Promotion from Step 7 to Step 6

The following piece is aimed at any clubs currently at Step 7 who are hoping to be promoted to Step 6 at the end of the season.

We have been advised by the Football Association that the application process for clubs seeking promotion to Step 6 is now open. There are two important points to note, one being that the FA will decide into which league clubs will be placed if they are promoted and the other is that, for one season only, clubs playing at Step 7 do not have to finish in the top five to be considered.

Nominally it is still only one club that can be promoted from each Step 7 league but where Step 5/6 and Step 7 leagues are able to reach agreement upon more than one club, the FA is unlikely to raise an objection. This could be relevant in the CCL. We hope that the four clubs without Grade G will all attain it by 31 March, but if they don't, the path could be clear for more than one to be promoted from Step 7 especially if more than one has to be forcibly relegated. To clarify: A club finishing in 1st position that meets the entry criteria will be considered first. If that club does not apply or fails to meet the criteria then the next eligible club will be considered and so on.

In order to qualify for promotion a club’s ground must fully comply with the requirements of the National Grading Category H by 31 March 2016, with the exception of the provision of floodlights which must be installed and working by 30 September 2016.

In order to register your interest the Club Secretary should forward an email to the FA. It is important to note that the closing date for the receipt of all required information is 31st December 2015. Applications received after that date WILL NOT be accepted.