PETE ROWE is glad Swindon Town have played their part in staving off a league 'by invitation'.

The club's chief executive attended the quarterly meeting of the Football League where the so-called Phoenix League idea was panned.

But the gathering of all 72 Nationwide League clubs did agree that a review of the present league structure should be carried out.

Over the next two years, ideas to be mooted include a return to regionalisation and a three-up, three down system between divisions Two and Three.

Ways of cushioning the blow for clubs relegated to the lower divisions would also be looked at.

Mr Rowe believes the Phoenix idea had to be nipped in the bud and he was glad that had been achieved.

He said to form such a league would be the kiss of death for Divisions Two and Three.

Mr Rowe said: "This idea would essentially be franchise elitism.

"You would have a league by invitation.

"If your face didn't fit then you wouldn't get a place in the league, even if your points tally merited one."

He said: "If you take away a club's hope of promotion or fear of relegation then I honestly believe we should just pack up and go home."

Town's chief executive said the idea was attractive to clubs in the bottom third of the Premiership and the 'wannanbes' of Division One.

He said: "Would some of those First Division clubs be quite so interested if they were relegated to Division Two at the end of the season?

"Life in the lower divisions would become too much for some clubs. You would certainly become far less attractive for television purposes and attracting new sponsors would be pretty tough."

Mr Rowe said ways had to be found to spread money more evenly, rather than pouring it into the coffers of the already rich.

He said: "At present, the gap in average income between Division One and Two is about £1.5 million a year.

"When clubs are relegated from the Premiership, they receive a parachute payment to cushion the blow.

"There is no such cushion when you are relegated to Division Two or Division Three.

"But a review of the game's structure is long overdue and that's something I welcome."