Banbury United - Official Forum

Line-ups could be published this week. They usually come out in the second week of May, although last year the announcement was delayed until Friday 29th May with so much going on, including High Court insolvency hearings.

Mike Avery's latest projections.

Rothwell Town resigned from the Midland Division last week, thus giving Barton Rovers a reprieve – if they want it.

Hellenic League champions Almondsbury Town (who presumably will take their promotion) will play at Clevedon next season. Their current stadium (Oaklands) is the HQ of the Gloucestershire FA which wants to redevelop parts of the ground and this may affect the facilities. Almondsbury FC (Western League) play at the adjacent Almondsbury Sports Club and this may eventually become Town's home if they cannot come to a future arrangement with the GFA.
 
Banbury had a mediocre record against Almondsbury in the HL (7 wins in 20) so one to be avoided in the SL Cup.

16 miles, 20 minutes down the M5. One coach should be enough for all the players, staff and supporters...



Swindon had doubts last season about continuing. More on this – club statement. They're not making a decision until 31st May, so there'll be another delay in the confirmation of the SL line-ups.

Strictly speaking a subject for the 'Other NL News' sections but what the hell...we might play some of them in the league cup.

Step 5 clubs to be promoted to SL, IL and NPL. A maximum of 12 places are available in the six divisions (but see below).

Ten champions clubs should be promoted:
Eastern Counties – Needham Market (to IL)
United Counties – Daventry Town (SL)
Midland Alliance – Barwell (SL or NPL)
Hellenic – Almondsbury Town (SL)
Western – Bideford (SL)
Sussex County – Whitehawk (IL)
Kent – Faversham Town (IL)
Combined Counties – North Greenford United (SL or IL)
Spartan South Midland – Aylesbury, formerly Aylesbury Vale (SL)
North-West Counties – Newcastle Town (NPL)

Wessex champions Poole Town failed their ground grading.
Essex Senior champions Stansted did not apply.
Northern Counties (East) champions applied and passed their ground grading but have since refused their place.
Northern League champions Spennymoor did not apply.

Three runners-up are in contention for the two remaining places:
Northern Counties (East) – Rainworth Miners Welfare (NPL)
Wessex – Wimborne Town (to SL)
Essex Senior – Witham Town (to IL)
On a points per game basis, Witham should miss out but the FA might allow them in. There is a precedent – in 2005, nine clubs were eligible for eight places (only four divisions then) so IL Div 1 ran with 23. One factor counts against that – the imbalance in the number of clubs in the SE.

Can Daventry's little field really be up to the (admittedly modest) requirements of Step 4? Didn't they have a serious fire at their clubhouse fairly recently? Good luck to them anyway.

And a welcome back to the SL for Bideford, who had a brief spell in the league in the 1970s. Prior to visiting Truro, Banbury's longest journey was to Bideford for an FA Cup tie in 1977.

The National League committee met yesterday (Thursday) I wonder if we will see the makeup of the leagues published today ?

Probably Monday for a formal announcement. The word is that some clubs will be informed of their fate by their respective leagues over the weekend.

Daventry have a really nice new ( 2 level) clubhouse and are working hard to improve all there other facilities. Watch them go if they can get their act together behind the scenes.

Daventry have made great strides over the past couple of years, could soon be another local derby for us.

To be formally announced at 2pm today.

No surprises. Coming in are Chesham, Cirencester and Windsor (promoted), and Weston and Weymouth (relegated). Merthyr are still included for now. There are no transfers. Tiverton are reprieved. Hemel will also get a reprieve if (when) Merthyr go.

The FA has yet to put the lists up on its own website. When it does, there will almost certainly be a number of outstanding issues concerning the placement of clubs whose future is in doubt.

Line-ups can change until league AGMs in June, after which any further drop-outs will leave divisions running short.

FA Cup and Trophy draws will follow AGMS (late June/early July). League fixtures will be published in the middle of July.

Brackley are still in the SLP...

The Southern League AGM weekend is 19/20th June.

We'd be unlucky not to get one seaside trip in Aug/Sept.

Chester, Grays and Farsley do not feature in the line-ups and will be expected to restart at least at Step 5 (Hellenic Premier level) if (or when) they are ready.

Any news on Merthyr or Swindon ?

I have just read the Merthyr forum and it looks as if there ground is being bought by a developer and they will ground share playing in a lower level, so no chance of us going to Merthyr next season. Tiverton saved ?

And they'll be back up to conference level in no time!

If Merthyr do drop out as looks likely, this coming season will be the first for 101 years that there has been no Welsh side in the Southern League!

Merthyr Supporters Trust has called a public meeting for next Tuesday (25th) at which an announcement will be made on the future of the club.

Swindon will make a decision on Monday 31st.

It seems very unlikely that Merthyr will remain in the SL. Swindon might ask to be demoted to Div 1SW. Hemel and Clevevdon stand to be reprieved.

Mike Avery has calculated the distances to be travelled next season. Averages as follows (return journeys):

Conf     326
SL Prem  221 (199 excluding Truro)
Conf N   211
NPL Prem 155
Conf S   146
IL Prem  120
SL 1S&W  158
NPL 1S   119
SL 1C    103
NPL 1N   101
IL 1S     96
IL 1N     66

Overall, SL Div 1S&W teams will travel more than 72,000 miles compared to the IL Div 1N teams at 30,000. An 'extra' 40,000+ miles at the same level...

Not sure when the League AGM is but last year it was on the 2nd Saturday in June. (Just spotted 19th June).

The FA are attempting to standardise League AGMs by getting them all to take place on the 3rd Saturday in June.

Any agreed constitutions will not be ratified by the FA until the 3rd Saturday in June to allow for any enforced or unforeseen movement of clubs.