Hinckley LRFC clinch promotion to step four
HINCKLEY LRFC are celebrating life as a step four club after their promotion from the United Counties League was confirmed by the FA allocation of league places for the 2022/23 season.
Neil Lyne’s side spent just one season at step five after a superb debut season in the United Counties League Premier Division South saw them finish in second place behind Market Harborough, netting 32 wins in the league season finishing on a total of 99 points.
Now the Leicester Road outfit move into the Northern Premier League Midlands Division and will be joined by other clubs automatically promoted from the United Counties Leagues namely, Harborough Town and Gresley Rovers.
Boldmere St Michaels who earned promotion via winning the play-offs from the Midland Football League will also join the UCL trio.
Moving laterally into the Northern Premier League Midlands Division are St Neots who finished 10th in the Southern League Division One Central last season and Dereham Town who similarly finished 10th in the Isthmian League Division One North last season. Sutton Coldfield Town earned a reprieve from last season and retain their league status.
Also in the league are Leicestershire counterparts Shepshed Dynamo and Loughborough
Dynamo.
Hinckley LRFC director Ku Akeredolu said the promotion would mean changes as the club continued its climb up the non league pyramid.
“We are about to transition out of grass roots and into semi professional football and become members of the Trident Leagues, so operationally this will mean changes both on and off the pitch and we will also enter the FA Trophy instead of the FA Vase for the first time in our history which will be another new experience.
“The club can be very proud of its progress to date as we look back on three promotions in the last seven seasons whilst overcoming many obstacles to become Hinckley’s premier football club.”