DEFIANT officials have vowed to deliver Weymouth Football Club from the brink of collapse, but they cannot do it alone and are urging the people and businesses of Weymouth to get behind them.

Club chiefs told shareholders at last night's annual meeting they need all the support they can get if the club is to survive.

Losses of £107,521 last year, combined with a current overdraft of about £160,000, have resulted in the club facing one of the biggest financial crises in its history, the meeting heard.

Chairman Terry Bennett said it was now important that people supported their local team by doing whatever they could - attending matches, playing the weekly lottery game and buying shares.

Businesses were also urged to throw their weight behind the club by offering sponsorship.

But Mr Bennett said he was thrilled by the Dorset Echo's Save our Soccer campaign launched this month - when news about the club's dire financial position emerged.

Already more than £5,000 worth of shares have been sold and 56 people have joined up to play the Wessex Windfall lottery following publicity in the Echo.

Echo sports editor Paul Baker was also praised for his positive coverage of the club.

Mr Bennett explained that the club had taken a gamble by increasing wages and signing new players in a bid to get promotion to the Nationwide Conference but this had not paid off so far.

He said the directors of the club had put in thousands of pounds of their own money to keep it afloat.

"Without the support of the directors we would not be here today. The amount of support they have offered this club over the last 18 months has been unbelievable," Mr Bennett said.

"If this club is going to survive we're going to all have to work together.

"The town deserves the best Football team but we are now asking people to help bail us out and give us another go," he added.

"There must be so many people out there who don't come to matches but who look out for the results. I'm not saying come to every match but do what you can to keep a club in this town because we are desperate."

The club accounts for the year ended May 2001 reveal the club made a loss of £107,521, more than four times the loss made in the previous year. Income fell by 10 per cent from £435,471 in 2000 to £390,960 in 2001, although the cost of sales increased by seven per cent from £422,993 to £453,120.

The bank overdraft is £121,880 but this has since increased to around £160,000, said director Dave Higson.

Presenting the accounts, Mr Higson told the meeting: "Thanks is due to the Echo for highlighting our situation and the fans have really got behind us. Some of them have been down to the bank to draw their last £50 out to buy shares.

"But it's disappointing that not enough businesses are supporting us."

After the meeting Mr Higson praised the efforts of Terry Bennett, who had done a 'brilliant job' so far as chairman.

He added: "He's had a difficult job but he's got a lot of people back on the club's side."

Mr Bennett was re-elected as club chairman while Dave Higson and Mick Archer were re-elected as joint vice-chairmen. Steve McDonald officially joined the board as director.