FOOTBALL Mid North Coast chairman Mike Parsons said the time is right to expand the Coastal Premier League (CPL).
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The CPL is run by Football Mid North Coast and North Coast Football boards. The competition is in its second year and currently 10 clubs, five from each zone, are involved. It was announced this week that applications are now open for two new clubs to join the CPL next year.
Mr Parsons said one of the new clubs would be from the FMNC zone with the other from North Coast Football. He expects there would be an application from the Forster-Tuncurry area.
"I understand that there could be an application from a joint venture club from Forster-Tuncurry,'' Mr Parsons said.
Former Football Mid North Coast powerhouse Wallis Lake originally nominated to play in the CPL in 2020. However, the club withdrew well before the season started and their place was eventually taken by Taree Wildcats for a competition that was truncated by the pandemic.
Mr Parsons said the boards of both zones have agreed to increase the number of clubs and he's confident the time is right to do so.
"Both boards are 100 per cent behind this,'' he assured.
"If one of the boards wasn't in favour, we wouldn't be going ahead.''
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He added the licences of the incumbent 10 clubs have been extended beyond the original three year term.
All five North Coast Football clubs in the CPL are from the Coffs Harbour area and Mr Parsons said there's no interest in clubs in the northern section of that zone in joining the CPL. Mr Parsons understands Bellingen will be one North Coast club seeking admission to the CPL.
Mr Parsons said both boards have agreed to go ahead with 11 clubs next year if there isn't a suitable nomination from a 12th club. However, he is confident this won't be the case.
He described the CPL as an 'unqualified success.'
"The fans love it and the players enjoy playing in it,'' he said.
While Taree has struggled this year, with only one win, Mr Parsons said the club is in the competition 'for the long haul.'
"On behalf of the board of Football Mid North Coast I congratulate the Wildcats on what they're aiming to achieve,'' he said.
"They're building their player base and developing and expanding their juniors and they're looking to the future.''
Applications for the two new spots in the CPL will close on August 31.