Junior NPL takes in 20th club
Football West News
The Football West Board has agreed to a request from the National Premier Leagues WA standing committee to further expand the NPL Junior competition to include a 20th club.
Football West determined in September, 2015, to provisionally include Quinns FC, Ellenbrook United, Melville City, Fremantle City, Rockingham City, Mandurah City and South West Phoenix in an expanded junior competition in 2016.
The decision was based on the strength of club applications, consideration of geographic locations and concern for the future development of WA’s young players.
At a meeting held at Rosalie Park on Monday, February 1, officials from 11 of the 12 senior PlayStation 4 NPLWA clubs recommended to Football West Chairman Liam Twigger and Deputy Chairman Henry Atturo that an additional team should be included immediately.
The Board has since accepted this recommendation and the next most suitable candidate from the 11 original applicants, Joondalup City, has been provisionally promoted into the 2016 NPL Junior competition.
Mr Twigger said Football West was committed to ensuring the game continued to grow and improve over the short and longer terms.
“There was a strong view from the existing NPL senior clubs that the junior competition would be improved by the inclusion of an additional club,” Mr Twigger said.
“The Football West Board has agreed with this request, which fits into the overall strategy of giving more players, in more areas, more opportunities to access the developmental benefits of the NPL.”
Joondalup City, which has a strong junior contingent and is in an area of population growth, has accepted the offer to join an expanded Junior NPL in 2016. It will enter teams in the U12, U13, U14, U15 and U16 competitions.
Football West will select two equal pools of 10 teams with the top four from each group to compete in a finals series.
The eight new junior clubs must demonstrate they have met specific NPL Junior criteria by February 29 to take part in the 2016 season.
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