Wisbech Town will apply to join United Counties League if Thurlow Nunn promotion bid fails

Wisbech Town will apply to join the United Counties League next season – if they fail to gain promotion to Step Four of the non-league ladder.

The Fenmen, fourth in the Thurlow Nunn Premier Division, are hoping to secure a 'sideways' switch to the UCL Premier Division if they fail to progress up the pyramid by the end of the current campaign.

Chairman Barry Carter, in a club statement issued yesterday, said: 'After a query was raised at the AGM in January about a 'sideways' movement to the UCL a tentative approach was made to see if such a move was a feasible proposition.

'The reaction of officials at the UCL was favourable and all parties considered it would be a good move which would both cut travelling and create several local derbies against teams such as Holbeach, Yaxley and Peterborough Northern Star.

'Any 'sideways' move is out of ours and the UCL's hands as the FA at Wembley have the final say regarding which league each team is allocated to. Any move within Step Five is purely an option at this stage. For the moment, everyone at the club is concentrating on ensuring that come the summer, we are waiting to see which Step Four League we are placed into.'

Steve Appleby's Wisbech, who have played in the Eastern Counties league, now sponsored by Thurlow Nunn, since 2002, sit five points behind league leaders Dereham Town but have played a game less.

They host Woodbridge Town today looking to extend their nine-game unbeaten league run.