PROPOSALS for a shake-up of junior football have been welcomed by Irvine Meadow and Kilwinning Rangers this week.

Whitletts Victoria FC are planning to put motions to the SJFA AGM in June for 16-team Premier and First Divisions and a Western and Central League. This motion, if agreed, would see the West Region divided into four divisions - each comprising 16 clubs, from the start of the 2018-19 season. They are also calling for a Western Cup to replace the Ayrshire Cup, featuring Ayrshire and Central League area teams.

The top two divisions would accommodate the top 32 clubs while the bottom two divisions would be regionalised into the Western League, which would feature Ayrshire and Central League clubs and the Central League with the top two teams in each division promoted the Super First Division. Vics are also proposing an advance fixture list.

Proposals will be discussed at tomorrow's (Thursday) SJFA Region monthly meeting.

Meadow boss Michael Wardrope said: "A bigger league would be a good idea as we would have more home games and that would bring in more gate money. Also an advance fixture list is a good idea."

Buffs counterpart Chris Strain said "I am all for this, it would be good to get 15 home games a season - anything to get more punters in at the gate would be good.

"Also the League Cup has been the same for years so there would be no harm in a change of format."