GREAT Harwood Town has officially folded after failing to find an investor to buy out their Showground stadium.

The homeless Robins yesterday withdrew their registration from the North West Counties League, following unsuccessful appeals to save the club from crashing out of business.

But although Harwood have quit for the foreseeable future, defiant chairman Bill Holden has not ruled out the possibility of the club one day rising from the ashes.

Town directors set themselves a Sunday night deadline to locate an investor who could pump in £1 million to buy the ground and refurbish the dressing rooms which were destroyed in an arson attack 18 months ago.

The club were leasing the ground off Ian Jackson, owner of Monroes nightclub, which is located next door to the Showground and was also destroyed by the blaze.

"The situation is that we've been unable to find the necessary finances to purchase the ground," said Holden.

"Because we cannot negotiate a new lease, we are in a situation where we have to withdraw from the North West Counties League."

The land has been up for sale for 12 months, although interest shown so far has not materialised into anything concrete.

Despite the dejection, Holden insists Harwood can re-form in the future, repeating the feats of North West Counties rivals Colne.

Holden added: "It's the end for this season coming, but you can never say never.

"The land has not been sold, but who knows what's down the line.

"If the ground is sold, we have a chance to rebuild the ground and approach the league again."

Harwood ground-shared with Accrington Stanley last season, but that partnership was unable to continue following Stanley's promotion to League Two.

Following their withdrawal, North West Counties Division Two will be reduced from 19 clubs to 18 next season.

Accrington Stanley manager John Coleman, who knows the non league scene better than most, said: "It's sad for the area.

"I've got a lot of time for Bill (Holden). He's a good friend of Eric's (Whalley) and I class him as a friend of mine.

"I've played against Great Harwood for numerous teams.

"It's a sad time when it happens but, unfortunately, with the way the situation went it was inevitable.

"We helped them as much as we could last year but it would have been impossible for us to do that again (with going up).

"But you never know what could happen in a couple of years.

"Accrington came back, Colne and Bootle did it."