Savile Arms are first casualties

The Division Two outfit withdrew at the start of the week.

League fixture secretary Dave Rattigan said he had been told that the club was losing several players, who were going to university.

Savile Arms, who played at Hullen Edge in Elland, have had a short and fairly unremarkable existence.

They have only been in the league for two seasons, finishing fifth out of 10 in the bottom division in 2012/13 and fourth of six with an even record in the latest campaign.

The league has since dropped a division and at present there are 12 teams in the Premier, 14 in Division One and 13 in Division Two.

Rattigan said the loss of one team wouldn’t have a major impact on fixtures but he feared there might yet be more.

“I hope I am wrong but there doesn’t seem to be the same commitment among younger players that there used to be,” he said.

There is a league meeting on Monday, after which the opening few sets of fixtures should be confirmed.