Due to an early start for our visitors this season, Larkhall Athletic will now be playing their first League game on August 4th, therefore their planned visit to Wisloe Road on the same date has been cancelled.

Ciren Say No To Two League Drop - 20 April

Cirencester Town will contest next season's Evo-Stik Southern League Division One South and West after their relegation from the Premier Division.

The prospect of dropping a further level by choice to the Hellenic League was discussed at an open public meeting in the club last week attended by manager Brian Hughes, fans, committee members, sponsors and a sprinkling of players. Chairman Steve Abbley hosted the forum and left it to the room to decide at what level the club wanted to play their football next season.

The unanimous view was that they should remain in the Southern League, even though Abbley made it perfectly he was no longer prepared to bail out the club financially as he had done in the past. "I said 16 years ago when I became chairman that I would never bankroll players' wages," said Abbley. "For the last two seasons I have gone back on that and spent £60,000 each year. I am no longer prepared to do that. I am more than happy, however, to keep putting money into assets for the club that everyone can enjoy."

With dwindling gates – down to a seasonal low of 61 for the match with Arlesey in March – there is little prospect of financing the club through the turnstiles, so fans have pledged to organise more fund-raising events and to seek out commercial backers like current shirt sponsors Ssangyong and the Cotswold Efficient Energy Centre. Hughes is happy to continue as manager though the chairman admitted he would be working with a '50 per cent reduced budget'.

PRESS RELEASE

NATIONAL LEAGUE SYSTEM STEP 5 REVIEW

At a meeting of the Football Association Leagues Committee held today at Wembley Stadium the Final Report from the Step 5/6 Review Group, containing a number of recommendations was considered.

By way of background, the Review Group was established by the Leagues Committee in 2011 to look at a possible reduction in the number of Step 5 divisions from 14 to 12 for the commencement of season 2013/2014. Following an initial meeting with all competitions in July 2011 there followed an extensive consultation period during which all Step 5/6 competitions were met on an individual basis to seek their views on this matter. The initial remit of the Group was altered to take into account the feedback from these meetings. In the early part of 2012 the Group held a series of meetings to which all Step 5 leagues, their member clubs and County Football Associations were invited to consider the suggestion for change.

As a result of these meetings the Review Group, taking into account both the feedback from the discussions and correspondence received, complied their Final Report and the following recommendations were agreed by the Leagues Committee today.

That the process of reducing Step 5 leagues from 14 to 12 was deemed unworkable and the initial suggestion withdrawn.

That, in order to continue to compete at Step 5 of the National League System, ALL clubs must meet the National Ground Grading Category F in FULL by 31 March 2013. Clubs that do not meet these requirements WILL be relegated to an appropriate Step 6 division/competition.

In addition all Leagues must fully comply with the Regulations for the Establishment and Operation of the National League System, Standardised Rules and National Ground Grading Document. That all Step 5 divisions must have a minimum of 20 clubs with a maximum of 22 clubs from the commencement of season 2013/2014.

· That the Leagues Committee would, in future, in conjunction with the appropriate leagues, manage the promotion/relegation process between Step 5 and Step 6 and that as from the end of season 2012/2013 clubs would be placed into “feeder pools” and allocated the most appropriate geographical division.

· That, with effect from Season 2013/2014, the Premier Divisions of the Isthmian, Northern Premier and Southern Football Leagues (Step 3) be increased to 24 clubs.

· That, with effect from Season 2013/2014 and in order to create 14 relegation places at Step 4, the Isthmian League Division 1 North and Division 1 South (Step 4) be increased to 24 clubs with each relegating 3 clubs to Step 5, subject to any club issues arising during or after the completion of the playing season. It was noted that the Northern Premier and Southern Leagues have no desire to increase to 24 clubs for their Step 4 divisions. This will mean that a number of additional clubs will be given the opportunity to be promoted from Step 5 to Step 4 for season 2013/2014, the process is to be agreed.

In future seasons, to stimulate promotion, consideration would be given to clubs that finish in 1st, 2nd or 3rd positions in Step 5 competitions provided that they meet the entry criteria for Step 4. There would, however, be only one club promoted from any Step 5 competition in any season. In addition, it was agreed that at the conclusion of Season 2012/2013 the clubs finishing in bottom position in each of the Step 4 divisions would be relegated.

· It was further agreed that discussions should take place with all leagues to look at the possibility that, regardless of any vacancies occurring, the club finishing in the bottom positions in divisions at Steps 1 to 5 of the National League System will be relegated.

· That there remained issues to be addressed at Step 6, not least in the Essex area, and these will be progressed in the coming months.

Review Group wished to place on record their thanks to all those leagues, clubs, County Football Associations and others that had contributed in any way to the consultation process.

Mike Appleby

Leagues & Clubs Manager

On behalf of the Leagues Committee

May 2012

ENDS

Corin Potts, son of Hellenic League player Jimmy Potts, was was born on 25th Sept 2008 weighing 4lb 10 ounces.

For the first three weeks of Corin's life he was in NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) at Southmead Bristol. At 18 months of age he was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy, this was confirmed with an MRI scan showing scar tissue on both sides of his brain.

Corin has always struggled with basic skills such as sitting, crawling and especially standing. He is now three years old and still has difficulty to sit and play. Just before his third birthday he was given a Kaye walker which has helped provide some independence, however he tires easily and is not expected to ever walk without it.

He cannot walk, but manages to run and play football on his knees. His parents are trying to raise enough money for Corin to have the life changing operation SDR (selective dorsal rhyzitomy) so that he can play like all the other children. Corin is such a happy boy and always brings a smile to peoples faces. Anyone who has met him knows how much of a personality he has. He is an inspiration with his positive attitude and the hard work he puts into his daily routine of exercise and stretching. His parents would love to make it possible with this operation the dream that he could take his first unaided steps.

Unfortunately the operation is not funded by the National Health, he will never walk without this very expensive operation. It is anticipated the cost of the operation and rehabilitation will be in the region of £35,000, which his parents cannot afford.

They are hoping to raise enough money to cover the costs of the operation, and the intensive physiotherapy that will be needed afterwards.

If Hellenic League players, members or supporters, can help with a donation to support the fund raising for this young child to receive the operation he needs, any contribution no matter how small will help to to make Corin's future as normal as possible.

To make a donation, visit http://www.justgiving.com/corinsfirststeps

For more information, visit http://www.facebook.com/CorinsFirstSteps

Thank You

Promotion to Step 4
1. Shortwood United are confirmed as HL Runner Up.
'The Wood' can only be considered for promotion if there are less than 12 Champion Clubs from the 14 Step 5 Leagues. At this time six of the Champions are known and all have the required grading, Guildford City, Wroxham, Witham Town, Herne Bay, Royston Town, Winchester City.

Six other leagues may well have a Champion club who meet the grading criteria by next Saturday, or earlier. These could be; Gresley or Westfields (MFA), Ramsbottom United or Runcorn (NWC Lge), Bridlington Town or Retford (NCE Lge), Three Bridges (Sussex CL), Kings Lynn (UCL), Merthyr Town (Western Lge). Dunston UTS of the Northern League have three matches matches to play this week and need to win them all to make even second spot. Shortwood United are the other contender but only if one of more of the second group of six fail to become Champions this week.

2. Hellenic League Premier Divison
Three clubs have been nominated to be relegated in the following order
1st relegation slot Henley Town (failure to meet Ground Grading)
2nd relegation slot Bracknell Town (21st in Premier Div)
3rd relegation slot Fairford Town (20th in Premier Div)
There could be reprieves depending on final out come of other promotion issues at 1 above and relegation issues from Step 4.
It is likely that Newbury, Highmoor-Ibis and Winterbourne United will be promoted from Division One East & West. Tytherington Rocks & Old Woodstock Town do not meet the required facility level to be considered. Trowbridge Town are returning to the Wiltshire Premier Division next season.

The club have announced the first set of their pre-season campaign for the 2012-13 season.

Two away trips to Bradford Town and Brimscombe & Thrupp are followed by the visit to Wisloe Road of Clevedon Town. The Swans then travel to Radstock Town before entertaining Forest Green Rovers for the second season running. This is followed by a visit from Larkhall Athletic. Further fixtures will be announced as they are agreed.

Saturday July 14th - Bradford Town (A) 3.00pm

Wednesday July 18th - Brimscombe & Thrupp (A) 7.45pm

Saturday July 21st - Clevedon Town (H) 3.00pm

Saturday July 28th - Radstock Town (A) 3.00pm

Tuesday July 31st - Forest Green Rovers (H) 7.30pm

Saturday August 4th - Larkhall Athletic (H) 3.00pm

Jamie Martin 22 (18 League, 4 Cup)
Marvin Roberts 17 (15 League, 2 Cup)
Alex Higgs 16 (15 League, 1 Cup)
Karl Nash 11 (10 League, 1 Cup)
Micky Bryant 6 (6 League)
Dan Holloway 5 (5 League)
Rob Hine 4 (4 League)
Brad Martin 3 (2 League, 1 Cup)
Andy Sheppard 2 (2 League)
Lewis Wilton 1 (1 League)
Paul Carter 1 (1 League)
Ross Langworthy 1 (1 League)
Freddy Ward 1 (1 League)
Tom Cole 1 ( 1 League)

It was an emotional afternoon as the Swans finished their Uhlsport Hellenic League programme with a victory that saw them secure a fifth place spot in the final League table. The win was tempered, however, with the occasion of Henley Town's last game at this level, and with the strong possibility that the club may shortly cease to exist.

After having been applauded onto the pitch through a Slimbridge Guard of Honour, the visitors understandably started at a pace - with 28 seconds on the clock, the visitors created a good chance when Dave Hoar set up Alex Bruce down the right flank, but Bruce was pulled back for offside.

In a frantic opening, the home side responded, and Liam Harding saw his goalbound shot blocked on the goalline after good work by Jamie Martin with just one minute on the clock.

Henley continued to fight their corner, and took the lead on four minutes, when a cross from the left saw Adam Jefferies poke the ball home past Dave Evans to give the visitors the lead.

After Jamie Martin's cross following good work down the Swans' left by Alex Higgs and Marvin Roberts was collected by Henley Keeper Ryan Latter, the home side equalised with their next attack.

Dispossessing his man in midfield, Martin went on a searching run, before laying the ball off to Higgs, who drilled the ball home to level the scores.

The visitors showed no signs of capitulation though, and fashioned probably what was the chance of the half on 18 minutes, when Higgs' miscontrol in midfield let in Elliott Whitehouse, but the Henley man skied his opportunity and the home side escaped. Two minuets later, a rare sloppy clearance from Andy Sheppard saw Jeffereries play in Hoar, but again the chance was spurned.

The chances spurred Slimbridge into a response, and, on 23 minutes, Tom Cole's clever pass nearly put Higgs in on goal, but he was ruled offside, before Martin's adventurous lob from distance sailed over Latter, but also just over the Henley bar a couple of minutes later.

As the home side began to assert themselves, Higgs and Martin were again guilty of missed chances, but just before half time, Slimbridge took the lead. After a goalmouth scramble following Fred Ward's corner, Tom Cole saw his initial effort well saved by Latter, but forced home the rebound to put the Swans ahead at the break.

Slimbridge had a couple of early chances to increase their lead as the second half progressed - Firstly, Roberts' header drifted just wide of the Henley post before Mickey Bryant rattled the post with a superb volley on 49 minutes.

The game then lost a bit of steam, and developed into a battle of attrition, with neither side able to take control of the game, until the tussle exploded back into life with ten minutes remaining.

Firstly, on 81 minutes, an overhead kick from Jamie Martin was blocked on the goalline by Whitehouse, and the Henley man saw red. It was absolutely the right decision by Referee Simon Wales, but in the context of the circumstances at that point in the match, it would have been preferable if another option had been open to the Referee within the rules of the game.

With Tom Cole off the pitch, it was left to Swans Captain Marvin Roberts to drill home the spot kick to extend the home side's lead.

Slimbridge completed their season with a final goal with five minutes remaining, when Jamie Martin's clever shot finished off a neat move involving Mickey Bryant and Liam Harding.

Henley were warmly applauded off the pitch by supporters of both sides, and, regardless of the off the pitch politics involved, the players on the pitch can be proud of their performance on the day, and everyone at Slimbridge would like to wish Henley Town FC, in whatever guise they continue, all their very best wishes for the future of the club.

Manager Leon Sterling was understandably proud of the performance of his team at the conclusion of the season, and the team can now enjoy their close season break, before they return to pre-season work in July. Pre-season games are still being formalised, and will be announced as soon as they are confirmed.

Team: Evans, Anson, Cornwall (Hine 45) , Sheppard, Wellon, Wood (Bryant 45), Harding, Cole (Ward 45), Roberts, Higgs, Martin

Goals: Higgs 13, Cole 42, Roberts (Pen) 81, Martin 85

Supporters Man of the Match: Tom Cole