THE Ribblesdale League was one of five potential feeder leagues to the proposed Lancashire Premier League to meet with the Lancashire Cricket Board last night.

The Ribblesdale League is being seen as a possible feeder into the Northern League if the Northern League accepts the offer of Premier League status from the LCB.

But there were no decisions taken last night with the Ribblesdale League not yet committed to joining the pyramid system envisaged by the English Cricket Board and the LCB.

The Lancashire Board gave a presentation on its Premier League plans to the Ribblesdale League, the Palace Shield, the Manchester Association, the Merseyside Association and the Southport and District League.

The latter three leagues would link up with the Liverpool Competition, also offered Premier League status, if everything goes ahead.

There was also a question-and-answer question and the Ribblesdale League representatives will report back to its league committee next month. But Brian Woodhead, who attended last night's meeting for the Ribblesdale League, stressed that they had been there only to listen and nothing is cut and dried.

"The way things are going leagues have got to look at all options to avoid isolation and loss of players and clubs and for the best interests of the league," he said.

"Everything hinges on whether the Northern League or Liverpool Combination accept Premier League status."

The Ribblesdale and Northern Leagues have talked about coming together in some form and clubs from the two leagues may play friendlies against each other this season.

Whether there is a promotion and relegation system between the two within the Premier League system remains to be seen, however.

The Northern League are not certain to take on board Premier status with playing conditions one potential stumbling block.

The ECB want games played over 120 overs and are reported to have removed accreditation and funding to the Birmingham League whose clubs - like their Northern League counterparts - are not keen on such long matches.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.