Next year’s competition will again involve 10 clubs following the addition of Wauchope. The 2016 season was contested by nine clubs following Old Bar’s withdrawal in January. Old Bar played in the southern all age competition and officials have said the club hopes to nominate to return to the premier league in 2018.

However, FMNC board chairman Mike Parsons said Wauchope will be welcomed back next year after an absence of more than a decade. The board had previously ruled that 10 was the maximum number for the competition that streches from Forster-Tuncurry to Kempsey.

“We would like to think we have a strong enough player base in this area for 10 clubs and with our university offering more courses then it will mean we won’t lose as many kids to the big smoke,’’ he said.

“We also have a good pathways from our National Premier League and Youth Leagues into the premier league clubs.’’

However, Mr Parsons said the board will continue to monitor the premier league player registrations and agreed a decision could be made on numbers if clubs start to struggle for numbers.

“This will be an on-going thing,’’ he said.

Mr Parsons described the 2016 season as ‘memorable – one of our best on record.’

“We had 6500 registered players, male and female, from under sixes through to over 35s,’’ he said.

“We put on 11,000 games in the zone which is a remarkable achievement and I congratulate all the clubs and the referees concerned.’’

He added six of the eight National Premier League (NPL) junior sides made it through to the finals series. Three advanced to the grand final with the under 14s emerging as champions. The NPL takes in teams from the Newcastle/Hunter area as well as Football Mid North Coast.

Mr Parsons revealed the zone had the biggest paying crowd to see the premier league grand finals played at Port Macquarie – even though there wasn’t a Hastings club involved in either first or reserve grade. Wallis Lake emerged the premier in both grades.

“We put on an event – not just three games of football,’’ he said.

Refereeing numbers remain a concern but he added a course for senior referees conducted at Laurieton recently attracted 18 registrations. He added the board will be pro active in boosting numbers by assisting financially with the costs involved in sitting for courses.

“The board is cognisant  to the fact that if we pour money back into the game, then we’ll eventually get it back through increased registrations,’’ Mr Parsons explained.

He indicated he will again seek the chairman’s job at the league’s annual meeting to be held in November.