NEWLY formed City of Liverpool FC have already secured a big victory before kicking their first ball and will start life at Step 6 after a successful appeal.
The supporter owned club are entering the Non-League Pyramid next season and were initially placed in the Step 7 Liverpool County Premier League.
City of Liverpool quickly announced their intentions to appeal the Football Association's decision following their application to join the North West Counties League.
The Step 6 North West Counties League Division One was set to run with 21 teams after Northwich Manchester Villa's resignation but following their appeal hearing at Wembley on Wednesday, City of Liverpool will now take the vacant spot.
A statement from the club, who will be ground-sharing at Bootle, said: “Following an hour long quasi legal process and and agonising four hours wait for the decision, we are delighted to confirm that our appeal has been upheld we have now been placed into Step 6, which means we will be playing in Division One of the North West Counties League.
“We have written confirmation from the FA that this decision is final and binding and the club is being refunded its appeal fee.
“This decision brings about an end to 18 months of hard work by the executive committee to deliver in full our stated timeline and ambition to create a Non-League club for the entire city to be able to support, playing at Step 6 in season 2016-17.”
The North West Counties League added: “The appeal board considered the appeal submitted by the club in respect of the original decision to turn down their application, and overruled the original decision.
“The club has therefore been placed into Step 6 football of the National League System, in the NWCL Division One, for the coming season.”
