A MAJOR system shake-up means that former West Riding County Amateur side Steeton are one of eight teams to make the step up to the newly-formed Hallmark Security League Division One North for the 2018-19 season.

Chairman of the league, Paul Lawler, stated that the idea had been considered for a while, with one of the main reasons being that clubs at that level, step six of the non-league pyramid, were having to travel long distances to away games.

This meant that teams were reluctant to make the move up from step seven. A solution has been created which sees Division One split into two separate leagues, North and South.

Steeton will play in the former, alongside fellow new boys: Ashton Town (ex-Cheshire League); Avro (Manchester League); Cleator Moor Celtic (Wearside League); Garstang and Longridge Town (both West Lancashire League); Lower Breck (Liverpool County Premier League) and Shelley (West Yorkshire League).

It will be a tough challenge for Steeton, but they will be confident after last season's domestic dominance, when they won the West Riding County Amateur Premier Division League Cup and the Keighley & District FA Challenge Cup.

Provided they remain at the club, it will be interesting to see how prolific goalscorers Andy Briggs and Ben Clarkson fare at this level. The deadly duo netted 54 goals between them in all competitions in 2017-18.