UHLSPORT UNITED COUNTIES LEAGUE-PREMIER DIVISION SOUTH
BIGGLESWADE UNITED
BUGBROOKE ST MICHAELS
COGENHOE UNITED
COVENTRY SPHINX
COVENTRY UNITED
DESBOROUGH TOWN
EYNESBURY ROVERS
GODMANCHESTER ROVERS
HARBOROUGH TOWN
LEICESTER ROAD
LONG BUCKBY
LUTTERWORTH TOWN
NEWPORT PAGNELL TOWN
O.N CHENECKS
OADBY TOWN
PETERBOROUGH NORTHERN STAR
POTTON UNITED
ROTHWELL CORINTHIANS
RUGBY TOWN
WELLINGBOROUGH TOWN
This season’s league formation has a very different look to the one we have seen over the last few seasons with the introduction of Premier Divisions North and South, whilst Division One has changed even more dramatically with our local clubs being moved into the Spartan South Midlands League as step 6 moves northwards.
The Cooks will see ten new opponents in 21/22, some familiar places and some new ones too. Travelling-wise it will be shorter distances overall by the look of things with no more trips to Boston Town on a Thursday night, or Saturday for that matter, but losing the Lincolnshire teams means no more visits to Linford’s Chippy in Market Deeping either. No trips to the city of Leicester or further north, but we head for that county four times still with Harborough Town, Oadby Town and Lutterworth Town remaining in our division, plus we get to visit the excellent former Hinckley United stadium, now the home of Leicester Road FC. We still have Rugby Town’s Butlin Road on our radar, whilst two trips into the City of Coventry are totally new to us. The Butts Arena will have the biggest stand in the UCL when we visit Coventry United, whilst the more humble Coventry Sphinx ground will not be an easy place to visit, especially when you consider how many twists and turns you need to take through the estate to find it. Been there ten or more times, but still manage to get lost either going in or coming out! We head to Huntingdonshire a couple of times with Eynesbury Rovers returning to the league from the Spartan South Midlands after a two year gap, being joined by new to the league Godmanchester Rovers who have been moved across from the Eastern Counties League. The only Bucks club in the league are the also returning Newport Pagnell Town whilst two trips to Bedfordshire will ensue as Potton United reluctantly return to our league and Biggleswade United make their UCL bow with all three clubs being moved sideways by the F.A. We still have to take the road to Peterborough once with Northern Star staying in our division whilst we have six Northamptonshire derbies to look forward to. Desborough Town, O.N Chenecks, Rothwell Corinthians and Wellingborough Town all remain from last season, whilst being joined by the promoted pair of Bugbrooke St Michaels and Long Buckby. The final piece of the F.As jigsaw does leave us scratching our heads though as Banbury based Easington Sports brought Oxfordshire into the UCL after they won their appeal. With the Premier North only having 18 teams logic would have said a move for one of the most Northerly UCL teams in the South division, but no, we will play with 21 while the north half keeps to 18.
The new clubs and where they came from;
Eastern Counties League; Godmanchester Rovers.
Hellenic League; Easington Sports
Midland League Premier Division; Coventry United and Coventry Sphinx.
Midland League Division One (promoted); Leicester Road.
Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division; Biggleswade United, Eynesbury Rovers, Newport Pagnell Town and Eynesbury Rovers.
United Counties League Division One (promoted); Bugbrooke St Michaels and Long Buckby.
The Reserve Division remains just the one for the whole area although thankfully for travel it hasn’t been infiltrated by the new Nottinghamshire/Derbyshire teams as yet, although with 18 teams it will mean a number of midweek matches which suits those teams that opt for an older average age of squad, rather than clubs such as ourselves who use the Reserves as a step up for the U18s players who see action every Thursday night too.
UHLSPORT UNITED COUNTIES LEAGUE-RESERVE DIVISION
BOURNE TOWN Res
BUGBROOKE ST MICHAELS Res
COGENHOE UNITED Res
DAVENTRY TOWN Res
DESBOROUGH TOWN Res
G.N.G OADBY TOWN Res
HARBOROUGH TOWN Res
HUNTINGDON TOWN Res
IRCHESTER UNITED Res
KEMPSTON ROVERS Res
MILTON KEYNES IRISH Res
NEWPORT PAGNELL TOWN Res
O.N CHENECKS Res
RAUNDS TOWN Res
ROTHWELL CORINTHIANS Res
WELLINGBOROUGH TOWN Res
WHITWORTH Res
YAXLEY Res
Our first team could come up against teams from the other two divisions in the League Cup, so here they are in full.
UHLSPORT UNITED COUNTIES LEAGUE-PREMIER DIVISION NORTH
ANSTEY NOMADS
BOSTON TOWN
DEEPING RANGERS
EASTWOOD CFC
GRESLEY ROVERS
HEANOR TOWN
HEATHER ST JOHNS
HOLBEACH UNITED
LEICESTER NIRVANA
LONG EATON UNITED
LOUGHBOROUGH STUDENTS
MELTON TOWN
NEWARK
PINCHBECK UNITED
QUORN
SELSTON
SKEGNESS TOWN
SLEAFORD TOWN
UHLSPORT UNITED COUNTIES LEAGUE-DIVISION ONE
AYLESTONE PARK
BARROW TOWN
BELPER UNITED
BIRSTALL UNITED SOCIAL
BLACKSTONES
BORROWASH VICTORIA
BOURNE TOWN
CLIFTON ALL WHITES
DUNKIRK
GEDLING MINERS WELFARE
GRAHAM STREET PRIMS
HARROWBY UNITED
HINCKLEY AFC
HOLWELL SPORTS
HUCKNALL TOWN
INGLES
KIMBERLEY MINERS WELFARE
KIRBY MUXLOE
LUTTERWORTH ATHLETIC
RADFORD
SAFFRON DYNAMO
ST ANDREWS
WEST BRIDGFORD
So the UCL runs with 18 in the Premier North, 21 in the Premier South and 23 in Division One. The F.A had a lot of time to sort out this restructure given the early end to last season so I’ll just leave those three stats and leave you all to make your own conclusions.
Paul.
