Jewson have withdrawn their sponsorship of Wessex League football after more than a decade.

Wessex officials were advised this week that the prominent UK builders and timber merchant would be bringing their support to an end after 13 years.

Although he described the news as "very unfortunate", Wessex chairman Nick Spencer does not see it as a catastrophe for the league.

He said: "We're very sorry to lose Jewson's support. They've been a valuable partner for 13 years. But thanks to the good housekeeping of the people who have run this league, past and present, like Cyril Hurlock, Alf Peckham, Norman Cook, Ray Barnes and the late Tom Lindon, this is not a disaster.

"Realistically we knew we could never take it for granted that money was going to roll in year on year and, for that reason, provision has been made so that we can carry on as normal until such times as a new sponsor is found."

Spencer wouldn't say exactly how much Jewson had poured in over the years, but said: "It was not an insignificant amount of money.

"We've tried, as much as possible, to put it back into the clubs in terms of prize money, footballs, goal nets, floodlight testing, annual fees and so on. It will take a bit of getting used to that the league is not called the Jewson Wessex any more, but these things happen in business. We haven't had a specific rea-son why they've pulled out, but budgets are always the bottom line.

"I've already got a couple of irons in the fire for a new sponsor. I've got a list of companies I intend to pursue."

Wessex League secretary Denis Emery also expressed his regret at the split. He said: "During the 13 years the league has become well respected for its high standards and professionalism which, in part, has been the direct result of the involvement from Jewson's represen-tative Steve Webber."

Anyone interested in discussing sponsorship opportunities with the Wessex League should contact secretary Denis Emery on 01794 500696 or chairman Nick Spencer on 07767 336286.

l DAVID Laws would have been a national hero had he been ten years younger.

That's the verdict of former Weymouth player-boss Andy Mason as the countdown to the goal-machine's testimonial against Yeovil at the Wessex Stadium on Wed-nesday May 7, continues.

Mason, who now plays his trade with Portland United, said: "Lawsy has been one of the best strikers in non-League football over the past eight years - if someone had got hold of him as a youngster, he would have made it in the professional game.

"With the way the finances are going in football these days, clubs aren't so keen to spend millions on foreign im-ports, preferring instead to take a gamble on home grown talent.

"If Lawsy was ten years younger, I've no doubt he would be the sort of player the bigger clubs would have gone for and there's no question he'd have gone on to become a household name."

Mason, who will be lining up in Laws' Select XI against the Glovers on May 7 urged fans to turn out in big numbers to pay tribute to the Wearsider, who has had spells at Newport and Eastleigh in the last couple of seasons.