The Non - League thread

[Double C]

Jay Emmanuel- Thomas fresh out of prison signs for AFC Totton

i thought he literally went in last month?

[Royals and Racers]

Jay Emmanuel- Thomas fresh out of prison signs for AFC Totton

i thought he literally went in last month?

Out on parole- spent 10 months in HMP Chelmsford.

[Sutekh]

Jay Emmanuel- Thomas fresh out of prison signs for AFC Totton

i thought he literally went in last month?

Out on parole- spent 10 months in HMP Chelmsford.

Presume it’s part of Starmer’s “let everyone out of jail” wonder scheme. He was sentenced to 4 years in June 2025 so has served 1 month of his actual sentence

He was arrested back in October and remanded in custody awaiting trial until May 2025.

[Double C]

Se dons (now officially called se dons) seem to have been building a seriously good squad for their league (step 6?)

Turns out their manager and afc whyteleafe manager are brothers so they've basically taken loads of their players to try go up

[Four Of Clubs]

... digest of this w/e's "Season openers" for our 'featured' sides -

Fri 25th July
CCL-PN Abingdon Utd 2-0 North Leigh - att 378
CCL-PS Epsom & Ewell 3-0 Guildford City - att 143 - @ Cobham
CCL-1- Langley 2-4 London Samurai - att 103 @ Slough

CCL-1
Bedfont v Berks County
Brook House v Oxhey Jets
Chalfont St Peter v Colliers Wood United
Hillingdon Borough v PFC Victoria London
Holmer Green v Spartans Youth
Molesey v Staines & Lammas (Middlesex)
Penn & Tylers Green v Sport London e Benfica
Sandhurst Town pp Windsor
Spelthorne Sports v Rising Ballers Kensington
Westside v FC Deportivo Galicia
Woodley United v Wembley

SSM-P
Aylesbury Vale Dynamos v Harlow Town
Kings Langley v Wormley Rovers
Risborough Rangers v Biggleswade United
SSM-1
Belstone v Desborough Town

...most of our other 'local' NL Pyramid (STEPS 05-06) start from 2nd August - with some 'warm-up' STEP05 league games (HELLENIC/WESSEX) before the FA Cup EP round next Sat.
STEP 01-04 get underway the following w/e 09/08

...and to follow-on, sort of, from DD/DC's post (sounds like a snippet from an HMHB song?)

Former SL 'giants' Canterbury City - well up to the mid-90's - have voluntarily dropped 'down and out' to County level.
- Kent County League to be precise .... but significantly after 25 years - some inactive altogether - whilst 'nesting' at a few different venues along the N'Kent coast - they are finally returning much nearer home for 25/26.
Moving into a multi-sports facility at Thanington - on the outskirts of the City.

[Four Of Clubs]

Yesterday's NL results

Sat 26th July

CCL-1
Bedfont 3-0 Berks County
Brook House 3-2 Oxhey Jets
Chalfont St Peter 2-2 Colliers Wood United
Hillingdon Borough 1-3 PFC Victoria London
Holmer Green 2-0 Spartans Youth
Molesey 1-3 Staines & Lammas (Middlesex)
Penn & Tylers Green 4-3 Sport London e Benfica
Spelthorne Sports 2-2 Rising Ballers Kensington
Westside {SEVEN} 7-0 FC Deportivo Galicia
Woodley United 2-1 Wembley
- was at this - att 75
- thought I'd start 'low key' for this season. Difficult to read in too much to the result here .....
- Wembley probably re-building after relegation - United or the 'Kestrels' as they now refer to themselves, were bright & tidy and pressed effectively.
- They finished last term with an astonishing run of form that would have kept them up.
- There were also reprieves for RBK & Depor. meaning there wasn't any relegation from Div One anyway.
- Sporting London e Benfica have come in from the Middlesex League (were in the SSML a few years back - will g/s at Amersham)
- Windsor's untimely withdrawl, on the eve of the new season - having also been given a reprieve, has thrown the league a bit.
Looks as if CCL-1 will run with 'odd' numbers (23) - the non-league afficianados think that's far too many for STEP06 anyhow - especially in a division already overblown with groundshares - est. 15 clubs with that arrangement?
- rather a shame for other clubs that applied to step up from County level who were knocked back.
Maidenhead Town for one - have not discovered why their application was unsuccessful. I thought they'd set up a g/s (yet another one) at Burnham for it too?
Other departures saw Windsor & Eton and Eversley & Cal. promoted to Prem N and Prem S respectively
- Belstone have shifted sideways to SSM-1 with Yateley United being shunted over to WESSEX - 1
- the other relegated sides into CCL-1 are Sandhurst, Spelthorne & Berks County - again all three are groundsharers.

SSM-P
Aylesbury Vale Dynamos 1-2 Harlow Town
Kings Langley 3-2 Wormley Rovers
Risborough Rangers 1-1 Biggleswade United
SSM-1
Belstone 2-1 Desborough Town

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plenty of CCL fixtures this coming midweek (some 'local' highlights) :

TUE 29th
Prem North
Holyport v Wokingham T.
Windsor & Eton v Hilltop
Prem South
Fleet T. v Alton
Tadley Calleva v Eversley & Cal.
Thatcham v Badshot Lea
One
Penn & T. v Holmer Gn
Woodley v Depor.

WED 30th
Prem North
Burnham v Reading City
Kidlington v Milton Utd

[Sutekh]

Windsor FC have withdrawn from the Combined Counties League Div 1 for the 2025/6 season.

Do we know why, is it just a lack of funds?

[Four Of Clubs]

Windsor FC have withdrawn from the Combined Counties League Div 1 for the 2025/6 season.

Do we know why, is it just a lack of funds?

.....make of this what you will but they've stated it's:

to "focus their efforts and resources on an ambitious new ground development project".

Somewhat 'odd' as my take, from other sources, was they'd essentially become Beaconsfield's 2nd string ......
....spose there's a couple of E.Berks League sides with grounds they might 'move in on' , should they wish to develop something a bit nearer Windsor?
Seems there were rumblings last season or before, about the time W&E took over Stag Meadow, that Windsor FC were pondering taking a year out, as their deal to play at Arbour Pk, Slough had stalled. Then they 'pitched up' quite literally at Beaconsfield.

[Double C]

That is a really oxf*rd early start for a league

[Royals and Racers]

The National league have suspended Morecambe for the early part of the season- the League will meet on August 20th to discuss what happens next.

[Royals and Racers]

1st non- league match of the seaon for me tonight and i’m off on the motorway to a new ground for me Ashford Town FC ( Middx ) for the match against Virginia Water on the new 3 g pitch. It’s a CC Premier Division North fixture.

[Royals and Racers]

1st non- league match of the seaon for me tonight and i’m off on the motorway to a new ground for me Ashford Town FC ( Middx ) for the match against Virginia Water on the new 3 g pitch. It’s a CC Premier Division North fixture.

0-0 hope that’s not an omen for the season. Reportedly the ground improvements and the 3g pitch cost 1.25M. Very impressive facilities.

[Father Flipper]

Went Fleet Town v Alton last night. Feels incredibly weird having the league season starting in July. On a Tuesday night.

3-2 to Alton. Slope at Calthorpe Park is as extreme as anything I've seen (I'm not quite old enough to really remember The Old Huish or Loakes Park), and last night was the first time I've seen a team attacking down the slope in the second half lose. Proper blood and thunder non-league game. A nice opener to the season.

[Four Of Clubs]

0-0 hope that’s not an omen for the season. Reportedly the ground improvements and the 3g pitch cost 1.25M. Very impressive facilities.

...tough luck on the 0-0 opener - I popped over to a very drizzly/mizzly Mettal Stadium (Waterside Pk) for
CCL-PS Thatcham Town 1-1 Badshot Lea att 210
... both sides relegated last term and looked low on confidence : shaky back lines but poor options going forward.
Plenty of incident but low quality, can't see either of these on this form, challenging for a quick return to STEP04.
...tactical error: chose jumper over coat - naturally it was wet rather than cold .....

Tonight torn between a visit of my own to the Bob Parker Stadium, to see the lodgers (PFC Vic.) take on Berks Co. in the CCL-1 or an easier trip up a couple of junctions - for CCL-PN Burnham v Reading City

...fuller round up maybe later this week ...

[Royal Rother]

Windsor FC have withdrawn from the Combined Counties League Div 1 for the 2025/6 season.

Do we know why, is it just a lack of funds?

.....make of this what you will but they've stated it's:

to "focus their efforts and resources on an ambitious new ground development project".

Somewhat 'odd' as my take, from other sources, was they'd essentially become Beaconsfield's 2nd string ......
....spose there's a couple of E.Berks League sides with grounds they might 'move in on' , should they wish to develop something a bit nearer Windsor?
Seems there were rumblings last season or before, about the time W&E took over Stag Meadow, that Windsor FC were pondering taking a year out, as their deal to play at Arbour Pk, Slough had stalled. Then they 'pitched up' quite literally at Beaconsfield.

The Chairman lives in a bit of a fantasy world in his own mind.

He will probably be seeking out some kind of media-based investor to follow / film a project from planning to building a stadium to relaunching the team in the hope that the club can build a worldwide following on TV. Yawn.

Kevin Stott does not give up easily, he seems to enjoy setting himself up, loading both barrels and taking aim at his own foot, but I would be surprised to see Windsor FC anywhere in the pyramid again.

But I will always be grateful to him for setting up the club in the wake of the demise of W&EFC 16+ years ago. Following the team for as long as I did gave me a lot of pleasure.

[Four Of Clubs]

Fixtures for this w/e - FA Cup Preliminary - full draw was posted a couple of weeks back ^^^

https://www.thefa.com/competitions/thefacup/fixtures

Saturday 2nd August

FA Cup Extra-Preliminary Round
Fri 1st Aug
Wokingham Town v Brislington

Abbey Rangers v Corinthian-Casuals
AFC Stoneham v Fleet Town
AFC Varndenians v Tooting & Mitcham United @ Newhaven
AFC Whyteleafe v Chipstead
Alton v Wincanton Town
Andover New Street v New Milton Town
Ardley United v Aylesbury United
Aylesbury Vale Dynamos v Abingdon United
Badshot Lea v Steyning Town Community
Baffins Milton Rovers v Shaftesbury
Balham v Faversham Town
Beaconsfield Town v Larkhall Athletic
Bexhill United v Sheerwater
Binfield v Winslow United
Broadbridge Heath v Cobham
Burnham v Holyport
Cinderford Town v Amersham Town
Cirencester Town v Reading City
Cockfosters v Kings Langley
Eastbourne Town v Ashford Town (Middx)
Edgware & Kingsbury v British Airways
Eversley & California v Horndean
Fisher v Camberley Town
14:00 Guernsey v Bedfont Sports
Guildford City v Sutton Common Rovers @ Westfield (Woking)
Hallen v Highworth Town
12:00 Hamworthy Recreation v Hartley Wintney
15:30 Jersey Bulls v Erith & Belvedere
Kidlington v Clevedon Town
Lydney Town v Royal Wootton Bassett
Midhurst & Easebourne v Knaphill
Milton Keynes Irish v Heybridge Swifts
Milton United v Didcot Town @ Didcot
North Leigh v Risborough Rangers
Northwood v Egham Town
Portishead Town v Windsor & Eton
Raynes Park Vale v Forest Row
Redhill v North Greenford United
Rusthall v Westfield
Tadley Calleva v Millbrook
Thatcham Town v Petersfield Town
Thornbury Town v Virginia Water
Tring Athletic v West Essex
Sun 3rd Aug
Hilltop v Deal Town, @ Edgware &K. (SJP Hendon FC)
Stansfeld v Harrow Borough
Little Common v Southall


League
CCL-1
Brook House v Bedfont
Colliers Wood United v Hillingdon Borough
FC Deportivo Galicia v Berks County @ Bedfont Sports
Molesey v London Samurai Rovers
Oxhey Jets v Chalfont St Peter
PFC Victoria London v Langley @ Ashford Town
- nipped up to Ashford on Wed eve, for PFCs league game v Berks Co - finished 2-2.
-'Swords' looked slightly better on the ball but both sides were neat tidy and quite expansive in possession. PFC refreshingly brave in approach too - a goal behind they went a man down midway 2nd half and opted for all out attack - which got them a deserved point and nearly yielded more.
- However neither looked too robust in defence - overdid the playing out from the keeper. That may well hold them both back this year against some 'bigger' more physical outfits. From what little I've seen so far, this could be the division to watch for entertainment.
- That's in spite of the plethora of groundshares making it awkward to keep track of venues being used - especially in poor weather or later in the season when the fixtures can pile up.....
- Bedfont, Woodley , and Brook House the early front runners with 2 wins from 2.
- a lot of work has gone into sprucing up Short Lane - new 3G and new lights - sadly the Tea Bar - which is quite decent from memory/previous visits - was shut for the lodgers midweek and their 'programme' such as it is was 'buried' and virtually inaccessible away somewhere on 'faceybook'
- the 'issues' at Heathrow meant it was eerily quiet overhead, compared to the usual: i.e. constant flow of aircraft in/out of T4 à la 'The Bedfonts' a couple of miles away NE

Spartans Youth v Westside @ Bedfont
Sport London e Benfica v Sandhurst Town @ Amersham
Staines & Lammas (Middlesex) v Penn & Tylers Green @ Spelthorne
Wembley v Holmer Green
Woodley United v Rising Ballers Kensington

HELL-1
Brimscombe & Thrupp v Wantage Town
Carterton v Chipping Sodbury Town
Wellington v Thame United Reserves

SCEL-1
AFC Greenwich Borough v Chessington & Hook United @ Holmesdale
FC Elmstead v SE Dons @ Sutton Athletic

WESS-1
Alresford Town v Totton & Eling
Ash United v Blackfield & Langley
Fleetlands v Kintbury Rangers - 'Rangers' finally step back up after quite a while away (15 yrs or so) in the County leagues - shifting between N.Berks Hellenic 2 and Wilts
- presumably they've now got stronger bulbs for their lights or re-furbed/pinched them from Faraday Rd?
- nice setting friendly clubhouse

Whitchurch United v Yateley United - Yateley 'shunted' across to the Wessex for 25-26 - don't have that far to go for their first game in this League