The FA has announced a divisional structure for the South West that aims to combat the travel distances encountered by clubs in this part of the country.

Following discussions the new structure will be put in place for the 2023/24 season, the season after the one set to start next Saturday.

In its current format at step five the Western League sees Cornish sides such as Falmouth Town, Helston Athletic, Millbrook, Saltash United, Torpoint Athletic and Mousehole travel at furthest to Keynsham Town which is north of Bristol.

Such distances resulted in a midweek game between Keynsham Town and Mousehole being forfeited by the Keynsham who were unable to assemble a squad to make the rescheduled journey at such short notice.

The new league as part of the 'Project South West' movement will see the existing Western and Peninsula leagues who have four leagues between them merge. They currently have one league at step five, and three at step six.

The newly formed division will operate with five leagues. With two at step five to reduce travel and costs,while there will still be three leagues at step six with up to 18 clubs in each league rather than the 17-22 that currently fill the numbers.

Phil Hiscox, Secretary of the South West Peninsula League said: "The South West is a unique region with challenges for clubs travelling both in terms of time & distance, and more than ever costs as well.

The new set up will allow the previously disadvantaged clubs a pathway through the national league system which will be both achievable and affordable whilst maintaining a high level of football for those clubs."

The two new step five divisions will have 18 teams in each, an increase of 16 clubs, these additional spaces will be filled by the highest placed FOUR Clubs playing in EACH of the existing three Step six divisions (Provided they meet Grade G/6 in full by March 31st, and who give a written undertaking to comply with Grade F/5 by the following March.)

Clubs who are either laterally moved by the FA Leagues Committee from another Step five competition to the new entity, either directly by the FA Leagues Committee or as a result of an application for lateral movement. Remaining places will then be allocated to clubs lower than 4th in group one above on a Points Per game basis until 36 clubs are in membership. It should be noted as an example that if two spaces remain with three eligible 5th placed clubs, by using PPG two would receive upward movement and one would not.

The new step six divisions have the intention to have a minimum of 16 teams in each league with a maximum of 18 sides (48-54 in total).

As clubs are likely to move up to step five there are more vacancies in step six. Clubs in any of the regional feeder leagues throughout the South West will be eligible to apply for a promotion to step six of which there is already an agreed procedure and compliance requirement in place.

The league have said that in order to ensure sufficient numbers in the three divisions it may-be necessary to reduce the number of clubs due for relegation from the existing three Step six divisions in this one-off qualifying season. In the event of 16 clubs per division at Step 6, alternative fixturing maybe considered such as an additional Cup competition for that step.

You can read the full release regarding the restructure here.