NLS Cup in full swing

Northamptonshire Combination League v Peterborough & District League
The FA National League Systems Cup
Preliminary Round
Raunds Town FC
7.45pm, Tuesday 10 March 2009

The FA National League System Cup, which is limited to leagues at Step 7, was introduced in 2003. The intention was to find a winning league representative team to fly the flag for England in the UEFA Regions Cup.

Only amateur players who have never been under a written professional contract can take part and some of the Preliminary Round ties of the 2009-10 edition, the fourth in the competition's brief history, are being played this month.

After the Kent County League had been chosen to represent England in the 2002-03 UEFA Regions Cup, European football's governing body decreed that National Associations would in future only be able to nominate a team which had won a National Competition.

The first winners of the new NLS Cup were the Mid-Cheshire League, who beat the Cambridgeshire County League 2-0 at Cambridge United's ground in 2004. The subsequent winners of the competition have been the Isle of Man League (2006) and the Southern Amateur League (2008).

Tonight's Preliminary Round tie features the Northamptonshire Combination and the Peterborough & District League at Raunds Town FC (7.45). Neither team has progressed beyond the Second Round stage so far.

The Mid-Sussex League face the Bedfordshire Football League at Hassocks FC on Saturday week and there are four more ties at the end of the month.

The Southern Amateur League, who won the 2008 Final against the Midland Football Combination at Coventry City's Ricoh Arena on kicks from the penalty mark, are exempt until the First Round.