PICS PLAN APPEAL TO NORTHERN PLACEMENT

RUSHALL Olympic has appealed being placed in the Northern Premier League amid fears of a “catastrophic” long-term impact.

- Andy Mitchell

Vice-chair Nick Allen says he was shocked to discover the Pics would not be returning to Southern League Premier Division Central — the league promotion was earned from in 2023 — following their relegation from National League North.

Located five miles north-east of Walsall’s Bescot Stadium, Rushall had seven years in the NPL until the addition of a fourth division Step 3 in 2018 when they joined Halesowen Town, Stourbridge, Barwell and Coalville Town in the new split Southern League set-up.

The Central section still spreads from west to east with clubs farther north but also farther east given the nod this time, meaning the Pics would miss out on local games against a wealth of traditional Midlands rivals.

Allen told The NLP: “It came as a surprise and we have received a lot of feedback from other clubs and various people who were just as surprised.