-seat stand by April 1.

There were fears that decades of progress could have been undone if the cash was not raised in time, but the community has pulled together to smash through the £10,000 target.

Donations and fund-raising events have meant that the current total stands at almost £17,000 and counting, with another £1,000 due to come from the Hampshire Playing Fields Association.

Dave Webb, president of the club, which formed in 1894, said the response had been "incredible".

He said: "Not only has this target been reached, but there is surplus that will go towards meeting the next and, hopefully, final stage of improvements required by the Football Association, which means upgrades to the changing rooms and the provision of a disabled toilet.

"We were overwhelmed by the response from all sections of the community and it is heart warming to know the feeling they have for the club."

More than half of the total came from personal donations which, Mr Webb said, was "incredibly generous".

Examples included club committee member, Colin Stokes, who took part in the Reading half-marathon in aid of the cause and residents, Molly Knox and Joyce Compton, who ran a stall in the High Street to add to funds.

The rest came from fund-raising events and local businesses.

The club has been at its current ground, off the High Street, since 1978 and the club has gone from strength to strength ever since, gaining a number of hard-fought promotions to gravitate to its current league level.

In the past, more than £45,000 has been raised to provide improvement such as floodlights, fixed barriers, hard-standing around the pitch, a covered area and changing room improvements.

Mr Webb said the stand had now been ordered and would be put up during the summer.

The names of everyone who has donated will be displayed at the town hall, while a plaque thanking the community will be fixed to the new stand.

There is much more fundraising to be done to fulfil the final FA requirements.

Mr Webb added: "This will cost about £20,000 to £25,000 and the club will continue fund-raising to this end.

"We have more events planned and we have had further offers of help from local organisations and we will also be applying for grants."