A statement from the Uhlsport Hellenic League has revealed a positive outcome for the competition as it confirmed Division One West will run with 16 teams and Division One East with 18 teams.
The statement, which you can read in full on the Hellenic League website here, confirmed the addition of Stonehouse Town from the Gloucestershire County League as well as the addition of four clubs from the competition’s Division Two’s – something previously ruled out.
According to the statement, Long Crendon and Langley will join Division One East while Moreton Rangers and Bourton Rovers will join Division Two West.
Technically, the Division Two’s are outside the National League System and the Football Association had previously ruled out allowing clubs in that weren’t playing in the NLS.
In the statement, Hellenic League CEO Brian King said: “Many changes have happened following representation by UHL Chairman Bob Dalling and myself, including telephone calls to Estonia were one particular FA Officer was located with the England ‘C’ squad. Bob and I exerted as much pressure as we were able to possibly use to illicit changes in the numbers in Division One EAST and WEST”.
The only negative part of the announcement was that the Premier Division will again run with 19 teams despite the Combined Counties League Premier for example running with 21.
Combined Counties League statement
Elsewhere on Tuesday evening, the CCL released it’s own statement confirming four clubs would be promoted from its own Division One at the end of the season as step 5 increases from 14 to 16 divisions.
We believe four teams will go up each from the Hellenic Division One West and East but have yet to see that confirmed.
