Basford Back North

Promotion, relegation, reprieves, and lateral movements, has been the name of the game for those powers-that-be at the Football Association over the past few weeks, they sorting out all those comings, and goings, in the non-league system.

As Notts County were promoted, via the play-offs, to EFL League Two, this past weekend, it now means that, with no clubs from the county in any of the National League’s three divisions, the highest ranked club is the border-based, Worksop Town, alongside Basford United, in the Northern Premier League (step three).

Worksop have taken their place in the NPL’s top division after an historic, East Division title win, last time run, taking into the new season an unbeaten record for the ages; meanwhile, Basford United, they’ve been moved laterally, for the Southern League Central, to take their part in what looks an exciting division.

As part of a statement on the club website (full article here), Basford have said: “After a year in the Southern League Premier (Central), following a lateral move at the start of last season, United will now move back across to the northern section having initially joined back in 2018, where we aim to return to play-off contention after two Covid-affected seasons nullified two of our four seasons.

“It means we will go up against some old faces including FC United of Manchester, Whitby Town, and last season’s play-off finalists Bamber Bridge, as well as some new clubs such as Macclesfield, Workington, and Bradford (Park Avenue).

“Also making a move across are local rivals Ilkeston Town and another promoted club in Worksop Town will make for some tasty local derbies, as will the two fixtures against Matlock Town.”

NPL 2023/23 – Ashton United, Atherton Collieries, Bamber Bridge, BASFORD UNTIED (lateral movement), Bradford Park Avenue (promoted), FC United of Manchester, Gainsborough Trinity, Guiseley, Hyde United, Ilkeston Town (lateral movement), Lancaster City, Macclesfield (promoted), Marine, Marske United, Matlock Town, Morpeth Town, Radcliffe, Stafford Rangers, Warrington Rylands, Whitby Town, Workington (promoted), WORKSOP TOWN (promoted)

Meanwhile, in the NPL East (step four), there’s only one club of interest from Nottinghamshire, and that is Carlton Town, who received a reprieve from relegation at the end of last season as Shildon, and North Shields, were both relegated back to the Northern League.

NPL East 2023/24 – Ashington (promoted), Belper Town (relegated), Bridlington Town, Brighouse Town, CARLTON TOWN, Cleethorpes Town, Consett, Dunston UTS, Grantham Town, Grimsby Borough, Hebburn Town, Liversedge (relegated), Newton Aycliffe (promoted), North Ferriby (promoted), Ossett United, Pontefract Collieries, Sheffield, Stocksbridge Park Steels, Stockton Town, Winterton Rangers (promoted)

The United Counties League Premier North (step five) is again, stacked with Nottinghamshire clubs, six of them, as AFC Mansfield, Eastwood CFC, Kimberley Miners Welfare, Newark & Sherwood United, and Sherwood Colliery, have been joined by the newly-promoted, Hucknall Town, who won the Division One play-offs.

As for the two divisions at step six in the pyramid, containing Nottinghamshire clubs, Ollerton Town and Retford have a new addition in the Northern Counties East League Division One, Retford United, winners of the Central Midlands League North who are certainly looking forward to the ‘Retford Derby’ when the new season begins.

Then there is the United Counties Division One, where there’ll be eleven clubs from this fair county in the new campaign, Selston, relegated from the Premier North, and Sandiacre Town, promoted from the Nottinghamshire Senior League, will be joining that of Clifton All Whites, Clipstone, Dunkirk, Gedling Miners Welfare, Newark Town, Radford, Rainworth Miners Welfare, Southwell City, and West Bridgford.

Thoughts, where able, will come from clubs in due course, or check out each Notts club relevant socials, and websites, for further information.