Gwent County League

TWO local teams face a nervous summer as they wait to learn which league they will play in next season.

Because of a rule handed down by UEFA, leagues throughout Europe must reduce the number of teams in each division to a maximum of 16 in time for the new season.

That means leagues with 18 teams in each of their divisions must relegate two more teams than usual and begin a domino effect down through the pyramid system.

Although that seems relatively straightforward, the promotion system complicates the process.

Of the four leagues – including the East Gwent Senior League Division One – which form the base of the pyramid, only one team per league can be promoted to the Gwent County League (GCL) but as some teams do not have home grounds which meet the promotion criteria there could be up to four teams eligible for promotion to the GCL Division Three.

The GCL currently has the required 16 teams but the Welsh League’s three divisions all have 18 and, to complicate things even more, those threatened with relegation from GCL Division Three to a regional feeder league – like the East Gwent Senior League - would have to go into a league that was geographically appropriate.

The worst-case scenario has seven clubs relegated from GCL Division Three. The bottom seven currently includes Rockfield Rovers (14th) and Caldicot Castle (9th).

Castle’s manager Alex Hart hit out at the uncertainty of the situation last week, saying the process has been badly organised but it appears the Welsh League management committee has been slow to introduce the reductions after being told of the UEFA decision five years ago.