Promotion and Relegation
As the season draws to a close, the league are always asked about the likely situation regarding promotion and relegation. In theory, the top two teams go up and the bottom two teams go down in each division. However, with teams joining and leaving the league, 2 or 3 teams being promoted to WEPL and 2, 3 or 4 teams being relegated from WEPL, teams asking to be moved, etc, it is never that simple. The following is therefore a rough guide to promotion and relegation.
The biggest contributing factor to the number of teams promoted and relegated, is the promotion and relegation in WEPL. Working out what happens here is a four step process.
1. In the WEPL Premier Division, determine whether the teams in 9th and 10th place are from Gloucestershire/Wiltshire.
2. Consult the following table to determine how many teams will be relegated from WEPL Gloucestershire/Wiltshire.
| WEPL Premier Division | WEPL Gloucestershire/WiltshireWEPL Glos/Wilts |
| The teams in 9th and 10th are both from Gloucestershire/WiltshireGlos/Wilts | There are 3 relegation places |
| One of the teams in 9th and 10th is from Gloucestershire/WiltshireGlos/Wilts | There are 2 relegation places |
| Both of the teams in 9th and 10th are from Bristol/Somerset | There is 1 relegation place |
3. Count how many teams in the WEPL Gloucestershire/Wiltshire Division relegation places are from Wiltshire.
4. Use the following table to determine how many teams will be going up/down between Division 1 and WEPL.
| Wiltshire teams in relegation places | WEPL Wiltshire & Division 1 |
| 0 Wiltshire teams in relegation places | 3 teams promoted from Division 1 to WEPL. 2 team relegated from WEPL to Division 1. |
| 1 Wiltshire team in relegation places | 2 teams promoted from Division 1 to WEPL. 2 team relegated from WEPL to Division 1. |
| 2 Wiltshire teams in relegation places | 2 teams promoted from Division 1 to WEPL. 3 teams relegated from WEPL to Division 1. |
| 3 Wiltshire teams in relegation places | 2 team promoted from Division 1 to WEPL. 4 teams relegated from WEPL to Division 1. |
Once the above has been resolved, the effects will then be rippled down through the divisions. In every division, the top 2 teams will always be promoted (provided they are eligible for promotion), and the bottom team will always be relegated. Further teams will then be promoted or relegated as required to make the correct number of teams in each division.
Teams may ask to be promoted or relegated multiple divisions, if they feel they are significantly out of position. However, such requests are at the discression of the league committee, who will consider not only the situation the team is in, but also the effect this will have on other teams.
Divisions will always contain 10 teams, except the bottom division may contain up to 15 teams, or the bottom two divisions may contain as few as 8 teams, depending on the number of teams in the league.
But having said all that, the League Committee (and the WEPL Committee) have the right to ignore all of the above and make whatever decisions they see fit in the best interests of the league.