Strong competition is guaranteed for places in the British League next season, with four teams seeking to join.
City of Coventry, who enjoyed a four-year stint in the top division of the former men's National League in the late 1990s, have applied for a place in men's Division 5, along with Chelmsford, a club that had two brief spells in the old National League in the mid-1970s and then in 1999 and 2000.
The women's applicants are both from the West Country - familiar rivals City of Bristol (formerly Bristol Central) and Cheltenham.
All four are due to take part in qualification tournaments on 25/26 March (men) and 8/9 April (women), both at Walsall. Up for grabs at these events will be three places in men's Division 5 and in women's Division 3, with the potential newcomers facing up against the bottom three teams from this season's competitions - Sheffield Dolphins, Watford Saxons and Spalding (men) and Sunderland, Sheffield Stingrays and Polytechnic (women).
Current teams are reminded that the deadline for withdrawal from the League is 31 January - or the final day of their divisional competition this season. Should a club drop out, the highest-placed team in this season's lowest divisions (Sheffield Dolphins in men's, Sunderland in women's) would automatically rejoin and avoid qualification.
City of Coventry, who enjoyed a four-year stint in the top division of the former men's National League in the late 1990s, have applied for a place in men's Division 5, along with Chelmsford, a club that had two brief spells in the old National League in the mid-1970s and then in 1999 and 2000.
The women's applicants are both from the West Country - familiar rivals City of Bristol (formerly Bristol Central) and Cheltenham.
All four are due to take part in qualification tournaments on 25/26 March (men) and 8/9 April (women), both at Walsall. Up for grabs at these events will be three places in men's Division 5 and in women's Division 3, with the potential newcomers facing up against the bottom three teams from this season's competitions - Sheffield Dolphins, Watford Saxons and Spalding (men) and Sunderland, Sheffield Stingrays and Polytechnic (women).
Current teams are reminded that the deadline for withdrawal from the League is 31 January - or the final day of their divisional competition this season. Should a club drop out, the highest-placed team in this season's lowest divisions (Sheffield Dolphins in men's, Sunderland in women's) would automatically rejoin and avoid qualification.
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