The Non - League thread

[NathStPaul]

Confirmed constitution of the National League in 2023/24

1. Aldershot Town
2. Altrincham
3. Barnet
4. Boreham Wood
5. Bromley
6. Chesterfield
7. Dagenham & Redbridge
8. Dorking Wanderers
9. Eastleigh
10. Ebbsfleet United
11. Fylde
12. Gateshead
13. Halifax Town
14. Hartlepool United
15. Kidderminster Harriers
16. Maidenhead United
17. Oldham Athletic
18. Oxford City
19. Rochdale
20. Solihull Moors
21. Southend United
22. Wealdstone
23. Woking
24. York City

Should be fairly open next season, the two big spenders have gone and as far as I am aware none of the other clubs have the level of financial clout that Notts County and Wrexham had.

Fear a bit for Maidenhead, hearing there is absolutely no money to spend and the clubs primary focus is the new stadium and not investment in the playing staff.

Maidenhead also being one of the very few part time teams in the division also has to make them a favourite for the drop (but then it's been the same I think every season they've had at that level). It's going to be a tricky balance but then they do need a new stadium as York Road really is so hemmed in being in the town centre - how far along the road are the plans to move, do they have the foggiest where to move to?

Just goes to show what a great job Alan Devonshire does over there.

Yeah they have the site, plans, most of the funding. It is being held up by local residents and the rugby club. They want to move to Braywick Park which is on the Maidenhead outskirts and conveniently 2 minutes from my house. I am hoping I can get a free season ticket out of it tbh, a lot of clubs do that for very local residents.

[Sutekh]

As I see it these are the 25 teams currently expecting National League South footie next season

1. Aveley
2. Bath City
3. Bishop's Stortford
4. Braintree Town
5. Chelmsford City
6. Chippenham Town
7. Dartford
8. Dover Athletic
9. Eastbourne Borough
10. Farnborough
11. Hampton & Richmond Borough
12. Havant & Waterlooville
13. Hemel Hempstead Town
14. Maidstone United
15. Slough Town
16. St Albans Town
17. Taunton Town
18. Tonbridge Angels
19. Torquay United
20. Truro City
21. Welling United
22. Weston Super Mare
23. Weymouth
24. Worthing
25. Yeovil Town

As only 24 of then can actually partake of NLS footie, one has to be shunted to the Northern section. My money is on either Braintree Town or Chippenham Town but that will probably bear no relation to what the National League decide.

And as for the current National League North constitution:

1. Alfreton Town
2. Banbury United
3. Blyth Spartans
4. Boston United
5. Brackley Town
6. Buxton
7. Chester
8. Chorley
9. Curzon Ashton
10. Darlington
11. Farsley Celtic
12. Gloucester City
13. Hereford
14. King's Lynn Town
15. Peterborough Sports
16. Rushall Olympic
17. Scarborough Athletic
18. Scunthorpe United
19. South Shields
20. Southport
21. Spennymoor Town
22. Tamworth
23. Warrington Town

[bcubed]

Deja vu, their annual event and normal service continues at Brackley

Gotta have worse play-off credentials than us

And can’t help but feel I may be the common denominator

Pretty depressing really but it’s the nature of play offs I guess
Good fifteen minutes at the start but a lucky deflection turned attack into defence and set Kidderminster on their way. Really good finish but they hadn’t been in it till then. Second goal comfortably offside I hear but Brackley didn’t create enough chances in any case.

Very strange (to me) that the ex manager, Kevin Wilkin, was at the ground, again. He’d been at the previous two home games too. Obviously still has a great attachment to the club and it makes his dismissal seem even stranger. Lee Ndlovu, one of my favourite players when he was here, was also at the ground, again.

Will no doubt go again next year but, as with Reading, it seems it must be proper promotion or nothing.

[Sutekh]

Deja vu, their annual event and normal service continues at Brackley

Gotta have worse play-off credentials than us

And can’t help but feel I may be the common denominator

Pretty depressing really but it’s the nature of play offs I guess
Good fifteen minutes at the start but a lucky deflection turned attack into defence and set Kidderminster on their way. Really good finish but they hadn’t been in it till then. Second goal comfortably offside I hear but Brackley didn’t create enough chances in any case.

Very strange (to me) that the ex manager, Kevin Wilkin, was at the ground, again. He’d been at the previous two home games too. Obviously still has a great attachment to the club and it makes his dismissal seem even stranger. Lee Ndlovu, one of my favourite players when he was here, was also at the ground, again.

Will no doubt go again next year but, as with Reading, it seems it must be proper promotion or nothing.

Well at least they won a couple of the play off "semis" this time round. Understand though that Brackley's temp manager (Graham Dean ?) doesn't want the job on a permanent basis so presume that might explain things.

[bcubed]

Deja vu, their annual event and normal service continues at Brackley

Gotta have worse play-off credentials than us

And can’t help but feel I may be the common denominator

Pretty depressing really but it’s the nature of play offs I guess
Good fifteen minutes at the start but a lucky deflection turned attack into defence and set Kidderminster on their way. Really good finish but they hadn’t been in it till then. Second goal comfortably offside I hear but Brackley didn’t create enough chances in any case.

Very strange (to me) that the ex manager, Kevin Wilkin, was at the ground, again. He’d been at the previous two home games too. Obviously still has a great attachment to the club and it makes his dismissal seem even stranger. Lee Ndlovu, one of my favourite players when he was here, was also at the ground, again.

Will no doubt go again next year but, as with Reading, it seems it must be proper promotion or nothing.

Well at least they won a couple of the play off "semis" this time round. Understand though that Brackley's temp manager (Graham Dean ?) doesn't want the job on a permanent basis so presume that might explain things.

Gareth Dean, but yes I assume, as he’s one of the best players (currently injured), he still wishes to be part of the playing squad. With him and Matt Preston, also injured, at the back, it looks a whole lot stronger defence. Having said that they managed to beat Chester against the odds but perhaps it was asking a lot to repeat that

[bcubed]

So that's seven seasons in a row that Brackley have finished in the play offs. Making Reading look good

[Royals and Racers]

Marlow not happy that they are in Southern League Central in 23/24 season.

[paultheroyal]

Confirmed constitution of the National League in 2023/24

1. Aldershot Town
2. Altrincham
3. Barnet
4. Boreham Wood
5. Bromley
6. Chesterfield
7. Dagenham & Redbridge
8. Dorking Wanderers
9. Eastleigh
10. Ebbsfleet United
11. Fylde
12. Gateshead
13. Halifax Town
14. Hartlepool United
15. Kidderminster Harriers
16. Maidenhead United
17. Oldham Athletic
18. Oxford City
19. Rochdale
20. Solihull Moors
21. Southend United
22. Wealdstone
23. Woking
24. York City

With the previous chairman and ex Sunderland man back at the helm, great opportunity for Eastleigh to make their mark and get out of the National League.

[paultheroyal]

Great to see Basingstoke moved across into the Southern Premier Division - away following will be excellent and with so many teams in a 25 mile radius they will be pushing to have regular 1000+ attendances.

Anyone know why Met Police took voluntary relegation?

[NathStPaul]

Not sure but hopefully they'll have a few off duty officers knocking about so they can arrest the criminally abusive Basingstoke supporters.

[Loafer]

Must admit, I have never ever heard of Aveley before

[paultheroyal]

Must admit, I have never ever heard of Aveley before

You get a few clubs like that. Bashley was the one for me. I was regularly assigned to them in my up and coming Non League Days - they were pushing the National League, tidy ground, small crowds, a small village in the New Forest! Money pulled, and down they went, but showing signs of a recovery now.

[tmesis]

Must admit, I have never ever heard of Aveley before

You get a few clubs like that. Bashley was the one for me. I was regularly assigned to them in my up and coming Non League Days - they were pushing the National League, tidy ground, small crowds, a small village in the New Forest! Money pulled, and down they went, but showing signs of a recovery now.

I went there not long after it had opened.

It's one of those modern grounds that has nice facilities on one side, and sterile bleakness on the other three. Crowds aren't huge, so maybe they have a bit of money behind them.

[tmesis]

Marlow not happy that they are in Southern League Central in 23/24 season.

Lose in the play-offs
Lose the Berks & Bucks final
Lose their preferred division to be in

Not the greatest month in their history

[Sutekh]

Marlow not happy that they are in Southern League Central in 23/24 season.

Lose in the play-offs
Lose the Berks & Bucks final
Lose their preferred division to be in

Not the greatest month in their history

Sorry am totally confused Marlow played in the Isthmian South Central last season so if they lost in the playoffs how can they have been promoted to the Southern League Central or is it just a typo and Marlow are in fact now getting anti of the division they've been playing in for the last 3 years?

[Sutekh]

Great to see Basingstoke moved across into the Southern Premier Division - away following will be excellent and with so many teams in a 25 mile radius they will be pushing to have regular 1000+ attendances.

Anyone know why Met Police took voluntary relegation?

Basically it's simply a lack of funds for next season on top of their manager resigning, I know they weren't particularly happy with what they saw as a stupid idea to place them in the southern league in the first place so will presumably be happier back in the Isthmian South Central with more local fixtures. I presume Harrow Borough will be reprieved as a result.

[Royals and Racers]

Marlow not happy that they are in Southern League Central in 23/24 season.

Lose in the play-offs
Lose the Berks & Bucks final
Lose their preferred division to be in

Not the greatest month in their history

Sorry am totally confused Marlow played in the Isthmian South Central last season so if they lost in the playoffs how can they have been promoted to the Southern League Central or is it just a typo and Marlow are in fact now getting anti of the division they've been playing in for the last 3 years?

Sorry that is Southern League Div 1 central- both leagues step 4
Other news
Bracknell have commenced today the ground works for the 3G pitch going in at Sandhurst.

[Royals and Racers]

As I see it these are the 25 teams currently expecting National League South footie next season

1. Aveley
2. Bath City
3. Bishop's Stortford
4. Braintree Town
5. Chelmsford City
6. Chippenham Town
7. Dartford
8. Dover Athletic
9. Eastbourne Borough
10. Farnborough
11. Hampton & Richmond Borough
12. Havant & Waterlooville
13. Hemel Hempstead Town
14. Maidstone United
15. Slough Town
16. St Albans Town
17. Taunton Town
18. Tonbridge Angels
19. Torquay United
20. Truro City
21. Welling United
22. Weston Super Mare
23. Weymouth
24. Worthing
25. Yeovil Town

As only 24 of then can actually partake of NLS footie, one has to be shunted to the Northern section. My money is on either Braintree Town or Chippenham Town but that will probably bear no relation to what the National League decide.

And as for the current National League North constitution:

1. Alfreton Town
2. Banbury United
3. Blyth Spartans
4. Boston United
5. Brackley Town
6. Buxton
7. Chester
8. Chorley
9. Curzon Ashton
10. Darlington
11. Farsley Celtic
12. Gloucester City
13. Hereford
14. King's Lynn Town
15. Peterborough Sports
16. Rushall Olympic
17. Scarborough Athletic
18. Scunthorpe United
19. South Shields
20. Southport
21. Spennymoor Town
22. Tamworth
23. Warrington Town

South
No Bishops Stortford.

[Loafer]

Hashtag United step 3

They'll be in national league soon

[paultheroyal]

Great to see Basingstoke moved across into the Southern Premier Division - away following will be excellent and with so many teams in a 25 mile radius they will be pushing to have regular 1000+ attendances.

Anyone know why Met Police took voluntary relegation?

Basically it's simply a lack of funds for next season on top of their manager resigning, I know they weren't particularly happy with what they saw as a stupid idea to place them in the southern league in the first place so will presumably be happier back in the Isthmian South Central with more local fixtures. I presume Harrow Borough will be reprieved as a result.

Decent little ground for Met Police. I always remember the playing surface as excellent. Crowds are low. I guess the local area dont really support the club and its more family and friends. Must be a minefield to pick a team that needs to cover shift patterns!!

Edit - i think the police requirement has now been lifted because of shift patterns!!