HEREFORDSHIRE Football Association chief executive Jim Lambert is confident the new County League will be successful, with the Premier Division kicking off proceedings this Saturday.

One of the key differences this time around is that teams did not have to pay a fee to be affiliated to or enter the league, with each side provided with two free match balls and a first aid kit.

"Last year, you had to pay £45 to be affiliated to the league and between £60 and £70 to enter it – both of those are free this year," explained Lambert.

"We wanted to help the clubs financially and take off the pressure off them."

However, Lambert added that clubs will be fined if they do not enter their results or team line-ups.

"They will be fined if they don't enter the score by the Sunday afternoon," explained Lambert.

"If they haven't put in their team sheet by the Tuesday, then we will email them a reminder, but they will be fined if they haven't done it by the Wednesday."

Wellington Reserves, who won the last ever Herefordshire Football League last season, start with a home game against Fownhope, while Bartestree, who have reformed after pulling out of the West Midlands (Regional) League, entertain Hinton.

Two new clubs who start life in the Premier Division are Holme Lacy and Widemarsh Sinkum (formerly Sinkum) and the two sides square off against each on the opening weekend.

Other matches include Ewyas Harold against Pegasus Reserves, Ledbury Town versus Orleton Colts and Leominster Town against Westfields Reserves.

Woofferton have decided to stay in Division One, while Bromyard FC have not entered a team due to not being able to get enough players on board.

Pegasus will also not be entering their Under-18s, while AFC Malvern will not be moving into the Herefordshire set-up, despite initially indicating their intention to do so.

Lambert confirmed that the various cup competitions will be "held back" so that sides who may have lost a number of league games earlier in the season will have something to play for come the second half of the campaign.

The Respect Cup will remain in place, he added, with cash prizes awarded to the winners of each of the five divisions in the Saturday and Sunday Leagues.

An additional cash prize will then be given to the top overall club.

As for the Sunday League, two divisions have been split into teams of seven, regionalised into Central and North.

However, once the league fixtures are completed, a mini-league will be set up whereby the top and bottom sides from each division will play each other.

The Sunday Leagues and Divisions One and Two of the Saturday League start on the weekend of September 3 and 4.