The Arbitration Tribunal which heard the Isthmian League's challenge to the restructuring of the National League System today announced that it has unanimously dismissed their claims.

The Tribunal was made up of three very senior legal figures, including former senior law lord Lord Browne-Wilkinson.

"The FA is of course pleased that our decision and processes have been upheld by the Tribunal. However, the most important point is that we, together with the Alliance partners, can now look to the future and get on with the vital reorganisation of football at this level" Nic Coward, The FA's Director of Corporate and Legal Affairs, told us.

The FA believes the new system will raise standards, create more excitement through play-offs, and deliver more consistent rules, regulations and ground grading requirements.

A key principle has been to ensure that the National League System will be fair and equitable for clubs irrespective of their geographic position in the country. Uppermost in The FA's decision-making and consultation throughout this process was that change should not take place for change's sake, but only if it would bring long-term benefits for the game.

At a meeting in May 2003 the Football Conference, and the Isthmian, Northern Premier and Southern Leagues' 'Alliance' agreed to recommend to the National League System Committee a new structure and a timetable to achieve it. This proposal includes the following key features:

- 22 clubs per league
- Play-offs at each step down to step 4
- Better linkages throughout the league structure
- A semi-national step between the Conference and step 3
- Remove leagues within a league
- Deliver more consistent rules, regulations, ground grading and promotion/relegation through play- offs

This structure was considered by the National League System Committee at their meeting on 9th May 2003 and approved by The FA Council at its Summer Meeting on 21st June 2003. It will now be implemented with effect from the start of season 2004/05.