Streamlined Divisions Set for 2024/25: Ensuring Fair Play and Reducing Travel Strain
DIVISIONS
The League Management Committee met last night to consider the make up of the Divisions for 2024/25. A number of options were considered one of which being the option of a North/South split. However this proved very difficult for a number of reasons :
1. With the increase in the number of teams it would be difficult to run an end of year play off particularly if the weather was anything like last year.
2. The North option resulted in a Division that was not balanced in terms of the teams for example two clubs each with a reserve side would be in the same Division, the teams that were added to make up the North would be travelling long distances every other week for their away matches with very limited local matches.
3. There is a rule in SCOR (Standard Code of Rules) which allows two teams from the same club to be in the same Division but does not allow the interchange of players other than by transfer of the player. This could work against players in Reserve sides being considered for the First team on merit, also some players maybe restricted on where they can play due to work (eg they can only play home games).
Therefore we decided to run a straight 4 Divisions. The allocation of clubs for the Premier Division and Division 1 was straightforward. The allocation between Division 2 and 3 was based on where teams finished in their respective Leagues last year (Mid Lancs, North Lancs, Wigan Amateur etc) and an assessment of completely new teams.
The Divisions for 2024/25 are below.
Premier Division | Division One |
Bickerstaffe Broughton Amateurs Burscough Dynamo Eccleston & Heskin Highgrove Preston Wanderers Shevington Southport & Ainsdale Amateurs Standish St Wilfrids Tarleton Corinthians Walmer Bridge | AFC Ainsdale Appley Bridge Astley FC Cherrybrook Cube FC Leyland RAFA (Previously Gables FC) Hoole United Ribchester Rovers Sir Tom Finney Southport & Ainsdale Amateurs Reserves Standish St Wilfrids Reserves |
Division Two | Division Three |
Astley FC Reserves Bickerstaffe Reserves Burscough FC Castle FC Fleetwood Hesketh Marsh United Middleton & Overton New Longton Rovers Westgate Hawks Wigan Rovers | AFC Ainsdale Reserves Bay Rangers Broughton Amateurs Reserves Cherrybrook Reserves Chipping FC A Marsh United Reserves Middleton & Overton Reserves Shevington Reserves Walmer Bridge Reserves Wyre Villa |
AFFLIATION
Again thank you to all those clubs who have completed their Affiliation.
A word of warning for those that haven’t in terms of playing football, friendlies, pre season tournaments. If you are not Affiliated, you are not insured and you should not be playing football until you are Affiliated. For example this could have consequences for your club and players if there are injuries.
Based on the current information on the Whole Game System the following are not currently Affiliated (there are a couple in progress so I have excluded them from the list):
- Castle FC
- Cherrybrook Reserves
- Cube FC
- Fleetwood Hesketh
- Ribchester Rovers
- Preston Wanderers
- Standish St Wilfrids
- Wyre Villa
Please could I ask that you complete the Affiliation as soon as possible.
LEAGUE MEETING OF CLUBS
The next League Meeting of Clubs will be held on Thursday 8 August 7.30pm at Bamber Bridge County & Catholic Club, Brownedge Road, Bamber Bridge , Preston PR5 6TA.
The main purpose of the meeting will be to run through all the arrangements for the start of the new season. Further details will be sent out nearer the time.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.
Alan Stuttard
Secretary / Treasurer
Mid Lancashire Football League