Leigh RMI could have to wait until June to find out which division they will be playing in next season.

The Railwaymen will finish in the bottom three of the Nationwide Conference, but could get a repreive with Margate facing relegation unless they guarantee to take football back to their Hartsdown Park home by the time the new season gets underway.

The Kent side have been playing their home games 35 miles away at Dover, but Conference officials say this can't continue and have given them until May 31 to argue their case to stay in the division.

If they fail, Leigh will be asked to stay in the division IF the champions of the Unibond Premier League AND the team in second place both fail to meet the necessary stadium criteria.

RMI will now be cheering on both Hucknall Town and Droylsden at the top of the Unibond League, in the knowledge that only third-placed Barrow could replace them in non-league's top flight.

"Whether Leigh stay in the Conference is a complicated issue at the moment", admitted Conference Chief Executive John Moules.

"Margate need to show us that they are making significant redevelopments to their current ground and even if Barrow finish 2nd, their promotion to the Conference is subject to FA approval. We hope to resolve the promotion and relegation issue as soon as possible."

In the event that Margate are allowed to continue in the Conference, RMI will need to finish third-bottom to escape the drop.

That would mean winning their remaining two games against Hereford and Barnet, and hoping that Farnborough Town fail to win either of their last

two fixtures.

"We are still clinging to our place in the Conference because that's where we believe we should be", said RMI chairman Bill Taylor. We're planning for the future but we don't want to go down because it would obviously be very costly."