The summer re-organisation of local football has left the Montgomeryshire Amateur League facing a financial shortfall which may have to be met by clubs, who begin their new campaigns this weekend.
The creation of the Spar Mid Wales Division Two has tempted six clubs from the Montgomeryshire Amateur League to step up,with its champions, Llanidloes, join the First Division. Newtown Reserves have folded and Bishop's Castle has switched to the English system.
And while league secretary Bernie Jones, celebrating 50 years in local football this season, wishes them well he has been left with a huge hole in the league’s books.
“There has been a lot of issues to sort out in regards to the new amateur leagues for the upcoming season but it is the financial shortfall that worries me,” he said. “You can’t run a league on fresh air so the reality is that the shortfall might need to be met by increased fees next year.”
The reduction in revenue is forecasted due to the signing on fees going to the league that the club’s most senior team plays in. With all but five teams in the two Amateur Leagues being Reserve Clubs, it means that the league won’t receive a single penny from the likes of players signing for Llanfair Reserves, whose first team have gone up to the Spar set-up.
“Last season, the two Llanfair clubs signed around 60 players which translated to 60 pounds for the league,” explained Jones. “This season, because the first team is in the Spar, all the fees will go to that league which I don’t think is fair. It will see us lose hundreds of pounds as only five clubs from 19 will be paying signing on fees to this league.”
Jones is writing to the Central Wales Football Association to ask for a split of signing on fees for clubs that have reserve sides in his divisions. If he does not receive a satisfactory reply, amateur clubs could see their fees face a sharp rise in the 2011/12 season.