NORTHERN LEAGUE EYE NEW PYRAMID LEVEL
LEAGUE BOSSES PROPOSE NEW STEP 4 DIVISION IN FA’S RESTRUCTURING OF NON-LEAGUE
The Ebac Northern League has applied to the Football Association to secure a Step 4 level in the national pyramid.
The FA are introducing a restructuring plan for the pyramid which will include automatic promotion to Step 4, currently the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League’s North Division.
Northern League clubs have often refused promotion in recent years, partly due to the extra costs and travelling distance.
The Northern League are unhappy at the potential dilution of the league’s quality as better teams rise in the pyramid and are unlikely to be replaced by clubs coming down, due to geographical reasons.
In a letter sent to clubs by league secretary Kevin Hewitt, the Northern League’s position was laid out.
The letter read: “We have formally applied to the Football Association for the Ebac Northern League to adjust its position within the system to include a Step 4 division covering this region.
“The proposed adjustment would see the addition of a Premier Division at Step 4, which would then feed into the Evostik Northern Premier League Premier Division (at Step 3).
“While the rest of the proposal would see two further divisions, each of 20 clubs at Steps 5 and 6 to ensure that there was an effective structure put in place for football in the North of England.
“These changes would, of necessity, move current boundaries southwards, the effect of which would therefore be to bring a number of existing Step 4 clubs within the new regional boundaries.
“Unfortunately, we were left with only a limited window of opportunity for making such an application, as FA rules stipulate that any league requesting such a change must apply by 31st December, but clearly we were not in a position to put forward such a proposal until we had been presented with the FA’s plans in detail.
“So, while it was our intention to inform clubs immediately of that decision, the FA requested that it be withheld until they had been given time to consider the proposal, which is due to be presented to the Leagues Committee for their consideration.
“We understand that this is a major decision for the league, but we also believe it is the best way forward both for non-league football at Steps 4-6 in the North of England as well as for the long-term benefit of our league and its clubs.”
On the FA’s existing plan for restructuring, Hewitt added: “The most significant changes to affect this league being there would be mandatory promotion from our First Division into Step 4 and a reduction to 20 teams in both of our divisions, meaning that several clubs would be leaving the league.
“Promotion and relegation from the Ebac Northern League will clearly have a major impact both on those clubs directly affected and also the overall standard of the league.
“Clubs promoted to the current Step 4 league face a significant increase in both travelling times and other running costs, while those that are relegated may well suffer a fall in attendances and also not be able to access revenue streams currently available through the FA and our generous sponsor, Ebac.
“Automatic promotion out of the league will also become a permanent arrangement, rather than a one-off for the coming season, the consequence of which is while we will lose our strongest teams there is little likelihood, because of our geographical location, of receiving any teams relegated from Step 4.”