The demise of the Coastal Premier League may well open up some alternative options for Football Mid North Coast heading into the future.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
On December 2 the CPL was abandoned following a lack of team nominations ahead of the 2023 season which forced FMNC to pull the pin after three interrupted seasons.
They have returned to the drawing board, but chairman Lance Fletcher doesn't see it as a bad thing where he says the option of applying to join the Newcastle competition is a possibility.
Just what that format may look like is unknown, but one which is being considered.
"We had the option to go north [with Coffs Harbour and the CPL] and we may have an option to go south," he said.
"Obviously it's a lot harder to get into the Newcastle comp, but it's certainly something worth considering."
Fletcher acknowledged an end-of-season tournament involving some Newcastle clubs could also be explored.
"We want to give our guys an opportunity to play high-level football," he said.
The FMNC chairman said he wasn't aware of any clubs who had expressed an interest in joining the Coffs Harbour competition.
"Both chairs have agreed not to allow any clubs to come across the border," he said.
Mid North Coast clubs such as Taree, Port United, Port Saints, Macleay Valley and Kempsey will now nominate to join a Zone Premier League competition.
The demise of the CPL could come at a good time for clubs such as Tuncurry-Forster and Camden Haven who have dominated their respective southern and northern men's league competitions.
"We're pretty much going to look after our own direction and let's take this as a positive and let's get our clubs up to a level in the ZPL that they were at the Coastal Premier League," Fletcher said.
It is anticipated all six former Coastal Premier League clubs will nominate for the ZPL along with Camden Haven and possibly Forster-Tuncurry.
Forster-based Southern United have expressed an interest in applying to joining the Newcastle competition permanently, with the backing of FMNC.
"Southern United want to play at the top level so we've got to support that," Fletcher said.
"Of all our clubs [they] are the most disappointed because they're the ones that put in the big effort and did the most mileage [in the CPL]."
IN OTHER NEWS: