Whitchurch United are staying in the Wessex league -- and have enlisted the services of a former manager to help keep them there.

The decision not to relegate United was confirmed at the league's AGM on Sunday, as Wessex clubs voted to keep the top division's membership at 22 clubs for the coming season.

Even before the decision, Whitchurch had cause for a double celebration, as they confirmed Derek Smalley as first team manager and welcomed back former United player and manager Jim Macey to Longmeadow as his assistant.

United chairman Tony Chivers was delighted with the progress at the club.

He told the Advertiser: "We're very pleased with the news from the Wessex league -- we were 99 per cent certain it would happen, but it's nice to have it confirmed.

"It's going to be a another tough year ahead for teams like us, as it's not certain how many teams will go down next year, but Derek assures me that we won't be bottom again, and we're all looking forward to the year ahead.

"Jim knows the club from his time here, and he'll be an asset. He's a good club man, knows the committee, and he knows a lot of players from his time at Basingstoke with the reserves there."

Other developments at the Wessex league meeting on Sunday were:

l Mike Spencer was narrowly voted out as chairman of the Wessex league -- to be replaced by 74-year-old Alf Peckham. Spencer, who has strong ties to this area, having been chairman of Whitchurch, must now step down after three years in the premier job.

l The proposed second division of the Wessex league has been voted in, and will be installed in August 2004. (See facing page for more)

l The league cup will now be a one-legged affair, with the home side in the tie drawn first, until the semi-final stage.

l Andover New Street and Portsmouth Royal Navy have been removed from the Wessex combination -- but the league has stressed that this will be no barrier to applying for division two. New Street reserves will now play in the Hampshire league combination.

l Newport and Wimborne have withdrawn sides from the combination.

l Andover, Cowes and Bournemouth have had reserve sides accepted into the combination.

l The new season of the Wessex league will start on Saturday 16 August.