Northern Football League division 2 will be a seven-team competition this season.
The league’s board met on Monday night to discuss the structure of division 2 and division 3 competitions, after the withdrawal of Reservoir from the competition.
The Mustangs, who won last year’s division 3 premiership, were due to play in division 2 this year after being promoted.
Last week it was announced due to a player shortage, the club didn’t have the numbers to field a senior and reserves sides, meaning they wouldn’t take to the field this season.
They will still field junior teams.
A statement from the league following Monday’s meeting, said that division 2 would be a seven-team competition, while division 3 would remain unchanged.
There had been talk of promoting a team from division 3 to division 2 to keep division 2 at eight clubs.
“The league has created a new division 2 fixture for the 2016 season, with the competition to be played across 19 rounds, with all teams to play 16 matches and have three byes,” the statement said.
“To ensure division 2 returns to eight teams for the 2017 season, the club who finishes bottom of the division 2 ladder this year will not be relegated, while the division 3 premier will be promoted.”
The league has released a new division 2 fixture following the withdrawal from the Mustangs.
