THE SK Homes Newcastle League has reverted to a four division format for next season.
Division Three has been revived after a lapse of two seasons in an effort to ease the fixture congestion that was evident in the past two months.
The Premier Division has also been reduced from 14 to 13 teams and at present only nine teams, compared to 14 last season, will contest Division One.
“The proposed changes should mean things will run much smoother and Premier clubs have been told that it will be two down, one up next season to leave a 12-team division for the future. Division One teams will also compete for the Purdy Cup next season giving them a minimum of four extra games.”
Two teams, Ballycam Celtic and Tollymore, have been relegated from the Premier while Saintfield AYC have been promoted from Division One, leaving 13 teams in the division, similar to the 2007-08 season.
The new Division One excludes any Second strings of teams in the Premiership which means that Valley II, Killough II, Ballyvea II, Castlewellan II, Ballynahinch Olympic II and Portaferry II drop down to Division Two.
The nine teams making up Division One are now Ballycam Celtic, Tollymore, Ardglass II, Newcastle II, Annalong Swifts, Ballynahinch United III, Ballykinlar Rec, Saintfield FC (moving up from Division Two) and Carryduff Athletic.
A 10-team Division Two is made up of Valley Rangers II, Killough II, Ballyvea II, Castlewellan II, Ballynahinch Olympic II, Portaferry II, Rossglass II, Dromara III, Rathfriland III and Tollymore II.
And there are also 10 teams in Division Three, Ardglass III, Newcastle III, Ballyvange II, Strangford II, Valley Rangers III, Saintfield AYC II, Annalong Rangers, Castlewellan III, Ballyvea III and Mourne Rovers II.
This means that the programme for the bottom two divisions will have a manageable 18 games compared to 28 in Division Two in the season just ended.
The only team to drop out of the League is Tollymore Thirds who finished bottom of Division Two.
