Hinckley AFC making surprise switch to MFL

HINCKLEY AFC have made a surprise switch to the Midland Football League following publication of the non-league places by the FA.

After agonisingly missing out on promotion in a play-off final defeat to Belper, Courtney Belford and his team were expecting to mount a fresh challenge for promotion playing in Division One of the United Counties League, but instead they have been moved laterally to Division One of Midland Football League, with Graham St Prims and Ingles FC also making a similar switch.

The club had the right to make an appeal against the switch but had decided to accept the FA decision.

A statement from Hinckley AFC said: “After discussions of the Board together with consulting the management team, the club decided not to appeal against the sideways movement.

“Our members and supporters deserve to know exactly why we have made this choice.

“We made a successful league allocation appeal to the Football Association in June 2021. That was on the basis geographical changes made to the Midland Football League at that time would significantly increase travel times.

“This season’s allocation has seen us switched back to the Midland League. After calculating distance and travel times of other teams allocated to the MFL, our expected mileage is around 786 miles. That’s an average travelling time of 20 hours to all 21 teams.

“After calculating distance and travel times to other teams in the UCL, our expected mileage would be around 845 miles. That’s an average travelling time of 19 hours 30 minutes to all 22 teams.

“As can be seen from those calculations the geographical difference between the two leagues is now minimal. We feel that there is not enough geographical difference with these allocations. As such the Board feel any appeal would be frivolous and a waste of Members’ funds.

“Therefore, we say au revoir to our United Counties friends and hello again to the Midland League clubs.”