The club has been forced to give up its Step 4 status after new owners of the Church Road ground refused to negotiate a new lease or licence agreement with the club for the 2021/22 season.

Home to the `Leafe for more than 60 years, Church Road was purchased by Irama last year at auction after the previous owners went into Administration.

Despite numerous attempts by the Trustees, current management committee and an independent fan-led group to discuss a way forward, Singapore-based property development company Irama – the new landlords - activated a break clause to terminate the club’s lease on July 31st this year.

This was despite the club paying Irama nearly £50,000 of back rent that the new owners had been told by the Administrators was due for the administration period. Whyteleafe didn’t believe this was the case as the club had been paying all the landlords’ costs during that period to keep the ground viable and to protect the value of the facility.

But Whyteleafe FC believed Irama were acting in good faith and also wanted to have an ongoing working relationship with the new owners and, despite the lack of income during the Covid-19 lockdowns, paid the back rent.

Our withdrawal from the Isthmian League is a devastating blow to everybody involved at the club, the fans, players local community and the wider football family.