THE newitts.com Beckett Football League is busy preparing for the start of the forthcoming 2020-21 season, which hopefully will take place on Tuesday, September 1, with a few division two league fixtures.

The league has admitted six new teams for the season ahead, Amotherby and Swinton, Duncombe Park Reserves, Rillington Rovers, Ryedale Sports Club Reserves, Thornton-le-Dale Reserves, and Union Rovers.

The league will start the new season with 22 member teams.

Two weeks ago one of the longest serving teams in the league quit due to a lack of players. Slingsby, who have been members for as long as most people can remember, called a meeting to sort the coming season out but were shocked to find players had retired, quit owing to injury, or joined other teams in the area.

League chairman Keith Sales said it was a major blow to village soccer in the Ryedale area.

Slingsby chairman Glyn Brown said he sincerely hopes the team will be able to reform for the 2021-22 season, as do the Village Sportsfield Committee. With the league AGM already promoting the top two teams into division one, Sherburn and Ryedale Sports Club, the league would normally have invited the third team to be promoted, but unfortunately Filey Town Reserves had already resigned from the league.

This means that the first division will have nine teams and the second division 13.

The first division will comprise of Kirkbymoorside Reserves, Kirkdale United, Rosedale, Ryedale Sports Club, Sherburn, Sinnington, Sleights, Snainton, and Thornton-le-Dale.

The second division involves: Amotherby & Swinton, Ayton Athletic, Bagby and Balk, Duncombe Park, Gillamoor, Goldsborough Utd, Heslerton, Norton United, Rillington Rovers, Ryedale S C Reserves, Thornton-le-Dale Reserves, Union Rovers, and Whitby Fishermen Reserves.

The draws have been made for the first round of the two cup competitions.

Ryedale Hospital Cup: Thornton-le-Dale v Bagby and Balk, Gillamoor v Union Rovers, Goldsborough Utd v Snainton, Thornton-le-Dale Reserves v Kirkdale United, Duncombe Park Reserves v Rillington Rovers, Sleights v Sherburn. All other teams have a bye into round two.

Gordon Harrison Memorial Trophy, round 1: Kirkdale Utd v Kirkbymoorside Reserves, Ryedale S C v Thornton-le-Dale, Thornton-le-Dale Reserves v Sleights, Sinnington v Amotherby and Swinton, Sherburn v Ryedale S C Reserves, Duncombe Park Reserves v Bagby and Balk.