Shildon will propose the introduction of squad numbers at tomorrow's Northern League Annual General Meeting at Billingham, writes RAY SIMPSON.

Squad numbers are now accepted in the Premiership and the Nationwide League, and only last week the Nationwide Conference approved them for the new season, but they aren't used below that level.

Shildon feel that it will be of benefit to introduce the system into the Northern League. "We don't want it to be a rule throughout the league, we just want to raise the club's profile," said manager Ray Gowan.

Most Northern League clubs use well over 30 players throughout the course of a season, some of them signed just hours before the start of a game and maybe the clubs will be grateful that they won't have as many players registered as York City way back in season 1908-09, when they had 746 players signed up.

Willington striker Michel Boumsong has been hit by Durham FA with a 112 day ban after being found guilty of head-butting in a Albany Northern League Second Division game near the end of the season, which means that he will be missing until near Christmas. He has also been instructed to appear in front of the Northern League Management committee.

The league has made another batch of Performance of the Week awards: April, 6 Shildon for their 3-1 League Cup win at Tow Law; April 13 Billingham Town for a 2-0 league win at Whitley Bay; April 20 Washington for a 3-0 away win at Newcastle Blue Star; 27th Alnwick for a 4-1 away win at Penrith.

Shildon will have priority for their league fixtures at Dean Street in the new season.

Shildon will be joined by UniBond League neighbours Bishop Auckland for at least two seasons, and there were worries amongst Shildon supporters that Bishops would have precedence for their league games.

However, the Northern League have insisted that Shildon has priority, and to avoid any potential clashes, they have already issued Shildon with their league fixtures for next season.

Shildon have now passed them on to Bishops, who in turn have forwarded them on to the UniBond League.

Both clubs are now hoping that there won't be any clashes with league games, but there could be problems with the FA Cup, if both sides are drawn at home on the same day.

However, it looks as if Shildon will insist that they still have priority, which means that Bishops may have to switch games to the Friday or Sunday, or even to their opponents' ground.

But there could still be a problem if one side has a cup tie on the same day as the other has a home league game - for example, if Shildon have an FA Vase run.

Albany Northern League dinner awards

First Division: Champions - Bedlington £2,000; runners-up - Tow Law £1,500; third - Dunston £1,000; fourth - Marske £750.

Second Division: Champions - Shildon £1,200; runners-up - Prudhoe £800; third - Esh Winning £600; fourth - Penrith £400.

League Cup: Durham £700; Shildon £500; semi-finalists - Whitley Bay and Tow Law £300 each.

Craven Cup: Winners - Prudhoe £300; runners-up Shildon £200; semi-finalists - Penrith and Washington Nissan £100 each.

Goalscoring awards for teams outside the top four: Division One - Durham City £500; Division Two - Washington Nissan £250.

Individual goalscorer: Division One - Andrew Fletcher (Dunston, 35 goals) £200; Division Two - John Outhwaite (Shildon, 30 goals) £100.

Good conduct awards: Division One - Consett and Bedlington £400 each; Division Two - Evenwood and Northallerton £400 each.

Good conduct/Fair play: Division One - Consett £400, West Auckland £300, Dunston £200, Durham City £100. Division Two - Evenwood £400, Prudhoe £300, Northallerton £200, Whickham £100.

Player of the Year: 1st - Charlie Walton (Shildon); 2nd - Andy Fletcher (Dunston); 3rd - Darren Poole (Northallerton).

Unsung heroes award: 1st - Bill Aisbitt (Shildon); 2nd - John Farrey (Whickham); 3rd - Fred Corner (Jarrow Roofing).

Ramside Hall Hospitality award: Billingham Synthonia.

North Eastern Co-op Catering award: Whitley Bay.

BBC Radio Newcatsle Player of the Year award: Martin Kirkby (Bedlington).

Referee of the Year (joint): Barry Sygmuta, Clive Oliver.

Arthur Clark Memorial Trophy: Whitley Bay.