Most county sides are just "stumbling along" and primary competitions are under threat because the Sussex Schools Football Association has no secretary.

These are the views of Alan Ball, who has stepped down as secretary after two years in the post, and county administrator Alan Sanders.

They say the absence of a volunteer to succeed Ball puts the 98-year-old association under threat.

Sanders, who runs the under-19 set-up, said: "Crisis is not too strong a word. It could be the end if a secretary cannot be found. The whole structure could collapse. Alan tried to do it all on his own and it made him ill.

"Hampshire run their association with retired teachers, but they don't seem to come forward in Sussex.

"Essex link up with their own County FA, so may be we can do the same. Something has to be done."

Ball has pleaded for someone to come forward after no one volunteered to replace him at the annual general meeting at Varndean College, Brighton.

Varndean teacher Ball, who remains the county's representative at national and regional level, said: "Most county teams are only stumbling along.

"A week ago it looked as though we'd have to run a very restricted programme. Alan Sanders and some of his colleagues at Brighton, Hove and Sussex Sixth Form College had already volunteered to run the under-19s.

"But we would have been unable to run the rest of our teams, at under-14s, under-15s and under-16s, because there was no county secretary. They will only function now because the managers have volunteered to be secretaries too.

"But that is not an ideal solution because there is so much involved on the secretarial side. Secretaries have to agree a date for matches, sort out venues if it is a home match, provide transport if it is away, organise officials and pay them, sort out refreshments, co-ordinate results and even sort the kit out.

"The primary schools competitions are another problem. Someone needs to organise them. Wallands School, went through to a national final and played at Old Trafford last season because someone was there to do it."

Produced Ball added: "It's so disappointing no one has come forward. We've got a tradition in Sussex.

"After all, we are the national under-16s cup holders.

"We won the under-16s three or four years ago. We've have been to national county finals at under-15s in 1956 and as far back as 1925.

"We've produced the likes of Gareth Barry, who was with England in Euro 2000, and English Schools player Michael Standing as well as Albion players.

"Gareth did well for the William Parker team from Hastings which shared a national individual schools trophy a couple of years ago. Ardingly College did well in another one."

Ball believes volunteers are put off by what they believe is the size of the job "The AGM was well attended, there were 21 there, but when it came to asking who would take over as secretary there was a complete hush in the room.

"We've got more than 80 schools and, but for some assistance from John Lambert at Hove Park and Kevin Grant at Cardinal Newman, there's no one coming forward. It's a nightmare.

"Perhaps people think it is a big job because I put so much into it and did a proper job, "But it's not that bad and I'd be willing to give guidance."

Sussex under-16s manager Andy Hibbert believes a solution can be found from within the game.

"The secretary's job is the perfect opportunity for an ex footballer to come forward, someone with some spare time.

"It's an opportunity to put something back into the game."