SCREWFIX DIRECT LEAGUE: WARMINSTER Town manager Andy Crabtree is fuming with the Screwfix Direct League's management committee after his club were relegated into the Wiltshire League last week.

Warminster finished bottom of the First Division with a meagre nine-point return last season, but had hoped the lack of clubs applying to join the league together with the departures of Premier Division sides Taunton Town and Yeovil Town Reserves would grant them a stay of execution.

For the past two seasons, the league have elected not to relegate the bottom club, with Calne Town and Frome Town the main beneficiaries in 2001 and 2000 respectively.

Calne again finished in a bottom two place this season, but survived once more as the league's management committee opted to relegate just one team into the county league.

Crabtree believes the decision smacks of double standards and is still upset after only learning of his club's demise through the pages of the Wiltshire Times last Friday.

He said: "I'm disgusted, to be frank. For a semi-professional league to carry on in that way is not on. I nearly choked on my cornflakes when I read about it in the paper.

"We still haven't received any official word from the league. All we have is a newsletter with a list of teams for next season and we're not on it.

"Last season was a struggle and we didn't set the world alight, but all of a sudden it seems the Screwfix League have got a conscience about the pyramid system.

"We have had one bad year and been punished for it. One team in the First Division won't have a game every week next season, so what have they actually gained from it?"

Crabtree will remain in the managerial hotseat next season and his resolve to restore Warminster's Screwfix Direct League status has been strengthened by his anger at last week's decision.

He said: "I want to give it a really good go, although it will be a hard league to get out of. I don't think we'll lose anyone playing-wise and we want to get into a top half position where we can challenge for promotion."

Another casualty of last week's decision by Screwfix Direct League officials were Westbury United, who finally lost their Premier Division status after two years of narrow escapes.

Westbury boss Derek Graham understood the league's decision to relegate his side and hopes to mount a First Division promotion challenge next season.

He said: "We finished bottom and any team who finishes bottom should be relegated at the end of the day."