A key figure of the Norwich & District Sunday League fears Dancing Farmers will not be the last club to turn their back on the grassroots game.

The Division 1A side appear poised to become the eighth team to quit the set-up, sponsored by Copy IT and the Evening News, this season after failing to overcome an ongoing issue with player commitment. League secretary Ben Casey is worried that almost 10pc of Norwich's 104 clubs have folded since the start of the term but insists there's little he can do to solve the issue.

Casey said: 'It's not a problem that is unique to our league and it is a concern. I am in the belief it will level itself out eventually as there's still a lot of players, thousands, who are registered to play in our league.

'While there's interest there we will always keep it going. We're one of, if not, the biggest Sunday league in the country. But it is getting harder. Some of the clubs who have folded are not poorly managed, they are very well run but it seems player commitment is the real problem.'

Farmers were given a free week recently to try and get back on track but it appears the league's support has not paid off. Their threat to fold on Twitter will become reality once it has been made to the league in writing and a £50 withdrawal fee has been paid.

The Dancing, managed by Michael King, statement said: 'The hassle that comes with running this club has become too much and I am therefore calling it a day. I would like to thank all the people that have played for the club and those that have supported us through the years.'

Casey insists it's not all doom and gloom for the league – who lost 2013/14 Norfolk Sunday Senior Cup winners AFC Wanderers in December – though.

Four clubs have already made the leap from the three-tier under-19 system into senior action and a number of current development sides have already expressed a wish to move up at the end of the current campaign.