League Line-Up 23/24

Rugby Town will line-up in the Northern Premier League Midland Division next season after the FA released their provisional league allocations.

Rugby won promotion to Step 4 (of the non-league pyramid) in April 2023 after finishing in runners-up in the United Counties League Premier South.

It means a return to the Northern Premier League from which Valley were relegated in 2017 although additional restructuring has since meant the introduction of a more geographically friendly Midland Division.

There are a lot of familiar names in store with Walsall Wood the only opponent Rugby have not previously faced while Valley have faced some of the sides over 30 times before including Bedworth United (49 previous meetings), Sutton Coldfield Town (41), Corby Town (33) and Gresley Rovers (33).

There are plenty of local derbies in the new league. Bedworth are among Rugby's closest trips along with Coventry Sphinx (who were promoted as Champions from the UCL Premier South) and Hinckley Leicester Road and Harborough Town (who were both promoted from the UCL in 2022).

Along with Sphinx & Rugby, the winners and runners-up of the UCL Premier North (Anstey Nomads, Quorn) and MFL Premier (Walsall Wood, Lye Town) make up six promoted teams in the division.

AFC Rushden & Diamonds are the only relegated side from Step Three as they finished second bottom in the Southern League Premier Central.

The longest trip sees a trip to Spalding while we will be visiting St Ives' Westwood Road ground again as Cambridge City groundshare there.

Stamford & Halesowen were promoted out of the division and Daventry Town, Yaxley, St Neots Town & Dereham Town were all relegated to Step Five. Chasetown who finished sixth last season have been moved into the NPL West.

It's the first promotion in the pyramid for Rugby since 1994 when Rugby moved up to the Southern League Premier (Step 2 at the time) by finishing runners up in the Southern League Midland Division.

Rugby were also 'promoted' in 2004 when a fifth place finish and non-league re-shuffle meant a place in the Southern League Premier Division although this was not actually a change in steps.

The new season will start in August 2023 - date to be confirmed.

The league line-up is provisionally as follows:

	Northern Premier League Midland Division 23/24	Last season
	AFC Rushden & Diamonds	Southern League Premier Central (21st) - relegated
	Anstey Nomads	UCL Premier Division North (1st) - Promoted
	Bedworth United	NPL Midland Division (15th)
	Boldmere St Michaels	NPL Midland Division (9th)
	Cambridge City	NPL Midland Division (14th)
	Coleshill Town	NPL Midland Division (5th)
	Corby Town	NPL Midland Division (7th)
	Coventry Sphinx	UCL Premier Division South (1st) - Promoted
	Gresley Rovers	NPL Midland Division (16th)
	Harborough Town	NPL Midland Division (8th)
	Hinckley Leicester Road	NPL Midland Division (13th)
	Loughborough Dynamo	NPL Midland Division (10th)
	Lye Town	Midland Football League Premier (2nd) - Promoted
	Quorn	UCL Premier Division North (2nd) - Promoted
	Rugby Town	UCL Premier Division South (2nd) - Promoted
	Shepshed Dynamo	NPL Midland Division (11th)
	Spalding United	NPL Midland Division (3rd)
	Sporting Khalsa	NPL Midland Division (4th)
	Sutton Coldfield Town	NPL Midland Division (12th)
	Walsall Wood	Midland Football League Premier (1st) - Promoted