Last updated 19:44, Thursday, 26 June 2008

THE Tesco Cumberland County League will have two new teams next season with 20 clubs taking part.

Wigton Athletic and St Margaret Mary’s from Carlisle were admitted into division one at Tuesday night's annual meeting.

It means that the league starts 2008/09 with the same number as it did 12 months earlier as Pirelli resigned midway through the season and Carlisle Spartans have resigned after completing their fixtures.

But the leagues will be split 11 and 9 with the greater number in the premier division.

This will change for 2009/10 when it has been agreed to have10 teams in each division - provided the team numbers stay the same.

There was a shock on the morning of the meeting when CFM announced they were pulling their sponsorship of the Whitehaven Cup.

The station has backed the competition for six years which has been a solid display of support.

Fortunately, the league has quickly found a replacement in Cumbria Vehicle Rentals who will take over sponsorship of the Whitehaven Cup.

Cumbria Vehicle Rentals already provide away transport for several clubs in the league.

ISS Waterers will continue to sponsor the Peter Dawson Benevolent Cup; AP and J Brown Builders back the Divisional Cup and Focsa support the Ken Glover Shield.

The only knockout competition without a sponsor at the moment is the Conway Cup.

Clubs were given the opportunity to drop one of the five cup competitions but the majority agreed to retain them.

Fixtures secretary Herbert Briggs said: “That surprises me because most of the comments I received during the season were about fixture congestion through there being too many cup competitions.”

The season will commence on August 9 but in the week leading up to August 2 Netherhall will host Aspatria in the annual Charity Shield match.

Officials remain the same but match fees rise from £17 to £20, assistants fees from £13 to £15 while petrol money stays the same at 25p a mile.