Following an FA dictat which states that children can only play competitive football in the Under 9 age group, all teams playing in the Junior Alliance in the younger age group will only be allowed to play friendly matches.

Speaking at the club's annual meeting, league chairman Dave Burgess said: "There is nothing we can do about this and I am sure many people will be a little disappointed.

"But we are still operating all the fixtures and registrations for this age group, it's just there will not be any league tables or trophies at the end of the season.

"The FA has decided that the line needs to be drawn somewhere and we already operate a policy in the Junior Alliance League whereby competitive cup football only starts in the Under 9 age group."


THE Junior Alliance will include eight new clubs for the 2008/09 season.

Feeder Soccer, Guyhirn, Leverington, March Soccer School, Parson Drove 92, Societa Sportiva Italia, Thorpe Wood Rangers and Riverside Rangers were all elected into the league at the annual meeting at the Post Office Club.

Thorpe Wood are making a return after a year's absence.

It was also announced that Boston Juniors will have no representation in the Junior Alliance League for the first time in nine years.

Related: Junior Alliance league line-ups for 2008/09 season.
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GIRLS football teams have been issued a call to arms by the Junior Alliance.

The league hopes to register a girls league with the FA in 12 months time and is prepared to arrange and manage a number of friendly leagues for the coming season.

Committee member Karen Pearson said: "This has become an important project as we know there are lots of girls playing football in the Peterborough area and the Junior Alliance would be the perfect platform for them to compete in.

"We want any girls teams to contact the league and register an interest. These teams can be of any age group and depending on the response we will form some friendly leagues this season in various age groups with a view to offering competitive football next.

"But we need to have applied for the creation of these leagues by February so we want a trial period to see if we have the number to make that happen."