This from the FSA:
It’s been another exciting year for our community-owned clubs,
with more than a fair share of success on the pitch, as network manager
Richard Irving explains…
Firstly, congratulations go once
again to Bury who led the way with a second successive promotion up into
the Northern Premier League from Step 4. With a final home league crowd
of 7,052 it’s testament to the support the club has built since the
original club’s expulsion from the Football League back in 2019.
Also rising a level as champions are
Wythenshawe AFC, who will be making the step up from the North West
Counties Premier Division to Step 4 after amassing 106 points in their
title-winning campaign.
Nuneaton Town were another club to
win their title, in the United Counties Premier Division, as they move
back up into Step 4 for the first time since becoming community owned.
Elsewhere, in Wales CPD Bangor City
1876 were runaway winners of the the third tier Ardal North League and
will compete at step 2 once again next season, after a year away.
In the play-offs, we had an
interesting match up on many levels, involving our two Northwich clubs
with 1874 taking on Victoria in the Step 5 Midland League Premier
Division Play-off Final. Northwich 1874 ran out victorious on penalties
at the home that the Vics share with Runcorn Linnets.
However, probably the most
interesting battle of all involved four of our clubs in a tussle for the
play-off places in the National League North with Merthyr Town,
Scarborough Athletic, Chester and Darlington all in the mix until the
final day of the season.
Sadly, both Darlington and Merthyr
Town missed out on that final day, while both Chester and Scarborough
were defeated in their respective play-off semi-finals, but it was a
great season for all concerned nonetheless.
Unfortunately, there were also home play-off semi-final defeats for FC United of Manchester, Runcorn Linnets and Fisher FC.
Clapton CFC secured promotion from
Step 6 by beating Rayleigh Town 4-2 in the Eastern Counties First
Division South in front of a crowd of 2,375, while Peacehaven and
Telscombe achieved promotion from the Southern Combination Premier
Division play-offs, where they beat Guernsey 4-1.
Mention must also be made of the
finest FA Vase performance by one of our clubs since Peacehaven and
Telscombe made the quarter finals in 2023. Bilston Town from the Step 6
Midland League Division One also made it to the quarter finals where
they were finally defeated at home by Droylsden.
Meanwhile, in their first season in
existence, Blyth Spartans’ women’s team achieved promotion from the
Northumberland Women’s League Division Two, finishing in second place,
while our members at Exeter City and AFC Wimbledon both consolidated
their positions at Step 3 in the women’s National League Southern
Premier Division.