GRAVESEND & Northfleet chairman Brian Kilcullen has given an enthusiastic response to next season's promotion play-offs in the Nationwide Conference.

At its annual meeting in London, the Nationwide Football League agreed to accept two clubs, instead of one, from the Conference at the end of next season. The Conference champions will gain automatic promotion to the Nationwide League while the next four teams face a knock-out competition to decide who joins them in Division 3.

The play-offs will be run on the same lines as those in Divisions 1, 2 and 3 in the Football League who have insisted that any club whose ground fails to meet their criteria_ even if they finish as champions _ will be rejected.

The ratification increases the newly promoted Fleet's chances of promotion to the Football League and Mr Kilcullen could not conceal his delight. "The news is exciting and has been a long time coming," he said. "It's good for us and good for the Conference.

"It certainly increases Gravesend's chances of reaching the Football League." He added: "What it means is that starting next season there will be so much more to play for. The club finishing fifth has the chance of reaching the Football League. "Who knows, Gravesend might be in the play-offs."

Manager Andy Ford also welcomed the change to two up, describing it as: "extremely positive."

He added: "It gives everyone a 50 per cent better chance of getting out and into the Football League. Our priority is to go into the Conference and stabilise and get our ground up to scratch."

The decision to allow two Conference clubs to be promoted was taken after a funding package worth £6 million over five years was agreed with the Football Association. All Division 3 clubs will receive £50,000 at the start of each of the next five seasons as a compensatory payment for the increased chance of going down.

The two promoted clubs receive £35,000. Clubs going down receive parachute payments for one year.