HEREFORD United are poised to join Chippenham Town and Frome Town in the Premier Division of the Southern League after the Bulls were given permission to join, subject to conditions.

The Bulls can participate in the top flight of the league, following their ejection from the Football Conference, if they meet 'certain criteria within a timeframe imposed by the league'.

Hereford were expelled from the Football Conference earlier this week after the club missed their latest deadline to pay football creditors.

A Southern League statement today said: "Following discussions with Hereford United Football Club regarding their participation in the Southern Football League for the 2014/15 season, the league will accept their inclusion into the competition to play in its Premier Division, subject to the club meeting certain criteria within a time frame imposed by the league.''

The Bulls' Conference expulsion means Chester, relegated from the Conference on the final day of last season, will be reinstated and Hayes & Yeading United will not be relegated from the Conference South into the top flight of the Southern League.

However, the make-up of the Southern League could yet be complicated further by the situation at Conference Salisbury City.

The Whites yesterday missed a 5pm deadline to address the £30,000 owed in wages to staff and players who have not been paid in two months.

Today, Salisbury revealed that they would be relegated next week - with  the Wiltshire club are now poised to take legal action to prevent it - although the Football Conference had yet to confirm whether that was the case.

A Salisbury City statement said: "Salisbury City FC are facing expulsion from the Conference on Tuesday after the leagues board decided to relegate them today, despite meeting certain financial demands placed on them.

"On Friday, £75,000 was transferred into the club solicitors' client account to meet unpaid debts.

"The Conference board have also been given assurances that in the next seven days, the funds to meet all outstanding club debts will be paid.

"However, because of a legal issue in relationship to ownership of the club, the Conference board have decided to throw Salisbury City FC out of the league on Tuesday.''

The statement added: "Following legal advice, Salisbury City FC will now consider taking an injunction out on the Conference or taking the case to an FA independent appeal board.

"It is disappointing that the Conference have failed to give the club a seven-day extension to clear up their financial irregularities and as a result of their imminent action it leaves Salisbury City FC with no choice but to take legal steps to safeguard their future.

On an extraordinary day yesterday, City owner Otail Touzar was banned by the club as they requested an extension to deadline to sort out their issues.

Touzar and Mark Winter completed a takeover of the club last month, but while Whites fan Winter had been reported to have put £75,000 of his own money in, Dubai-based Touzar, who owns a 98 per cent stake, had yet to add investment.

An earlier Salisbury statement said yesterday: "The club have, upon legal advice, taken steps to remove the current owner Mr Otail A.S. Touzar, after information surfaced questioning the legitimacy of his takeover of the club.

"Following consultation with legal experts, Mr Touzar has been banned from the club and will be served with legal papers in the forthcoming days to overturn his ownership.

"Salisbury City FC have asked for an extension from the league and presented them with evidence to support their claim."

If they were expelled, the Whites could also seek to join the Southern League.

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