KoolSport NCEL runners-up Rainworth MW are preparing for life in the Northern Premier League next season after champions Bridlington Town declined promotion this week.

Bridlington chairman Peter Smurthwaite formally notified the Football Association this week that the Seasiders had opted to stay put in the NCEL because of the travelling involved for his club at the higher level. [See story here.]

Rainworth's promotion still has to be ratified by the Football Association, but it is expected to be a formality, given the National League System rules on promotion from Step 5 to Step 4.

There are fourteen leagues including the NCEL at Step 5 of the National Leagues System, but only twelve promotion places from Step 5 to Step 4.

This season the champions of four of those leagues have either not applied for promotion, withdrawn their application, or failed to achieve a satisfactory ground grading.

This means that the remaining ten champion clubs will be promoted, along with the two runners-up clubs from the remaining four leagues who have applied for promotion and have the best points per game record.

Runners-up can only be promoted from leagues whose champions are not going up.

Of those four leagues, the Northern League runners-up Shildon did not apply for promotion, so the remaining three - Wimborne Town (Wessex League), Witham Town (Essex Senior League) and Rainworth (NCEL) were left to contest the two places on a points per game basis.

In that, the Wrens were second behind Wimborne but ahead of Witham who will miss out unless a further place becomes available by other means.

It will be Rainworth's third promotion in four seasons, and fulfils the promise made by manager Rudy Funk on his appointment to bring UniBond football (as it then was) to Kirklington Road - a promise made at a time when they had only avoided relegation from the Central Midlands Supreme Division because other clubs were demoted for not meeting floodlighting deadlines.

Funk, along with assistant manager Billy Millar and coaches Mark Place, succeeded by Les McJannet, have transformed the club during their five-year stint at Kirklington Road.

The manager paid tribute to Bridlington, saying: "They are without a doubt the best team in the NCEL - their record proves that - and they did us two massive favours in beating our closest rivals Armthorpe and Thackley rather than easing off after their title was confirmed.

"Now in a way they have done us another favour, but Peter Smurthwaite, who is a close personal friend, has also done what he believes is the right thing for his club, which would have faced a massive travelling bill had they accepted promotion.

"As for us, assuming that the FA ratify our promotion, we will be ready for this next challenge in the ongoing development of our club."

Chairman Derek Blow, welcoming the likelihood of promotion, added: "I hope we can attract more people from within the Rainworth community to our matches next season, because I don't think people realise what a great club they have in their village."