“We want to move forward and play at the highest level possible!” Melton Town applying for promotion after FA gives green light to pyramid restructure

Melton Town are applying for promotion after it was confirmed they are eligible to move up to step five of the non-league pyramid.

On Friday the FA Council rubber stamped the decision to proceed with the planned revamp of the National League System.

Melton are one of 110 sides who are being invited to move up the ladder after rankings were worked out on the points per game basis, using combined results from the past two seasons.

In both campaigns Tom Manship’s side looked on track for promotion, only for action to be made null and void and curtailed respectively.

For Town, they have finally received their reward after the heartbreak of the past two campaigns.

The FA have placed the club on top of the UCL Division One table via the PPG method, ahead of Long Buckby and Bugbrooke St Michaels, who will also be invited to apply for what is called ‘upward movement’.

“We will be invited to apply to go up, which we obviously will be doing,” said chairman Matt Curtis.

“We want to move forward and play at the highest level possible.”

These are exciting times for the club who have applied for planning permission to install a 3G pitch at Melton Sports Village (see this week's Melton Times for details).

Next season’s new-look divisions are yet to be drawn up, with Town unsure who their rivals will be come August.

“It should be interesting to see what teams are in there,” Mr Curtis added. “We’ve seen mock ups but nothing’s been confirmed.

“It’s an unknown quantity. I’m just happy we’re playing the highest level that’s been brought to the town.

“We were formed in 2004 and I think we’ve had seven promotions in that time. The club’s moved rapidly and we’re just going to try to keep moving forward - we’re in a good position.”

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