A 'slap in the face' for prominent city club as Peterborough League reject a last-gasp bid to return to the Premier Division

Oundle Town resigned from the competition earlier this week prompting Netherton officials to fire off a letter to the league requesting a reinstatement to the top flight. Netherton were relegated last season after finishing bottom of the table with 24 points from 32 matches – the highest number of points for a relegated club for at least 80 years. The bottom four were separated by just two points.

Netherton cited the League’s AGM commitment to have an 18-team Premier Division plus the fact the club have appointed a top-class management team, which includes former Peterborough United player Andy Furnell, and assembled a squad strong enough to compete in the top flight. Netherton have also restructured their committee including the return of Steve Quinney who was at the helm when the club enjoyed much recent success.

But the League rejected Netherton’s appeal with League chairman Alan Poulain stating there was ‘no provision in the Standard Code of Rules or League Rules to allow this to happen,’, although Netherton believe there is precedent for a last-minute change to the competition constitution.

A Netherton spokesman said: “It’s a real slap in the face for a club who have done more for local football in the last 30 years than anyone else, and a slap in the face for a former Posh player as well.

"It’s a shame the League didn’t apply the rules properly last year when they erroneously deducted four points from Oundle for failing to fulfil four fixtures. A proper set of deductions would have seen Oundle finish bottom anyway.”

The Peterborough League kicks off tomorrow with matches in the Premier Division and Division One. Netherton will host Hampton United at the Grange in Division One (2pm kick off). The Premier Division will now run with 17 teams, the same number as last season.