SENIOR football clubs in the Salisbury and surrounding area are set for a major shake-up after the Hampshire Football League and the Sydenhams Wessex League announced a rationalisation which will bring clubs into line with the Football Association's National Pyramid System, writes Ryan Lovejoy.

Talks between officials of the two leagues have agreed that the new procedure will be in place in time for the 2004-5 season with all divisions of each league playing under the banner of the SWL, forming four senior divisions and three Combination divisions.

All divisions will be administered jointly by officers of the two leagues.

Both have stressed that ultimately ground grading standards, set by the FA, will determine which division clubs will play in.

The changes mean the 108-year old Hampshire League will be swallowed up with all its Premier Division clubs moving into the new Wessex Division Two, along with some Dorset Premier League clubs.

The top three divisions will be steps five to seven in the Pyramid.

Division Three will feature Hampshire Division One outfits, while Hampshire Division Two teams will play in the temporary Division Four.

By 2006-7 there will be three senior divisions, with those unable to meet ground grading forced to drop into local football.

There has been mixed reactions to the announcement.

Bemerton Heath Harlequins boss Steve Slade said: "I think it's a good thing. The league had stagnated a little bit, so having two up and two down will be beneficial - so long as we aren't one of the teams relegated."

His Wessex League counterpart, Downton's Mitch Blake, was also positive.

"It definitely makes for a less parochial system. We just want to stay in this division but clubs of our size will always find it difficult against big town teams. Saying that, we have always passed the different ground grading tests and there are many grounds in a worse condition than ours."

Hampshire Premier side Ringwood Town will be among the founder members of Wessex Division Two, which they had applied to join when the idea of a breakaway was first mooted last year.

Chairman and manager Bob Lane said: "It's a good compromise and I'm pleased they sorted it out.

"We wanted to be in the Wessex, but we enjoyed the Hampshire, so we would have felt a bit guilty if we had weakened the Hampshire by leaving."

However, Amesbury Town had opted to stay in the Hamp-shire League, and their coach Nick Horner remains sceptical.

"The last thing we were told was that the Hampshire FA would fight tooth and nail to keep their league and they were quite emotional about it. Whenever they've asked us for backing, we have given it. Maybe if a few other clubs had done the same, we wouldn't be in this situation."