A FOOTBALL club forced to play five miles away after it was 'stripped of its assets' is struggling to attract players.

Chipping Norton FC lost ownership of its land after seeking help from debt management service Minotaur Clubs Partnership in 2014 and now plays in Enstone.

Then-treasurer Adam Hunt was suspicious and looked into the deal, sparking a BBC Panorama investigation that found 33 clubs across England and Wales who reported negative experiences using Minotaur.

The club's first team folded earlier this year and chairman Tym Soper admitted it was difficult to attract players.

He said: "Not having a home affects recruitment and a lot of players are now going elsewhere.

"It's difficult to maintain the identity of Chipping Norton."

Mr Soper added that the lack of assets meant it 'did not cost a lot of money' to keep the club going.

Minotaur was one of several debt management firms run by Glyn Jones.

Mr Jones's company sold part of the club's three acres of land on Waterbush Road to a housing developer to boost Chipping Norton's finances.

In 2014, the club signed an agreement to transfer its debts to Minotaur, but had actually signed over all of the club's land to Chipping Norton Sports and Social Club Limited, where Mr Jones was the sole shareholder.

In a previous statement, Mr Jones said all allegations made against him were ‘baseless and without foundation’.