Following an extensive review of the Northern NSW Football (NNSWF) Male Premier League Competitions, the NNSWF Board of Directors has resolved to invite Northern Inland Football entry into the second-tiered Northern League One (NL1) Youth competitions for season 2020.
In the senior competitions, after the extensive review of 16 applications, NNSWF Board of Directors also resolved to maintain ten (10) clubs in the senior divisions of the topflight NPL NNSW.
NNSWF CEO David Eland said the composition of NNSWF’s NPL reflects the Assessment Panel’s recommendations and the Board’s commitment to preserve the integrity of the Federation’s topflight competition. This includes placing promotion and relegation between the NPL NNSW and Northern League One (NL1) on hold until there are enough clubs participating in NL1 that are adjudged to be operating at a level commensurate with the incumbent NPL clubs.
“The Board of Directors support promotion and relegation in principle on the basis that there are sufficient clubs in the underpinning league pressing for promotion.”
“The Board will consider the composition of the Premier Competitions annually by introducing an ongoing reporting system, which will monitor the overall performance of clubs in relation to the key criteria.
“Management has been instructed to implement an ongoing reporting system which will objectively monitor the overall performance of clubs in the NPL and NL1, enabling the Board to promote clubs in the short term and potentially reinstate promotion and relegation.” said Eland
The following ten (10) clubs will hold a rolling participation agreement to contest the NPL NNSW from 2020:
Adamstown Rosebud FC
Broadmeadow Magic FC
Charlestown City Blues FC
Edgeworth Eagles FC
Hamilton Olympic FC
Lake Macquarie City FC
Lambton Jaffas FC
Maitland FC
Valentine FC
Weston Workers FC
North Coast Football and Football Mid North Coast are also invited to continue participating in the NPL NNSW Youth (13’s, 14’s, 15’s and 16’s) and the Newcastle Jets will be welcome to continue competing in the NPL NNSW Senior and Youth in the event that the club’s application to compete in the NPL NSW is unsuccessful.
From 2020 the divisions comprising NL1 will be aligned to the those of NPL NNSW: First Grade, Reserves, 18’s, 16’s, 15’s, 14’s and 13’s.
Following are the eleven (11) clubs invited to participate in NL1 from 2020:
Belmont Swansea Utd SC
Cessnock City FC
Cooks Hill United FC
Kahibah FC
New Lambton FC
Singleton SC
South Cardiff FC
Thornton Redbacks FC
Toronto-Awaba FC
Wallsend FC
West Wallsend Senior FC
Northern Inland Football (NIF) has also been granted entry for the first time into the NL1 Youth (13’s, 14’s, 15’s and 16’s) in 2020.
NNSWF has reaffirmed its commitment to work towards the establishment of a division of the National Premier Leagues for Women from 2021 by establishing a local working group. The group met earlier in the month to plan and identify the key gaps which need to be addressed by clubs ahead of the formation of the new league. There was initial consensus that the NPL NNSW Women should comprise First Grade, Reserves, 17’s, 15’s and 13’s.
