Football NSW’s competition review has effectively relegated the high-performing Western NSW Mariners to the third tier (State League 1).

The decision means the two elite divisions of the four-tier restructure will be reserved entirely for clubs on the eastern seaboard. WNSW Mariners draws on players from the State’s west and Riverina regions.

The branch was confident of securing a place in the Elite 2 division after last season’s solid Super Youth League results, including two seconds (U15s and U18s) and a fourth (U14s).

But Football NSW said clubs were assessed on a range of criteria including governance, finance, football plans, facilities and current on-field performance.

The restructure lays the foundation for the introduction of the Australian Premier League next year.

The A-League’s Central Coast Mariners have backed calls by their country academy to have the relegation overturned, with Football General Manager Lawrie McKinna expressing serious concerns about future pathways for players west of the Blue Mountains.

“Overall Western NSW Mariners have done very very well and now they’ve basically been relegated to another level,” McKinna said.

“(Football NSW) went through all the criteria of things they wanted and probably not a lot of points were given to the structure and the actual ability of the teams but everything else that surrounds it.

“I never saw the submission from western branch and I’m sure it was good but there must have been a lot of good submissions out there for them not to get in.

“For these kids, over the last few years, travelling from Bathurst, Dubbo, Parkes and Forbes to come down and play in Sydney every second weekend is a huge commitment by their families and now it’s basically been taken away from them.

“We will obviously continue to have a relationship with them, go out there and hopefully identity the talented kids when we’re out there, but it’s going to very hard for them.”

The Mariners provide coaching and development resources to the western branch and just recently selected two boys from the U18s to join their youth team train-on squad.

The branch has been in the Club Championship top six for the past five years, with the only disappointment last season being the last place for the U16’s.

More alarming for the WNSW Mariners is that the third division provides no pathway for U12s-U15s. Those grades will be accommodated in a new FNSW Regional League. The western branch, which has focussed primarily on youth development, will also be required to field U20 and First Grade sides.

Football NSW told au.fourfourtwo.com the decision was part of its “comprehensive application and review process”.

The statement noted: “With over 40 clubs applying for the 24 positions in the Men’s Premier Competitions, meeting the expectation of all clubs was difficult.”

It added that FNSW Regional League for U12s – U15s would be of a “similar” structure and standard to the elite competitions and that the Skill Acquisition Programs (SAP) would continue.

Football NSW stated country players would still have exposure to elite football through NSW Country State teams, and talent identification opportunities through the FNSW Institute.

But parents who have contacted the western branch believe without the same week-in week-out access to elite level competition country footballers will struggle to keep pace.

The first opportunity for WNSW Mariners to win promotion to the Elite 2 will be in 2015 and will be dependent on football performance and facilities.