League Line-Up 26/27

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

Rugby were relegated from the NPL Midlands last season after a three-year stay and return to the same division they won promotion from in 22/23.

The UCL Premier South is now a 20-team league and since Valley's last stint in the division play-off places have been introduced meaning there are two promotion spots up for grabs.

There are a number of familiar faces from Rugby's promotion season with seven teams still remaining and some old rivalries to reacquaint with against the likes of Daventry Town and Lutterworth Town.

Valley will be the joined by fellow relegated side Coventry Sphinx who also went up form the division with Rugby in the 22/23 season as well as St Neots Town who were relegated after one season in the NPL Midlands.

There are four promoted sides who join the division with familiar foes Desborough Town along with three teams making their first forays into Step Five football - FC Peterborough, FC Stratford and Knowle.

Meanwhile another blast from the past will see Atherstone Town join the league after being transferred from the Midland Football League - our last meeting against the Adders was in the Southern League Central Division back in 2011.

There will also be first competitive meetings with the likes of Moulton, Northampton Sileby Rangers and Yaxley.

Yaxley are among one of five longer trips for the Valley faithful with the trips to FC Peterborough, Histon, St Neots and Eynesbury Rovers also expected.

Two teams have been transferred from the Midland Football League with Coton Green, who knocked Valley out of the FA Cup last season, and Highgate United joining the UCL fray.

Highgate were one of many sides who earned a Step 5 reprieve last season, as did Bugbrooke St Michaels.

The new season will probably start on the last Saturday in July.

The league line-up is provisionally as follows:

		United Counties League Premier South 26/27	Last season
		Atherstone Town	United Counties League Premier South (3rd) - lost in Playoff Final
		Bugbrooke St Michaels	United Counties League Premier South (20th) - Relegated (Reprieved)
		Coton Green	Midland Football League Premier (10th) - Transferred
		Coventry Sphinx	NPL Midland Division (21st) - Relegated
		Daventry Town	United Counties League Premier South (14th)
		Desborough Town	South Midlands League Premier (2nd) - Promoted as Play-Off Winners
		Eynesbury Rovers	United Counties League Premier South (10th)
		FC Peterborough	Eastern Counties League First Division North (4th) - Promoted as Play-Off Winners
		FC Stratford	Hellenic League Premier (1st) - Promoted as Champions
		Godmanchester Rovers	United Counties League Premier South (15th)
		Highgate United	Midland Football League Premier (17th) - Transferred (Reprieved)
		Histon	United Counties League Premier South (7th)
		Knowle	Midland Football League Division One (1st) - Promoted as Champions
		Lutterworth Town	United Counties League Premier South (6th)
		Moulton	United Counties League Premier South (8th)
		Northampton ON Chenecks	United Counties League Premier South (12th)
		Northampton Sileby Rangers	United Counties League Premier South (17th)
		Rugby Town	NPL Midland Division (22nd) - Relegated
		St Neots Town	NPL Midland Division (20th) - Relegated
		Yaxley	United Counties League Premier South (18th)