Oxfordshire's top five non-league clubs could all meet in league encounters next season should radical changes proposed by football chiefs be given the go-ahead.

Under the plans, which are backed by Conference, Northern Premier and Southern League clubs, Oxford City, Thame United, Banbury United, AFC Wallingford and Didcot Town - who are at what is being called step four - would all go into a re-constituted Southern League Western Division.

The Conference, or step one in the FA blueprint, will remain the same, though two new divisions of the Conference (Conference South and North) will be created.

These will comprise the leading teams from this season's three Conference feeder leagues, and the three clubs relegated from the Conference in its present format.

However, the move could be scuppered by Isthmian League bosses, who are unhappy about the FA plans and have put in a legal challenge against the proposals.

If the plan goes ahead, it would see Banbury switch from the Dr Martens Eastern Division to the Western, while Thame and City would move from Ryman League Division 1 North.

The trio could be joined by Combined Counties Premier Division side Wallingford and Hellenic Premier outfit Didcot, should they finish in a promotion position.

However, Wallingford would need to bring their ground up to Southern League standards, and Didcot look a better bet as their stadium is already up to scratch.

Banbury could move up to step three to the newly-constituted Southern Premier Division, should they finish in the top seven.

Banbury secretary Barry Worsley said: "I can see only good coming out of it. It would save us over £3,000 a season in coach travel. There would be a lot more derbies."

Thame secretary Fred Saulsbury commented: "It's all ifs and buts. We won't really know for sure until May 9 what league we will be in. Should it go ahead, as the FA wants, we would have to travel longer distances to places like Bideford in Devon.

"We need to know whether the league proposals will cost us more. Until we know that, we can't reach any conclusions."

City chairman Brian Cox said: "It would be a shame to leave the Isthmian League, because we were one of the first teams in it.

"I think it might mean more travelling, but at least we won't have to go to Essex and North London."

The situation is less clear for Ryman League Division 2 strugglers Abingdon Town, who are now at step five.

Chairman Phil Evans said: "We have been assured that we will be playing at step five next season, whatever happens. Our main concern is that we don't yet know what league we are playing in."

Ryman League secretary Nick Robinson was not prepared to comment about the reasons behind the legal challenge.

PROPOSED STRUCTURE

Step 1: Conference. Step 2: Conference North and South. Step 3: Southern, Isthmian, Northern Premier. Step 4: Southern (Western), Southern (Eastern), Isthmian Division 1, Northern Division 1: Step 5: No change.

Proposed Southern League Western Division: AFC Wallingford, Banbury Utd, Bashley, Bideford, Bracknell Tn, Buckingham Tn, Burnham, Clevedon Tn, Didcot Tn, Evesham Utd, Mangotsfield Utd, Marlow, Newport IOW, Oxford C, Paulton Rov, Slough Tn, Swindon Supermarine, Taunton Tn, Thame Utd, Wimborne Tn, Winchester C, Yate Tn.