THE application of Chester City to join the Welsh Premier has given the Welsh FA the opportunity to make a landmark decision.

Forums have been awash with speculation regarding the application since its confirmation by secretary, John Deakin last week – most against.

However the past 12 months has seen the Welsh FA and in particular the Welsh Premier endure a wave of bad publicity and controversy, most prominently the decision to reduce top tier membership to 12 clubs from August, 2010.

For many the Welsh FA seem to lack a plan approved by its councillors or its clubs apart from its adamant stance on pushing through the so called Super 12 top tier regardless of the format’s wide ranging unpopularity.

However this seemingly clueless and directionless association could provide all of Welsh football a massive lift with the admittance of Chester City to the Welsh Premier while also preventing an all out civil war in the summer.

There has been much written but the fact is the Deva Stadium where the Chester club propose to play is located in Wales, therefore eligible for Welsh competition providing there is no English FA association.

Chester City, in its former guise, had an undeniable link to Welsh football, not just through its proximity but also through three Welsh Cup victories (1908, 1933, 1947) and runners-up 10 times (1909, 1910, 1935, 1936, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1958, 1966, 1970)

With the clubs from the larger Welsh populations remaining in the English system the addition of a club with a population of 77,000 as a fan base would provide the league with a massive boost and perhaps even entice other ‘Wenglish’ clubs back to the fold.

From the always frugal Welsh FA point of view it is worthwhile remembering the Deva Stadium has a total capacity of 5,376 with a seating capacity of 4,170 thus providing another UEFA standard ground in the north.

Some supporters of the extinct club have already vowed to reform a club playing in the English system but this should not infringe on a Welsh Premier club playing out of the Deva Stadium providing a clear identity playing on its Welsh link could be promoted such as Caerleon or Deverdoeu (ancient Welsh for Chester)

Any decision would be historical and were it to be accepted it would no doubt anger many clubs but there is a much bigger picture to consider here

Very few clubs want the Super 12 to come to pass and those that do not support either a 44 game programme or a mid-season split. The general consensus is that change was needed but not the mass cull the Welsh FA are forcing through.

The Welsh FA’s previous praise of the Scottish league system became decidedly shaky when the majority of managers this week backed plans to expand the league to 14 or an even more popular 16 clubs.

And, here is how this unexpected application comes in handy – for everyone.

The Welsh FA can take a sideways step and avoid a summer of appeals and counter appeals as clubs scrap for membership of the Super 12.

Instead it could accept Chester City or whatever the new club chooses to call itself providing it meets all necessary criteria and assurances are made that the new club was not merging with another FAW affiliated club.

The Welsh FA could still press ahead with its proposed streamlining but in a more measured and structured way. Mass relegations like the ones planned across Welsh football this summer were draconian at best.

Instead a 16 club Welsh Premier should be formed for next season – sparing several clubs relegation this season while also ensuring the healthy flow of the pyramid with the acceptance of two new members – three with Chester.

It would also see the Welsh Premier boast a healthy membership of ambitious clubs playing out of the best stadiums and with the 30 match league progamme the model Scottish League are now aspiring.

A 16 club membership of of Llanelli, TNS, Aberystwyth Town, Rhyl, Port Talbot Town, Neath, Bangor City, Prestatyn Town, Bala Town, Airbus UK Broughton, Carmarthen Town, Haverfordwest County, Newtown, Chester, Llangefni Town, Afan Lido (the table as of March 13, 2010) would make for a highly competitive league.

This is a landmark decision and an opportunity to boost the Welsh Premier’s profile 10 fold as the saviour of football in a famous border town. However for the reasons stated above it could also provide the Welsh FA an opportunity to sidestep a civil war with virtually its entire membership this summer.

Clubs should also grasp this opportunity to welcome the addition of Chester. Not only would the Deva Stadium be an excellent Welsh Premier venue but their inclusion could lead to the widely more accepted 16 club league being formed.