Murton chairman Tommy Torrence admitted that he was "dumbfounded" by the Northern League's decision to relegate his club at last Saturday's AGM.

Torrence thought enough clubs would support his view that Murton should remain in the league after bringing their ground up to standard, but instead the clubs decided 27-10 to support the management committee's recommendation that they should be relegated to either the Wearside League or Northern Alliance.

The issue revolved around the fact that when the league inspected Murton's ground on March 31, they found it was well below standard despite several previous warnings.

And even though Murton have since brought the ground up to what it believed was acceptable for league standards, the league refused to change its stance.

Torrence said: "I'm dumbfounded, and very disappointed in a lot of people. I really thought that the ground was up to standard.

"But we will carry on. It's easy to let things go, but the club has been going for over 100 years, and it must continue."

League chairman Mike Amos said: "Unfortunately, Murton hadn't done anything asked of them by the deadline which applied to all the other clubs. We asked the FA for advice, and their interpretation was that they should be relegated.

"But the feeling at the meeting was that Murton could be back in the league in the season after next."

Murton had been members of the league for 15 years, and their demise means that second bottom Easington are reprieved from relegation.

Murton could now be placed in the Northern Alliance next season, while Shotton, just a few miles down the road, could be in the Wearside League.

Easington chairman Allan Barkas was relieved with the outcome, and said; "We really were expecting relegation until this happened. We're sorry to see Murton go, but it's the best result of the season for us."

The league clubs decided to change the management committee at the AGM. The league officials were elected unopposed, but Whitley Bay secretary Derek Breakwell was elected to the management committee in place of Shotton's Billy Banks. Durham's Kevin Hewitt missed out. The other management committee members will be; Mike Armitage, Ray Matthews, Joe Burlison, Brian Mulligan and Peter Lax.

The league AGM rejected a proposal that the league cup should be played in the two midweeks prior to the start of the season.

Amos suggested the new format to avoid fixture congestion in the early parts of the season when league cup ties are delayed because of midweek FA Cup and FA Vase ties, but clubs pointed out that they would rather arrange games as they are at the moment because of holidays and the fact that some clubs groundshare with cricket teams. Another suggestion for play offs in the Second Division was also knocked back.

Brandon are open for applications for their vacant manager's job, which came about when Kenny Lindoe resigned last week.

Lindoe had been manager for six years, taking the club to the Second Division and First Division titles, and said: "It was a tough decision to make, but I felt that I'd taken the club as far as I could."

Anyone interested should ring secretary Brian Richardson on 0191 3781373

Durham have been given a boost by the news that striker Glen Robson has agreed to stay at the club for the new season.

Robson signed for City from Darlington in December, and became the club's leading scorer with 24 league goals, a tally which helped them into second place in the league and runners up in the league cup.

Other clubs were looking for Robson's signature, but Durham persuaded him to stay at the Archibalds Stadium.

Manager Billy Cruddas said: "It's great news for us. If we'd had him for a full season before, who knows what might have happened."

Vince Kirkup has resigned as manager of Shotton, who were relegated from the league at the end of the season.

"Shotton are good people to work for, and if they had stayed in the league, then I would have stayed on as manager. I would like to stay in the Northern League."

Anyone interested should contact chairman Brian Maxwell on 0191 5183205.

The draw for the first round of the ANL league cup is: Alnwick v Newcastle Blue Star, Bedlington v Crook, Chester-le-Street v Tow Law, Hebburn v Willington, North Shields v Billingham Town, Shildon v Morpeth, Thornaby v Whickham, West Allotment v Prudhoe, West Auckland v Washington.

The draw for the second round is: Ashington v Consett, Bedlington or Crook v Billingham Synthonia, Dunston v Brandon, Durham v Thornaby or Whickham, Easington v Whitley Bay, Evenwood v Kennek Ryhope CA, Horden v Jarrow Roofing, Newcastle Benfield Saints v Seaham Red Star, North Shields or Billingham Town v Hebburn or Willington, Northallerton v Marske, Norton v Washington Nissan, Penrith v Guisborough, Peterlee v Chester-le-Street or Tow Law, Shildon or Morpeth v West Allotment or Prudhoe, South Shields v Esh Winning, West Auckland or Washington v Alnwick or Newcastle Blue Star.