REDDITCH United boss Rod Brown said he would be 'gobsmacked' if the club's poor finishes in recent seasons meant teams below United were promoted to a new-look Dr Martens Premier division at their expense in the summer.

Conference bosses were set to meet with the FA yesterday (Tuesday) to thrash out their plans for an expanded Conference two include Northern and Southern feeder divisions.

It will be hard for the FA to resist the plans with 57 of the biggest clubs outside the Conference already backing the scheme and the major sticking point is likely to be the timing of the restructure.

The Conference wants the changes to happen in time for next season but the FA is thought to favour a delay.

If the plans are given the go-ahead for this season the Dr Martens League could lose around 15 of its Premier Division clubs to an expanded set-up.

If replacements are drawn from the Eastern and Western divisions, up to seven or eight clubs from United's league could be promoted to the Premier Division and Brown - whose side reached the top five on Saturday - says this season's finishing position is all that should matter.

Brown said the Valley was only 21 seats short of meeting Premier Division standards and that work was in the pipeline.

United continued their phenomenal run with a 3-0 win at struggling RC Warwick on Saturday, a game which saw Simon Hollis announce his return to the club with a brace prompting his manager to say he would try to sign the prolific winger at the end of the season.

United climbed to within three points of fourth placed Bromsgrove and hope to extend a run which has brought them 23 points out of the last 27 at home to struggling Atherstone United on Saturday (ko 3pm).

Matty Gardiner is a doubt with a niggling hamstring injury and full back Nicky Clark is unlikely to figure because of a calf problem.