IT’S D-Day for Salisbury FC as they discover what standard of football they will be playing next season.

Directors of the newly-formed club expect to hear news from the FA this afternoon about the division they have been allocated for the coming season.

Despite many permutations, the likelihood is that the club – owned by a consortium of five sportspeople including famous Steve Claridge – will be slotted into step five (Wessex Premier) or six (Wessex Division One). Meanwhile, Southern League football at the Ray Mac remains more of a dream than reality.

Chairman David Phillips said: “The rules of the National League System say that a new club cannot be placed higher than Step 5, which is the equivalent of the Wessex League Premier or Western League Premier, unless at the discretion of the NLS committee.

“We are not presuming anything and could get put at Step 6 as have other clubs who have started again in recent years, such as Darlington and Kettering. In our case, it would mean Wessex League Division One or Western League Division One.

“Those clubs, though, had to ground share and we are back in the Ray Mac, so we would hope for Wessex Premier or Western Premier at least.

“Anything above that, such as Southern League Division One South and West, would be a bonus, but in reality it is only likely to happen if the FA have spaces to fill once they have taken account of all the clubs who are seeking promotion and some who may be seeking to drop down a level to cut their costs.

“It’s a complicated picture and the FA have to juggle everything geographically.

“All we can say is we had a good meeting with the FA and presented our case to them fully and we hope for the best.”

Officials running the club have been kept busy organising another friendly.

Former Salisbury FC manager Darrell Clarke is bringing his Bristol Rovers to the city for a summer showdown.

Clarke’s Rovers, who are on the brink of promotion back to the Football League providing they beat Grimsby in Sunday’s Conference Premier final, visit Old Sarum on Saturday, July 11 for a pre-season friendly.

It will be 37-year-old Clarke’s first return to the city club, which he led to double promotions in his three-year spell as manager, since he departed in 2013.

“This should be a great day and a great test for us,” declared thrilled Whites boss Claridge. “Rovers are a big club and always travel with a lot of fans. We look forward to welcoming everyone associated with them. Huge thanks go to Darrell for bringing his side back to his old ground.”

Claridge is currently trying to arrange more friendlies and sign players for next season.