LONDON LEFT CALLING FOR A RESOLUTION
JUST weeks after landing the Spartan South Midlands Premier title and League Cup, London Colney have been plunged into uncertainty over which competition they will be playing in next season.
The Hertfordshire club hoped to be promoted to the Evo-Stik Southern Division One Central – but the FA have allocated them a place in Ryman One North, which club officials do not want because of the extra travelling costs.
The affair has led to the resignation of manager Joe Sweeney and at the club’s Annual General Meeting on Monday they will decide whether to remain at Step 5.
In the Spartan South Midlands Division One, Biggleswade FC and Harpenden Town have been promoted to the Premier, while Rayners Lane have moved sideways from the Hellenic and London Lions join from the Hertfordshire County League.
Problems
Following their relegation from Evo-Stik NPL South, Northwich Victoria may be pitted next season against 1874 Northwich, the club founded five years ago by their disgruntled fans.
Victoria have been earmarked for the North West Counties League but are likely to be allowed to play in the Premier Division, of which 1874 are members, only if they can come out of administration by the league’s AGM on June 17.
If not, they will be placed in Division One, although league secretary John Deal said there are still questions about Victoria being able to survive their current problems.
Burscough have also been relegated from Step 4 to the Premier with Nelson, New Mills and Cammell Laird 1907 all dropping down to Division One. City of Liverpool, Widnes and Charnock Richard were promoted and Ashton Town relegated to the Cheshire League.
Possibly the strongest Step 5 league for next season will be the Midland Premier, who will welcome Rugby Town, relegated from Evo-Stik NPL South and Worcester City, who have fallen three steps from the National League North. Worcester will meet Broms- grove Sporting, the successors to their historic rivals Bromsgrove Rovers, who are promoted from Division One.
Haughmond move up from the West Midlands Premier and West Bridgford from the East Midlands Counties, while Alvechurch are promoted to Step 4 and Walsall Wood, Brocton and Tividale are relegated. St Andrews move sideways to the United Counties Premier.
With champions Peterborough Sports promoted to Step 4, Daventry Town and Wellingborough Whitworths go up to the United Counties Premier with Huntingdon Town and Harrowby United relegated.
The bottom three clubs in Ebac Northern League Division One – West Allotment Celtic, Chester-le-Street Town and Guisborough Town – have all been relegated, with champions South Shields going up to Step 4 and Stockton Town, Team Northumbria and Billingham Synthonia promoted from Division Two.
Petersfield Town return to the Sydenhams Wessex Premier following their relegation from the Southern Central, with second-placed Moneyfields promoted to Step 4, and Baffins Milton Rovers, Shaftesbury Town and Hamble Club promoted from Division One.
Appeal
In the Hellenic Premier, Fairford Town, Abingdon United and Woodley United move up from the lower divisions, while Wantage Town move down from Southern South & West, and Burnham and Henley Town relegated. Windsor FC move sideways from the Combined Counties Premier.
With Toolstation Western champions Bristol Manor Farm moving up to Step 4 and Bridgwater Town coming down in the opposite direction, Hengrove and Wellington have been promoted to the top flight from Division One, with Sherborne Town relegated. Bristol Telephones join Division One from the Gloucestershire County League.
Glebe and Rusthall are promoted to the Southern Counties East’s top flight with Ashford United going up to Step 4 and Chatham Town coming down.
Balham, Banstead Athletic and Redhill are promoted to the Combined Counties Premier with Godalming Town dropping from Step 4 to replace champions Hartley Wintney.
Hall Road Rangers, Penistone Church and Pontefract Collieries are all promoted to the Toolstation Northern Counties East Premier, with Armthorpe Welfare, Barton Town Old Boys and Retford United relegated, and Goole dropping down from Step 4 to swap placed with champions Cleethorpes Town.
Histon and Wroxham drop from Step 4 to the Thurlow Nunn Eastern Counties Premier, which will run next season with 24 teams following the promotion of Coggleshall Town, Haverhill Borough and Stowmarket Town with only Swaffham Town relegated.
The Southern Combination is awaiting the outcome of Haywards Heath Town’s appeal against a nine-point deduction, which could see them stripped of the championship and promotion to Step 4 in favour of Shoreham.