The ball is now in New Zealand Football's court.

Nelson Bays Football will submit a formal bid for a national league football franchise on Wednesday after the district executive unanimously agreed to support it, and they're expected to hear back within a month's time whether the bid has been successful or not.

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Mark Sheehan, a member of the working group behind the bid, believes NBF has given itself "the best possible chance" to be included in the new 10-team national league from 2016, particularly as the bid - under the name Tasman United - has united support from every club across Nelson and Marlborough and from Mainland Football itself.

"Everyone is behind it. They want to see the youth success continue and for the men to be playing on a national level at Trafalgar Park," he said.

Sheehan said NBF and the working group, made up of representatives from numerous clubs, have done all their "due diligence" around financial stability and player depth, and have put together a bid that "the entire football community can be really proud of."

"I think we've got as much of a chance as anyone and everyone is backing this across the top of the south which is a powerful statement. We are confident we can not just compete but be very competitive and sustainable too," he said.

"We're reigning ASB Youth League champions, we're reigning New Zealand secondary schools champions and there's so much talent at a men's level dotted around the region."

Sheehan acknowledged that there had been some concerns raised around financial stability and player depth at a senior level, but he believed those questions had all been answered in the bid document.

"They were the two areas that we had to satisfy the clubs and the DE in particular. There was a lot of analysis and we have done everything we can and put our best foot forward. Now it's up to New Zealand Football and their decision making process."

Failure to secure entry into the senior competition will spell an end for the Nelson Marlborough Falcons side that won the ASB Youth League in 2014, with New Zealand Football earlier indicating that they will not accept any stand alone bids for teams in their proposed under-19 youth league.

Sheehan said it would be a "tragedy" for the top of the south to lose their successful youth team, while, on the other hand, securing a senior men's team would be a "tremendous" step forward for football in both Nelson and Marlborough, and would "complete the pathway."

Falcons coach Mark Johnston, another member of the working group and someone who has played in the ASB Premiership, firmly believed a team from the top of the south could be competitive in the national league, even against top clubs Auckland City, Team Wellington and Waitakere United.

"I've had 26 players say they're keen to play and we're only really looking for 21 and five of those have to be under 20. I think we could have a team that will not only compete but will challenge for the top spots and at the end of the day that's what the teams are vying for," he said.

Johnston said it was important for the Falcons to remain successful in order to "keep the momentum going" over the next month.

Nelson currently has four players involved in the 2015-16 ASB Premiership; Atkin Kaua (Canterbury United), Billy Scott (Team Wellington), Coey Turipa (Canterbury United), and Michael White (Canterbury United), while Team Wellington striker Ben Harris played for Richmond Athletic during the winter season.

New Zealand Football is expected to announce which 10 teams will contest the 2016-17 league on December 16.