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The League welcomes back former member club Worksop Town after their relegation from the Conference North along with Stamford FC who have been transferred from the Southern League with both clubs competing in a Premier Division that will run one club short following the demise of Scarborough during the close season.

The latter had been due to accompany Worksop in being relegated but their financial problems proved to be too great to overcome.

Three other former clubs Lancaster City, who were relegated two Divisions after going in to liquidation, Curzon Ashton (promoted from the North West Counties League) and Spalding United (transferred from the Southern League) return to make for the first time in the League's history two First Divisions that will be named North and South.

Although these two Divisions will run initially with eighteen clubs each it is the stated policy of both the League and the FA to increase them over the next couple of seasons to the more normal 22 club Division format.

To get the extra new Division in place no fewer than eight other clubs, in addition to those named above, have joined the League with FC United Of Manchester and Newcastle Blue Star perhaps creating the most interest.

FC United, of course, in their short history have tasted nothing but success and will bring crowds to rival or better those of the departed AFC Telford United who have been promoted to the Conference.

Blue Star, meanwhile, are hopefully the first of what both the UniBond League and the FA hope will be several Northern League clubs to make the transition in to the newly restructured game in the North of the country.

Other new clubs joining for the first time are Carlton Town, Garforth Town, Nantwich Town, Quorn, Retford United and Sheffield FC who, as the oldest football club in the world, will celebrate their 150th Anniversary in October as members of the UniBond League.

Prize money has not suffered as a result of the expansion to three Divisions as the Sponsors have very generously raised the amount of sponsorship to reflect the increase in clubs.

All Premier Division clubs will receive a basic £1,600 with the Champions collecting an extra £3,000 on top, the runners-up an additional £2,000 and the third place club £1,000.

All First Division clubs will receive a basic £800 with the Champions receiving a further £1,500; the runners up £1,000 and the third place club £500 on top of the basic payment.

The League Challenge Cup winners will take home £2,250 with the beaten finalists pocketing £750.

The winners of the President's Cup, which this season will be competed for by all the First Division clubs, will receive £1,500 with the runners-up benefiting to the tune of £500 - the same amount of money that is on offer to the winner of the Chairman's Cup which will be contested at the end of the campaign between the two First Division Champion clubs in a one off game that will determine the Champions of Champions.

In addition, Henkel have upped the prize money for the Fair Play awards from £5,000 to £6,000 with each of three Divisional winners being given £1,000, the runners up £650 and the third place clubs £350.