The Sheppey Sunday League will see their numbers grow for the new season, in contrast with dropping participation levels elsewhere.

Secretary Mark Rogers (pictured) was delighted to be seeing the numbers increase. Five more teams will start the new campaign than ended the last.

The Medway Messenger Sunday League have lost a division and the Gravesend Saturday League has folded completely, after running for 108 years.

Rogers said: "We have increased our numbers while other leagues are losing clubs and so we’re still bucking the trend which is good to know.

"Football is struggling around the country and we are doing all we can to maintain and increase participation levels.

"We are coming up with new ideas and from our inaugural 5-a-side league we have got a new team, Napier, who are now joining the Sunday League."

Forty teams will start the new season, once more sponsored by Dore Metal Services.

Seven new teams are joining. Teams from Sheppey are The Napier, Sheerness East, Flying Dutchman and Crooked Billet. Teams from Sittingbourne are Park Regis Reds, Ypres and Sittingbourne Lions A.

Rogers added: "We have three qualified assistants for each match and that makes for a better game and ensures there is no bias."

Several youth teams are stepping up to senior level this year, including Sheerness East under-18s. Sittingbourne Lions are made up of players from Iwade Herons, while a number of last season’s Range Rovers under-18 side will play in a new-look Beach side.

The league, however, are not immune from difficulties and they have been forced to put the Youth League on the "backburner" two years after its introduction.

Mr Rogers said: "Youth football is undergoing a big transition at the moment.

"We are putting the league on the backburner. We could run the league again but next season there won’t be a youth league."