Newport County will play in the newly-formed Conference South League next year if they repeat last term's Dr Martens League campaign in the forthcoming season.

The Exiles finished tenth in the premier division - and if Peter Nicholas' men achieve that feat next time around they are almost guaranteed to move up into the new stream-lined league.

FA councillors rubberstamped a revolutionary non-League shake-up in Torquay on Saturday that means two regional divisions - the Conference North and South - feeding into the Nationwide Conference.

The new provincial 22-team leagues will cream off the top sides from the current three feeder leagues - the Dr Martens Southern, Ryman Isthmian and Unibond Northern.

The full criteria has yet to be thrashed out by chiefs at Soho Square but County chairman Wallace Brown expects the details to follow very shortly.

Newport boss Nicholas insists: "We want to finish higher in the league than we did last season and if we achieve that we'll be part of the new Conference South League."

Nicholas and Brown both gave the restructuring their thumbs-up but Ryman League bosses, who are opposed to the new set-up, are planning a legal fight to get the decision overturned.

But Brown said: "It has taken a while to plan, but this is a very welcome development. "It makes sense to have two divisions feeding into the main Conference 'Premier' League.

"We are not entirely sure of the criteria but I am sure that will follow very soon."

Conference South and Conference North, known as Conference Two, will be the run by a the newly-formed Football Alliance and a different board from the Conference 'Premier.'

The Alliance is made up of representatives of the three current feeder leagues and the Conference.

Dr Martens chairman Doug Gillard said: "A lot of hard work has gone into this over the last three years and we are looking forward to making it happen. "Our league clubs voted 65-1 in favour and now their wishes are being carried forward.'

* Council members also agreed to cut FA Cup prize-money for smaller clubs next season by £2million. The cash will now make the FA Trophy and FA Vase competitions more lucrative.

* Pictured: Newport County chairman Wallace Brown