League Line-Up 24/25

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

Rugby kept their status in Step Four (of the non-league pyramid) with a final day win over Boldmere St Michaels in the NPL Midlands.

All Step Four leagues are expanding to 22 teams from the 2024/25 season which means an additional four league games to fit into the fixture calendar from next season.

Leaving the division are Loughborough Dynamo who have taken a voluntary demotion despite their highest ever finish of sixth and this has meant a reprieve for AFC Rushden and Diamonds who finished in the relegation zone.

Meanwhile Cambridge City are leaving the NPL Midlands with a lateral movement to the Isthmian League North with Spalding United and Harborough Town moving onto the Southern League Premier Central after winning promotion.

Joining the NPL Midlands are five promoted teams including some familiar names to Valley's fixture list.

Wellingborough Town won the United Counties League Premier South to earn promotion from Rugby's old division along with Racing Club Warwick who won the UCL Premier South play-offs.

Another familiar face joining the NPL for the first time are Loughborough Students (formerly Loughborough University) won the UCL Premier North play-offs while Darlaston Town have also been promoted via the Midland League Premier play-offs. Darlaston were opponents of Valley back in the West Midlands (Regional) League days between 1975-1982.

The longest trip of the season are to a resurgent Worcester City who romped to the Hellenic League Premier Division title in front of an average attendance of 600+ at their relatively new Claines Lane ground.

Rugby have faced Worcester numerous times over the years including during the 80's and 90's in the Southern League Premier days as well as some memorable FA Cup ties at Kidderminster's Aggborough Stadium in 2013 and 2014.

Also joining the division are the laterally moved Grantham Town with whom Rugby also have a long history including ties in the FA Cup and FA Trophy in the last two seasons.

Long Eaton United are the only relegated side from Step Three as they finished third bottom in the Southern League Premier Central - Valley last faced them in 2018.

The new season will start in August 2024 - date to be confirmed.

The league line-up is provisionally as follows:

		Northern Premier League Midlands 24/25	Last season
		AFC Rushden & Diamonds	NPL Midland Division (19th) - Reprieved
		Anstey Nomads	NPL Midland Division (2nd) - Play Off Finalists
		Bedworth United	NPL Midland Division (9th)
		Boldmere St Michaels	NPL Midland Division (13th)
		Coleshill Town	NPL Midland Division (15th)
		Corby Town	NPL Midland Division (8th)
		Coventry Sphinx	NPL Midland Division (16th)
		Darlaston Town	Midland Football League (3rd) - Promoted as Play Off Winners
		Grantham Town	NPL East Division (17th) - Transferred
		Hinckley Leicester Road	NPL Midland Division (4th) - Play Off Semi Finalists
		Long Eaton United	Southern League Premier Central (20th) - Relegated
		Loughborough Students	United Counties League Premier North (3rd) - Promoted as Play Off Winners
		Lye Town	NPL Midland Division (7th)
		Quorn	NPL Midland Division (5th) - Play Off Semi Finalists
		Racing Club Warwick	United Counties League Premier South (2nd) - Promoted as Play Off Winners
		Rugby Town	NPL Midland Division (18th)
		Shepshed Dynamo	NPL Midland Division (14th)
		Sporting Khalsa	NPL Midland Division (12th)
		Sutton Coldfield Town	NPL Midland Division (10th)
		Walsall Wood	NPL Midland Division (11th)
		Wellingborough Town	United Counties League Premier South (1st) - Promoted as Champions
		Worcester City	Hellenic League Premier (1st) - Promoted as Champions