We have three changes of opponents in the UCL Premier Division this season, with Peterborough Sports moving up to the Northern Premier League and the bottom two, Harrowby United and Huntingdon United, dropping down to Division One. Their replacements come in the shape of Leicester based St Andrews and promoted pair Daventry Town and Wellingborough Whitworth.
St Andrews are something of an unknown quantity as far as the UCL goes, being transferred by the Football Association from the Midland League in the summer. They follow the recent trend of Leicestershire clubs being moved into the United Counties League as our base continues to move northwards. With Rugby Town being relegated to step five, it would have seemed more logical for them to have joined their neighbours Daventry Town, but perhaps it’s the fact that they are in the Warwickshire FA that they were placed in the Midland League and St Andrews swapped. But then again logic rarely raises its head at the FA, just ask Lowestoft Town who were forced to play in the Conference North. All that aside, St Andrews finished last season in eighth spot in their old surroundings, although they did appear to slip away in the last couple of months. They have a new boss for the season in Jamie Clarke, who takes his first steps into management after a distinguished playing career that spanned several clubs.
We know a lot more about Daventry Town, especially as they have no fewer than nine ex-Cogenhoe United players signed on so far this season. They opted to take voluntary relegation by two divisions at the end of 2015/16 and raised a few eyebrows with the squad they assembled for the UCL Division One. I don’t think anybody was surprised when they won the Championship at the first time of asking under the management of former-Cooks boss Aidy Marks and Arron Parkinson. Both apparently quit at the end of last season, but Parkinson has returned to the hotseat and will be assisted by Aaron King for their first taste of UCL Premier Division action since they left as champions a few years back. They are expected to do well this year, but I can’t see them being serious contenders this time around.
Wellingborough Whitworth have been in Division One for as long as I can remember and have had some good teams without ever quite making it to the top. A lot of hard work has been put in at the club over the last few seasons and the addition of floodlights and stand have meant promotion would be achievable and new boss James Mallows achieved just that by clinching the runners-up spot. They have a good unit over there and play as a team with no superstars. This will stand them in good stead, although I think it will be a bit of a learning curve, but they will hold their own in the Prem.
My teams to beat this year would be Deeping Rangers, whose football was as good as any team I saw last season, while Eynesbury Rovers, who beat us 7-1 here and 3-0 away will be difficult to beat again this season. I’m confident those scores won’t be repeated this time around though. Yaxley, Wisbech Town, Newport Pagnell Town and Holbeach United will be up there too and without a Peterborough Sports in the division, I think plenty of teams could have a big shout for a top five spot come next April.
The season has already got underway with the UCL/PL hop last weekend and Holbeach United sit proudly on top after stating their case with an emphatic 6-0 win over Sleaford Town at Carters Park. Wisbech followed suit on Sunday as they saw off a battling Wellingborough Town 2-1 at Fenland Park.