BISHOP’S Castle are preparing to launch a legal fight after being left without a league to play in this season.

The club planned to transfer from the Mercian League to the Montgomeryshire League, a switch from the English to Welsh system.

But at the 11th hour and after they had been issued their opening fixture in their new competition, the move was blocked.

The Ludlow Advertiser understands the Shropshire FA, Bishop’s Castle’s county association, refused to support the application.

It is too late for the club to return to the Mercian set up and the impasse may see Castle spend a year in the wilderness.

Manager Dan Dawson claims no reason for the decision has been forthcoming from the Shropshire FA.

Dawson told the Advertiser: “The Montgomeryshire League were happy to accept us but the move needed to be passed by the Shropshire FA who refused to back us.

“They just didn’t want us to leave their league. We felt the standard was really poor, it has got worse and worse over the years and we wanted to return to the Welsh set-up.

“We were offered a place in the Mercian Premier but the travelling was too much. We have 16-year-olds in the squad and they just could not do it.

“Now we’re looking at paying out £1,500 to go down the legal route. We have to, it is our only option.”

The Advertiser was unable to reach anyone from the Shropshire FA or the Football Association of Wales at the time of going to press. David Newton, involved in the case on behalf of the English FA, politely declined to comment.