NEW Milton Town, Ringwood Town and Verwood Town all look destined for an anxious wait to discover their fate for next season.

It still remains unclear how many teams will move up and down the non-league ladder when the promotion and relegation shake-up takes place in the Sydenhams Wessex League.

Should four sides drop out of the top flight, which is likely to happen if Newport Isle of Wight come down from the Southern League and no Wessex Premier clubs qualify for promotion, then Ringwood look doomed and New Milton are also in danger.

But, as acting league chairman Bob Purkiss told the Daily Echo, the situation is still up in the air.

He said: "We don't know yet. It depends on what happens further up the leagues.

"If the FA tell us we have to take, for example, Newport Isle of Wight, we have got to balance out the league at 22.

"We've made provisions and got acceptance by the FA, if necessary, that we can go up to four relegation places.

"That's what we said last year for this year, but we won't know that yet. There's a number of permutations."

One thing is for certain - the Wessex League's Premier and Division One steps have to consist of 22 teams each come the 2008/09 season.

Relegation will also be between two and four sides and there will be at least one promotion place for teams in Division One, which looks set to be runaway leaders Tadley Calleva.

Ringwood boss Jy Taylor has already spoken of his frustration at not knowing the number of condemned clubs and he is not the only one in that boat, with New Milton's football secretary Richie Phippard preparing for the worst.

He said: "From my point of view, it's got to be sorted out. You can't do things straight away but we've got to have something in place so clubs know as soon as the season ends.

"We can't have it dragging on until pre-season. We're doing everything on the worst case scenario. I would imagine all the teams below and around us are working on the same basis.

"It's not a good situation to be in, I'd rather be one of those teams in the middle - they've not got to worry."

But the teams in the mix, including Division One promotion hopefuls Verwood, could have a nervy wait.

"We have an AGM on June 22," said Purkiss.

"That's when we put the constitution together for next year, so 14 days before then (June 8) we put the paperwork together.

"But by the end of March and April we start to look and get a good indication if anyone above will be relegated down to us, then we take it from there."

  • Bashley's scheduled trip to King's Lynn in the BGB Premier Division tonight has been postponed.