A RELEGATION lifeline has been snatched away from Swindon Supermarine as plans for a major non-League reshuffle come to fruition.

The much-mooted Conference 2 will go ahead, but not until the 2004-05 season possibly a year too late to save Marine from dropping back into the Hellenic League.

Delegates at the Conference summit meeting at Soho Square voted for the existing non-League top flight to be increased to 24 teams as of next season.

Twelve months later a second tier will be introduced, with the leading 48 clubs from the Dr Martens, Ryman and Unibond Leagues making up Conference 2 North and Conference 2 South.

That will mean any side facing relegation from the existing feeder leagues may be retained to counter the loss of the club's making the Conference transition.

But that will come a year too late should Marine fail to escape the drop zone in the Western Division this season.

Chippenham are in line for a place in Conference 2 South, but they will have to finish in the top 16 of the Premier Division next season to secure an invitation.

Finances, stadia and playing record will all be taken into consideration when Conference officials decide who to accept in the new set-up.

The sweeping changes will have massive ramifications all the way down the non-League pyramid.

Leading teams in the Hellenic and Screwfix Direct Leagues could find themselves with an open invitation to the decimated Dr Martens League, so the likes of Highworth could be making the step-up, and if Marine dogo down it could just be one season in exile before an immediate return to the present Western Division.