Many Changes

The FA Club Allocations were released on Monday 15 May and the CCL, as seems to be the case in most seasons these days, will see a number of changes.

Starting with the Premier North Division, we say goodbye to champions, Ascot United who have been promoted to Step 4 and will take their place in the Isthmian South Central Division of the Isthmian League, which looks a strong division indeed.

Going the other way are relegated Oxhey Jets and Windsor FC’s, who will remain in the CCL but will now be in Division One.

Also coming into our Prem North Division will be Bedfont Sports, who were surprisingly relegated after making the play-offs last season plus Spelthorne Sports who have been transferred into the Prem South Division, In a sideways move. The League also welcomes Rayners Lane, promoted from Division One after winning the play—offs, plus two complete newcomers, namely Milton United promoted from Step 6 in the Hellenic League to ourselves and Risborough Rangers from the Spartan South Midlands League, where they finished in 3rd place last season.
In our Premier South Division, there are four new comers, although only one of them can truly be said to be a new comer, and that is Tooting & Mitcham United, who need no introduction as one of England’s most vaulted amateur clubs back in the day, but sadly relegated from Step 4 last season.

Epsom & Ewell make a return to Step 5 and to the CCL, now ground sharing at Cobham FC and their new 3G pitch. As previously mentioned, Spelthorne Sports have moved over from the South Division whilst the final newcomer is Sandhurst Town, promoted as champions from Division One, and very worthy champions at that, having cleared a huge backlog last season in April to catch up, and winning just about every one of them. Other clubs faced a similar programme but Sandhurst showed more consistency than anyone.

On to Division One where there will be six new clubs coming in, including those mentioned above, namely Oxhey Jets and Windsor, both relegated from Step 5. The other 4 clubs are all entering the CCL for the first time ever, and in alphabetical order they are Amersham Town, who have finally realised their wish to move to us for reasons of travel. They finished 4th last season in Division One of the SSML whilst also moving over from that league are London Colney, sadly relegated from the SSML Prem and lastly Yateley United who walked away with the championship of the Thames Valley League and, with their excellent newly built facilities they should be a major asset for the League.

For all the new clubs, we will be writing to you soon but two dates to note are the AGM to be held at Sheerwater FC on Saturday 17 June, which is combined with our presentation buffet, and also the starting date of the season, which will need to be Saturday 5 August, especially with 22 clubs in the Division next season. Hopefully the weather will be kinder than last season but it may be worth mentioning to clubs that if your pitch is susceptible to waterlogging that you should maybe curb the number of cups that you enter, not FA competitions or your County Senior Cup but maybe other competitions of lesser status.

Don’t forget that we will also be starting our new Division 2, largely for Reserve and U23 sides but a few 1st Teams may also enter. We have been granted sanction by the FA and the division is primarily for those clubs who wish to have a Reserve and/or U23 side but who wish to play on Saturdays rather than in midweek. Anyone interested in joining should contact our Youth & Development Secretary, Frank James (email: frank@airuk.net).