THERE is no sense of the bunker about Crook Town's pleasant, snow-filled Millfield ground. But beyond the wall-to-wall memories that now adorn this once famous venue there lies the stark reality of a club under siege.

Perilously perched near the bottom of Division Two of the Northern League and staring relegation to the Wearside League squarely in the face, times are tough for the Black and Ambers.

Photographs reliving their nail-biting 1954 FA Amateur Cup final at Wembley against rivals Bishop Auckland - which Crook finally won at Ayresome Park after a second replay - hang pride of place in the boardroom, but only serve as a chilling reminder of just how much things have changed for this once heralded side.

Less than half a century ago Crook were the team to beat; four Northern League titles, one League cup, two Challenge cups and four FA Amateur cups during a decade of dominance starting in 1954 testament to the south-west Durham side's success.

In November 1962, they pushed Hull City all the way in a thrilling FA Cup first round tie at Boothferry Park. Leading 4-1 despite the absence of promising left-back Frank Clark, who had transferred to Newcastle United the previous week, Crook were undone by a stirring comeback from Hull, who fought back to win 5-4 thanks largely to the efforts of former Sunderland winger and two-goal hero John McSeveney.

Back in 1922 they even beat Barcelona, a fellow amateur side at the time, prior to the Catalan giants' move to the Camp Nou.

A trophy, named the 'Barcelona Cup' and donated by the Spanish side, still stands in Crook's trophy cabinet.

"It breaks my heart to see where the club is now," says chairman Stephen Buddle, 39, who took over the Millfield reins back in February 2001 after a vicious hate-mail campaign forced former chairman Bill Penman to resign from his post.

"Crook Town has such a great history; I don't want be known as the chairman that sent this club down."

Such is Buddle's determination to avoid such an ignominious fate, the 39-year-old is looking at the possibility of making further additions to a team that already boasts such high-profile names as former Hartlepool and Manchester United winger Paul Dalton and centre-half Kevin Scott, who made 227 appearances for the Magpies between 1985-94.

However, he readily admits that such a spending spree would not be possible without the unwavering support of sponsors NEMS (North European Marine Services) and club president and former Sunderland chairman Sir Tom Cowie following years of financial problems that saw the club on the brink of closure in the early 1990s.

"I don't know where we would be without Sir Tom," Buddle said.

"He put us in touch with NEMS, who paid off all our debts as part of a five-year sponsorship deal, and told them to look after Crook whatever happens."

He added: "There are certainly clubs in this League in a far worse financial situation than ourselves, but it would certainly help if we had more support from the local community, especially the businesses."

Yet despite assurances of continued financial support if the worst came to the worst, Buddle is only too aware of the need to rekindle a passion among the town's supporters long forgotten since those heady days back in the Fifties and Sixties.

During those times, crowds, still brimming from such heroics as Ken Harrison's winner in the second controversial replay of the 1954 Amateur Cup final, flocked to Millfield in anticipation of further success; the average gate of 7,000 in stark contrast to the 100 that has now become the norm at Crook's home matches.

Even the local council got in on the act. Back in 1954, 15,000 fans shoe-horned themselves into the ground as the Church Lads Brigade band led the heroes homewards. The Essoldo, one of Crooks's three cinemas, showed 'Isn't Life Wonderful', and so it was, especially when you consider the current Millfield malaise.

"For some reason there is a lot of a apathy in Crook towards the football club, but we believe we can revive the club's fortunes," Buddle said.

"This is a club that has filled Wembley four times. Our highest attendance is 17,500 for an Amateur Cup quarter-final back in 1952 against Walton and Hersham. Supporters were so desperate to watch that match they smashed the gates off their hinges." The match finished goalless.

"I'm not saying we can get attendances like that again, but the support is there if we can get things right on the field, " added Buddle, whose side face a tough trip to second-placed Thornaby tomorrow.

Such a responsibility now falls solely at the feet of newly-appointed boss Les Langley, whose tenure as joint manager of Crook Town alongside David Taylor following the resignations of management duo David Buchanan and Ronan Liddane, got off to the worst possible start back in November when they were deducted three points for fielding an ineligible player (Alan Barratt) in their first match in charge - a home match with Easington. "We just didn't know," he insists.

To shovel salt into an ever-widening wound, Crook were then punished again for the same misdemeanour the following month after a League match against Willington, despite assurances from the player, Aaron Scott, that he had not played for any other club.

He had - Easington - and Crook were again deducted a further three points to leave them dangerously perched above the relegation zone.

"Basically we have had three seasons of bad luck which started with the exit of Alan Shoulder after a disagreement with the then chairman," said Buddle.

"Buchanan (David) took over and steadied the ship. Since then though basically everything that could have gone wrong has gone wrong.

"But I'm confident that we can turn things around."

With the club lying third bottom, above Eppleton purely on goal difference, supporters are hoping that such a U-turn will happen sooner rather than later.