THE Midland Junior Premier Football League is set for significant expansion next season with League One side Walsall signed up for 2005-06.

The Saddlers will compete under the name Walsall Swifts and will field teams at Under-12 and Under-13 age bands. A further 80 Midlands clubs were in discussion with the MJPFL ahead of this week's deadline.

Fourteen Nationwide Conference and Southern League clubs participated in the first season of the league, which is comprised of Midland club junior teams aged between 12-17, including Hereford United, Worcester City, Tamworth, Kettering Town, Gloucester City, Hinckley United, Redditch United, Cambridge City, Evesham United, Rugby United, Bromsgrove, Banbury United and Brackley Town.

"Our teams will made up of centre of excellence triallists", said Bill Jones, Walsall's youth development officer. It's an opportunity to assess them at a good standard of football'.

The league has raised the quality of competition for clubs and created a clear pathway for talented players to progress from local junior football to semi-professional clubs and beyond.

"I think it is a brilliant idea", says Jones, who is concerned about the quality of local junior league football. "The Academies and Centres of Excellence have weakened many leagues. The standards the Midlands Junior Premier league set is much welcomed. We hope to play a part in its success."

Competing clubs must provide qualified coaching, medical and welfare provision for players and develop links with local Charter Standard junior clubs.

All players, coaches, officials and spectators must meet the FA's code of conduct, especially child protection policy.

The league, sponsored by Sports Travel International, is supported by a number of experts and its president is former West Brom and England striker Cyrille Regis.