Whitton could return to Ridgeons League

Elvin King

WHITTON United look as though they could be playing in the First Division of the Ridgeons League next season. This is despite the Ipswich-based club pulling their first team out of the Premier Division earlier this month.

The fact that Division One is short of capacity gives Whitton a lifeline to stay in the forefront of East Anglian football.

League secretary Nigel Spurling confirmed: “Whitton United's position is to be discussed at a management committee meeting later this month. And any recommendations that are made will ultimately be down to clubs to vote on at the annual general meeting in the summer.

“But we do have a shortage of teams at First Division level.”

Whitton, who were fined the mandatory �1,000 sum for withdrawing their first team from the league, still have a side playing in the league's reserve section.

Spurling explained why the league did not enforce Whitton to keep playing at Premier Division level.

“They informed us that they had just two first team standard players left on their books,” said Spurling.

“Their reserve team was made up of 16-year-olds and it was felt they would take a pounding if asked to step up and fulfil the first team fixtures.”

It is understood that Whitton were seriously considering agreeing to drop down from the Premier Division at the end of the season whatever position they finished in.

This is because they will be unable to complete the �20,000 work needed to bring their ground up to the standards required for step five clubs that had to be completed by April this year. As a step six (First Division) side, Whitton will have until April 2010 to complete the work, and it will be less expensive as they will have less to do.

The club held an executive meeting last Thursday when the situation was 'thrashed out'.

Press officer Ian Hart said: “Everybody is committed to taking Whitton United forward.”

A press statement from the club is due shortly.