Rugby has left the Midlands and is now in the south, but Warwick, which is further south than Rugby, is still in the Midlands!

That is the decision of the Dr Marten’s League football authorities and it has left the officials of the football clubs in the two towns scratching their heads.

VS Rugby who were in the Midlands Division of the Dr Marten’s League last season have been informed they will be in the South and East Division next season. Racing Club Warwick stay as they are in the Midlands and West Division.

Racing’s chairman Keith Billington said:

"I feel very sorry for VS. They will miss out on the money-spinning local derbies against Hinckley, Bedworth United and ourselves. I don’t understand why Rugby is considered further south than Warwick."

But VS Rugby’s chairman Brian Melvin said he was not displeased.

"The league did not consult us before moving us into the new division, but I can see how it has happened. They appear to have drawn a line north to south through the middle of the country and we fall on the eastern side of it.

"I am open minded about it. I know we miss out on the local derbies, our nearest club now is Corby in Northamptonshire, but we shall have some exciting big-name teams coming to Rugby next season.

"For instance we shall be playing Chelmsford, Dartford and Stamford. I suppose our longest trip will be to play Newport on the Isle of Wight so we shall have to carefully work out the ferry schedules to get there in time for the kick off.

"I have written to the league making our observations known about the switch into the new division, but we have no real objections. I think the arrival of these new teams will add spice to our season and give our fans something different to watch."