AMONGST the ongoing changes this summer, the club has made the decision to withdraw from the Pontin's Holidays League for next season.

While there will be a financial saving in not staging competitive reserve team games, the main considerations behind the move were footballing ones.

"Because the Pontin's League is a properly organised competition, you obviously have to abide by their rules and regulations," commented Brian Little.

"This means you don't have a great deal of control over when games are scheduled and it can lead to clashes with midweek first fixtures as the season develops.

"On a number of occasions this year we have found ourselves playing games, when we really didn't need to, and then going weeks without a reserve team match, which meant we have had to organise friendlies to give players a run out."

As a Welsh club we have also found that international clearance issues have stopped us playing some trialists from English clubs, when all we have wanted to do is look at a player in a match situation.

"We don't intend doing away with the reserve team, far from it, but we will be looking at following the example set by clubs like Crewe Alex, who play a series of friendlies over the season, as and when they feel they could do with a game," said the boss.

"This has proved very successful for them and with our connections around the north-west and midlands, we feel that we can organise enough matches to more than satisfy our requirements.

"In addition, we will have more freedom about when and where we play these games, as Pontin's matches have to be played at grounds which meet the league's criteria for floodlighting, dressing rooms, spectator facilities, etc.

"This way we can play at Colliers Park on an afternoon or morning to suit us and if the weather is poor, we can use our all-weather pitch and, within reason, not have to worry about the game being called off."

The club would like to once again thank Buckley Town Football Club for their efforts in hosting our Pontin's League matches for the last three years. They have given us tremendous support and all their hard work has been much appreciated.