WELLINGTON have been told ‘verbally’ there will be no relegation from the Premier Division of the Toolstation Football League at the end of the season.

This is because the division is being split into two divisions - North and South - with 18 teams in each.

Wellington secretary Jeff Brown explained this week: “We could be placed in either division because we are piggy in the middle. But my gut feeling is we will be playing in North.”

With the big Cornish sides playing in South, the two top divisions will obviously contain weaker sides because they need to bring in lesser teams to make up the numbers. Clubs in the Toolstation League have been issued with the following statement: “From August, 2023, the current Western and South West Peninsula Leagues will merge to form one new competition covering the Region from Bristol to Lands End - the Western Peninsula Football League.

“The merger has been in the pipeline for the past two years with much work going on in the background, but with the start approaching the steering group want to explain the likely changes.

“First the new names, the Western Peninsula, ensures both previous leagues and clubs are part of the new entity, likewise the first officials of the league will be those who have served the previous two leagues as well.

“The objective of the merger is to reduce travel and increase sustainability for regional football at Step five and six while maintaining a competitive and exciting competition for supporters and participants alike. We have come up with a five division set up to achieve this.

“Two Step Five divisions, Premier North and Premier South - These will have 18 clubs in each and although the exact clubs allocated to each will depend on final league tables, the North will be mainly Bristol, Gloucestershire and Somerset with the South mainly Devon and Cornwall.

“Both champions will be able to progress to Step Four (though the exact route is governed by the FA). Clubs finishing in the bottom two will be liable to relegation.

“Three Step Six divisions, Division One’s East (covering most of the current Western League Div One area), Central (largely where SW Peninsula East sits), and West (what is currently SW Peninsula West).

“These will aim to have 18 clubs in each but to reduce affect on the feeder leagues it may be necessary to start with divisions of 16. The champions of each will be able to be promoted, with play-offs below that for additional spaces.”

The formal launch of the new competition will take place at Sandy Park, home of Exeter Chiefs RFC on Thursday, March 16.