Penrith have been handed a reprieve from relegation in the Northern League and will continue in the First Division.
Confirmation has come with the FA releasing the list of teams allocated to Step 5 and 6 for the National League System – which covers the Northern League’s First and Division.
Penrith chairman Billy Williams said: “I am absolutely delighted that we will be staying in the top-flight. I was really dreading dropping into Division Two.
“There were whispers soon after the season finished that we might be safe but we were never sure until receiving official word from the FA.”
Pickering Town FC in North Yorkshire will join Division One, with Billingham Town relegated to Division Two.
Carlisle City will now join Penrith in the First Division after snatching the Division Two title with a brilliant late surge up the table. Heaton Stannington whom they pipped to the title will also be going up into Division One.
Durham City has been relegated out of the lNorthern League and the FA has increased the number of clubs in Division Two – which will now run with 22 teams (compared to 21 this season).
With North Shields and Consett promoted out of the league, the First Division will remain at 20 teams.
The other clubs joining the league are: Prudhoe YC FC Seniors, Chester-le-Street United and Boro Rangers from the Northern Alliance, Wearside League and North Riding League respectively.
These decisions are subject to appeal to the FA.
Meanwhile Kendal Town are still waiting for confirmation they are going to the North West Counties after finishing in the second relegation place in the NPL West Division.
That is almost certainly the case as they have not been included in any FA plans for the Northern League. There was a genuine fear that if Kendal had gone that way instead of to the NW Counties it would have been a severe blow to the future of the club.
