A MEETING of Manning area football clubs this week decided to switch women's competition matches from Friday nights to Saturday afternoons.

The has received the full support of the Football Mid North Coast Board.

Board member Mike Parsons of Harrington said club delegates were overwhelmingly in favour of the switch. Old Bar FC raised the matter last month, with club president Noel Lanagan saying Friday night matches have been marred by crowd misbehaviour.

Mr Parsons said this was one reason for the move. However, he added the general opinion was that the women's competition has outgrown Friday nights. He said the board is keen to promote women's football and believes playing in the daylight on Saturdays is the best way to do this. Daylight games will also make it easier for media promotion, so furthering the competition's exposure.

He agreed some players will be inconvenienced by a clash of sports on Saturday afternoons.

"But on the other hand, this also might make it easier for other players to have a game of football,'' Mr Parsons added.

Mr Parsons said where possible games will be played with the domestic men's first grade competition.

"We'll be looking to play the women at around 1pm or 1.15 with the first grade at 3pm,'' he said.

In the case of Old Bar, where the Barbarians don't field a team in the Manning first grade, the board will look to play women's games with the premier league where possible. However, Mr Parsons said this will depend on logistics of fitting a third match on a program that already includes first and reserve grade.

Matches will be on a home and away format. Currently the fixtures are limited to grounds with adequate lighting.

Mr Parsons said there will be a 'pro active push' by the Football Mid North Coast board to promote women's football in this area. He said girls' under 13s and 15s competitions will be established next year and will play with the current junior grades.

Eventually, the board believes a women's competition similar to the Football Mid North Coast Premier League could be established, while there is also speculation that a zone team could regularly play matches in Newcastle.

Meanwhile, this week's meeting decided to keep the popular men's 35 competition on Tuesday nights. Old Bar had earlier suggested the 35s could be played on Fridays if the women were switched to the weekend. However, this didn't gain support.