Stratford-upon-Avon Football Alliance's future is up in the air as numbers drop
A 126-YEAR-OLD league has dropped down to one division for the first time ever, revealed its despondent chairman.
And if the Stratford Alliance starts to cost more money to run than it brings in, Barry Cooke admits in 12 months' time it could be forced to fold.
It's a sorry state of affairs for the league which has just gained Charter Standard accreditation from the Football Association.
For the 2021-22 campaign the Alliance ran with two divisions, six in Aquaid Division One and 12 in Walls & Ceilings Division Two.
Cooke told the Herald those in the top tier had criticised the decision because it meant they had to play each other three times to give them enough games, adding an unnamed club in the second tier "had threatened to fold" if they were moved into Division One.
"I could not have dealt with a decision I made that forced a club to fold on my conscience, so we stuck with the two divisions for that year," he said.
Over the summer, the Alliance was dealt a huge blow when FC Wickhamford, Shipston Excelsior, Shipston Excelsior Reserves, AFC Alcester Town and Meadow Park moved into different leagues, while Redditch Borough decided to withdraw.
The mass exodus crippled the Alliance, leaving them with just 12 teams on the eve of the forthcoming campaign.
Therefore, a motion to merge the two divisions into one was put on the table for the league's committee and remaining teams to consider. Another proposal, to keep the two-division structure, was also put forward.
The majority voted in favour of having just one division, giving teams 22 league games on top of all the respective cup competitions.
However, if the situation worsens come this time next year, the Alliance could cease to exist.
"If we went with two divisions then clubs would have needed to have played each other four times to make the season worth it," admitted Cooke.
"I can't just conjure up games out of thin air. We voted on both proposals and the majority were in favour of having two divisions for the forthcoming season.
"We received unfair criticism from those six clubs in the top division last season for having two divisions but my argument was we asked every club in Division Two if they wanted to move into Division One and nobody did."
He added: "This is the first time the Alliance has been down to one division. It's really sad that it's coming down to this as the Alliance used to have five or six big divisions."
In a bid to try and welcome for teams in time for the start of the new season, the Alliance had requested to the Birmingham County FA it could broaden its catchment area from a 20-mile radius from the centre of Stratford to 25 miles.
Cooke claimed this was "reluctantly" accepted but believes the move was too little too late to influence numbers for 2022-23 and hopes it will work for 2023-24.
What has compounded the Alliance's misery more, is that only four of the 12 teams are based in Stratford: Bearley United, FISSC, Shottery United and Stratford Town Colts AFC.
The rest are right on the outskirts of south Warwickshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire.
"I don't know what I can do to change the situation," admitted a defeated Cooke.
"The problem is there are no new local teams out there that can join. You're not allowed to approach clubs in other leagues because the FA see that as poaching.
"It's going to be a case of muddling through this season but if the league gets much smaller and if it's not financially viable, then we're going to be on a really downward slope.
"If it's costing us more money to run the Alliance than what is brought it then we will be left with no choice but to fold."
