Cramlington Town Independent join Bay Plastics Northern Football Alliance League as it gets back to full strength

The league will now run with a full complement of 64 clubs, 16 per division, with Prudhoe Youth Club Seniors Reserves and Cramlington Town Independent joining the league’s Bluefin Sports Insurance Third Division.

They are joined in the division by fellow Northumberland sides, Blyth Rangers and Cramlington Blue Star.

Stobswood Welfare, winners of last season’s Reeves Independent First Division title, have been promoted to the Premier Division, where they’ll play alongside AFC Newbiggin, Alnwick Town, Haltwhistle Jubilee and Wallington.

Bedlington, Hexham, Ponteland United Reserves and Rothbury will compete in the First Division, whilst in the Team Valley Carpets Second Division, the newly-promoted duo of Amble and Alnwick Town Development, will join Blyth Town Reserves, Ellington, Morpeth and North Sunderland.

Prudhoe Reserves’ manager Tommy Clasper said of their joining the Northern Alliance, from the North-East Combination League: “Our squad gets stronger all the time, and we feel this is the right time to step up to the demands of the Alliance.

“The younger lads who have progressed from within the youth set-up are now ready for the challenge alongside the more experienced lads we’ve recruited.

“Last season was largely successful as we continue to improve year-on-year, finishing third, and with two semi-finals.

“Next season we’ll look to find our feet early, and finish as high as we possibly can; our aim is promotion, as well as settling a few scores against teams we’ve struggled with in the past.”