Ayrshire amateur football league shake up

Jun 18 2008 Ayrshire Post

IT will be all change in the Ayrshire amateur football leagues next season.

Numbers will be fewer with Fourth Division strugglers Ballantrae KA and Wallacetoun Sporting Club set to pull out.

Early this week, both had failed to reapply for membership and unless there is a late change of heart, five divisions of 58 clubs will kick off in August.

It will be a further blow to the leagues after Crosshouse Waverley, Scotia Thistle and Irvine Thistle all withdrew during the season.

Three new clubs have been accepted into membership — Largs Kintyre, West Kirk Thistle (Cumnock) and Stewarton United.

Two clubs are changing their names. BPF Prestwick will become Ayr Thistle while Monkton will be known as Whitletts Victoria.

The formation of leagues meeting takes place at Kilmarnock Academy tonight (Thursday) with major changes to all divisions on the cards.

It is proposed that the top three teams from Division One win promotion to make up the shortfall in the Premier.

And the knock-on effect from that could see the top four from Divisions Two, Three and Four all step up.

lHurlford Thistle won the final Ayrshire honours of the season.

They beat Clark Drive 3-2 with a late goal in the final of the Donsport Trophy at New Pebble Park, Annbank, last Friday.