ALTON Town are set to return to the Sydenhams Wessex League ranks after a two-year absence.

The north Hampshire club were switched by the Football Association to the Combined Counties League at the end of the 2012/13 season after they had finished 18th out of 21 teams in the Sydenhams Premier.

They were relegated from the Combined Counties Premier the following season and have just finished 13th out of 16 teams in the CCL Division One.

Alton will be among three new teams joining the Sydenhams Division One ranks next term along with AFC Stoneham (Hampshire Premier League) and Portland United (Dorset Premier League).

The Brewers had informed the FA that their preference would be to return to the Sydenhams League and they have now had notification from football’s governing body that they will take their place in Wessex One for 2015/16.

Alton chairman Jim McKell said: “It has been the long held view of the committee and management and those around Alton Town that we are a Wessex club, in that we had grown into it over the previous 10/12 years of membership and we were comfortable in its surroundings.”

Ian Hoare, chairman of the Sydenhams League, is delighted to be welcoming Alton back into the fold.

“It’s important for us to get new sides coming up,” he said.

“It will take us to 22 clubs in the Premier Division and 18 in Division One which is getting closer to the numbers we want.”