Monday 16 May 2016

Venturing Beyond

In order to understand anything you need to know a bit about the surroundings so I am now looking at what lies below the top 10 levels of professional Association Football.

Keeping my eyes on Level 9 and 10 Leagues I notice that two of them have divisions down at level 12. I love that and I must congratulate Leamington Hibernian, Smithswood Firs, Newport Town and Old Wulfrunians on their promotions to Level 11.

If I do that then I should also mention Shifnal Town, Hereford Lads Club, Alvis Sporting Club and Chelmsley Town on their elevation from Level 11 to Level 10.

Who else might be taking the big pyramid step from County League Level 11 to Professional Level 10? Well, Tiverton Town Reserves and Mousehole are champions heading for the Premier Division of the South West Peninsula League. Other teams have eligibility but may not want promotion or might fail the ground grading criteria that see so many teams excluded for sometimes trivial offences.

Will we see Old Malton St Marys from the York League? How about Trowbridge Town from the Wiltshire League? Beeston St Anthonys and Huddersfield YMCA won their leagues in Yorkshire. Blackpool Wren Rovers, Leek CSOB and South Liverpool may make progress in the North West. Will Stockton Town or Blyth Town join that exclusive Northern League? The Combined Counties league may or may not be seeing Reading YMCA and Horsley.

Because I am a fan of weird names I want to see Moulton Harrox and James King Blisworth in the United Counties League. There are many other teams that I have not and will not mention but one guaranteed to be seen in the Spartan South Midlands League is Standon & Puckeridge because having two towns in your name seems to be the "In Thing".

Now the summer is here I can enjoy working out which team is going where and then struggling to find out why. Shaw Lane Aquaforce have been on a meteoric rise season after season as they moved from the Sheffield & Hallamshire League Division One to the Premier Division to the Northern Counties East Division One then the Premier Division and the Northern Premier League South in five seasons. This season they finished in the play-off places (second in fact) so are they up again or has their rise been halted? ..... checking ..... Oh No! Beaten by Coalville Town in the final. Go again Shaw Lane Aquaforce, I want that name in the higher echelons.

No comments:

Post a Comment