The 2021–22 season was the 115th in the history of the United Counties League, a football competition in England. The league operated three divisions in the English football league system for the first time since the 1979–80 season. These are the Premier Divisions North and South at Step 5, both firsts in the league, and Division One at Step 6.
The allocations for Steps 5 and 6 were announced by The Football Association on 18 May 2021, and were subject to appeal.
After the abandonment of the 2019–20 and 2020–21 seasons due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England, numerous promotions were decided on a points per game basis over the previous two seasons. As part of the National League System's restructure, the FA's Alliance and Leagues Committees recommended the league's expansion to gain another Step 5 division. At the end of the past season, Shepshed Dynamo left the league through promotion to the new Northern Premier League Division One Midlands, the only former Premier Division club to do so.
Premier Division North
Football league season| Season | 2021–22 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Long Eaton United |
| Promoted | Gresley Rovers Long Eaton United |
| Relegated | Holbeach United |
| Matches played | 306 |
| Goals scored | 1,126 (3.68 per match) |
| ← 2020–21 2022–23 → | |
In its first season the Premier Division North featured nine clubs which competed in the Premier Division last season, along with nine new clubs.
- Transferred from the Midland League:
- Promoted from the East Midlands Counties League:
- Plus:
- Melton Town, promoted from Division One
- Skegness Town, promoted from the Northern Counties East League
In addition, Loughborough University began to compete as Loughborough Students.
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Long Eaton United | 34 | 28 | 5 | 1 | 106 | 20 | +86 | 89 | Promoted to the Northern Premier League East |
| 2 | Gresley Rovers | 34 | 27 | 5 | 2 | 91 | 31 | +60 | 86 | Promoted to the Northern Premier League Midlands |
| 3 | Anstey Nomads | 34 | 23 | 6 | 5 | 95 | 33 | +62 | 75 | |
| 4 | Loughborough Students | 34 | 21 | 5 | 8 | 90 | 35 | +55 | 68 | |
| 5 | Deeping Rangers | 34 | 16 | 5 | 13 | 53 | 56 | −3 | 53 | |
| 6 | Heather St John's | 34 | 16 | 5 | 13 | 66 | 70 | −4 | 53 | |
| 7 | Melton Town | 34 | 15 | 7 | 12 | 70 | 56 | +14 | 52 | |
| 8 | Skegness Town | 34 | 16 | 4 | 14 | 59 | 51 | +8 | 52 | |
| 9 | Boston Town | 34 | 14 | 8 | 12 | 62 | 64 | −2 | 50 | |
| 10 | Heanor Town | 34 | 14 | 5 | 15 | 62 | 57 | +5 | 47 | |
| 11 | Leicester Nirvana | 34 | 15 | 2 | 17 | 70 | 72 | −2 | 47 | |
| 12 | Sleaford Town | 34 | 14 | 3 | 17 | 55 | 63 | −8 | 45 | |
| 13 | Quorn | 34 | 11 | 8 | 15 | 59 | 62 | −3 | 41 | |
| 14 | Eastwood | 34 | 9 | 6 | 19 | 54 | 77 | −23 | 33 | |
| 15 | Selston | 34 | 8 | 4 | 22 | 37 | 79 | −42 | 28 | |
| 16 | Newark | 34 | 8 | 3 | 23 | 49 | 97 | −48 | 24 | |
| 17 | Pinchbeck United | 34 | 6 | 5 | 23 | 33 | 83 | −50 | 23 | Reprieved from relegation |
| 18 | Holbeach United | 34 | 0 | 4 | 30 | 15 | 120 | −105 | 4 | Relegated to the Eastern Counties League |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) number of matches won; 5) head-to-head results
Notes:
- Gresley Rovers were awarded a home win due to non-fulfilment of a fixture by Boston Town on 10 December 2021.
- Newark were deducted three points for fielding an ineligible player against Deeping Rangers on 2 October.
- Reprieved as one of 12 clubs with the most PPG out of 16 that were second-from-bottom at Step 5.
Stadia and locations
Anstey NomadsBoston TownDeeping RangersEastwood CommunityGresley RoversHeanorTown
Heather St John'sHolbeach UnitedLeicester NirvanaLong Eaton UnitedLoughborough StudentsMelton TownNewarkPinchbeck UnitedQuornSelstonSkegness TownSleaford Townclass=notpageimage| Location of the Premier Division North clubs
| Club | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anstey Nomads | Anstey | Cropston Road | |
| Boston Town | Boston | Tattershall Road | 6,000 |
| Deeping Rangers | Market Deeping | Haydon Whitham Stadium | 2,000 |
| Eastwood | Eastwood | Coronation Park | |
| Gresley Rovers | Church Gresley | Moat Ground | 2,400 |
| Heather St John's | Heather | St John's Park | |
| Heanor Town | Heanor | Town Ground | |
| Holbeach United | Holbeach | Carters Park | 4,000 |
| Leicester Nirvana | Leicester | Hamilton Park | |
| Long Eaton United | Long Eaton | Grange Park | 3,000 |
| Loughborough Students | Loughborough | Loughborough University Stadium | 3,000 |
| Melton Town | Melton Mowbray | Melton Sports Village | |
| Newark | Newark-on-Trent | Hawton Lane | |
| Pinchbeck United | Spalding | Sir Halley Stewart Field | 2,700 |
| Quorn | Quorn | Farley Way Stadium | 1,400 |
| Selston | Selston | Mansfield Road | |
| Skegness Town | Skegness | Vertigo Stadium | |
| Sleaford Town | Sleaford | Eslaforde Park | 1,000 |
Premier Division South
Football league season| Season | 2021–22 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Harborough Town |
| Promoted | Harborough Town Hinckley Leicester Road |
| Relegated | Northampton ON Chenecks |
| Matches played | 380 |
| Goals scored | 1,333 (3.51 per match) |
| ← 2020–21 2022–23 → | |
In its first season the Premier Division South featured ten clubs which competed in the Premier Division last season, along with eleven new clubs.
- Promoted from Division One:
- Transferred from the Midland League:
- Transferred from the Spartan South Midlands League:
- Plus:
- Easington Sports, transferred from the Hellenic League
- Godmanchester Rovers, transferred from the Eastern Counties League
- Leicester Road, promoted from the Midland League
In September 2021 Leicester Road were renamed Hinckley LRFC.
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harborough Town | 38 | 33 | 3 | 2 | 119 | 20 | +99 | 102 | Promoted to the Northern Premier League |
| 2 | Hinckley Leicester Road | 38 | 32 | 3 | 3 | 108 | 29 | +79 | 99 | |
| 3 | Rugby Town | 38 | 25 | 4 | 9 | 82 | 50 | +32 | 79 | |
| 4 | Coventry Sphinx | 38 | 24 | 3 | 11 | 95 | 44 | +51 | 75 | |
| 5 | Newport Pagnell Town | 38 | 24 | 3 | 11 | 83 | 44 | +39 | 75 | |
| 6 | Lutterworth Town | 38 | 20 | 7 | 11 | 80 | 58 | +22 | 67 | |
| 7 | Wellingborough Town | 38 | 20 | 6 | 12 | 68 | 52 | +16 | 66 | |
| 8 | Coventry United | 38 | 18 | 6 | 14 | 76 | 59 | +17 | 60 | |
| 9 | Eynesbury Rovers | 38 | 14 | 7 | 17 | 55 | 59 | −4 | 49 | |
| 10 | Potton United | 38 | 13 | 7 | 18 | 57 | 68 | −11 | 46 | Transferred to the Spartan South Midlands League |
| 11 | Godmanchester Rovers | 38 | 13 | 6 | 19 | 64 | 74 | −10 | 45 | |
| 12 | Cogenhoe United | 38 | 12 | 9 | 17 | 57 | 69 | −12 | 45 | |
| 13 | Long Buckby | 38 | 12 | 6 | 20 | 64 | 101 | −37 | 42 | |
| 14 | Easington Sports | 38 | 12 | 5 | 21 | 57 | 71 | −14 | 41 | |
| 15 | Bugbrooke St Michaels | 38 | 14 | 5 | 19 | 60 | 77 | −17 | 41 | |
| 16 | GNG Oadby Town | 38 | 11 | 8 | 19 | 51 | 74 | −23 | 41 | |
| 17 | Desborough Town | 38 | 11 | 8 | 19 | 53 | 72 | −19 | 38 | |
| 18 | Rothwell Corinthians | 38 | 5 | 8 | 25 | 36 | 78 | −42 | 23 | |
| 19 | Biggleswade United | 38 | 6 | 3 | 29 | 38 | 138 | −100 | 21 | Transferred to the Spartan South Midlands League |
| 20 | Northampton ON Chenecks | 38 | 5 | 5 | 28 | 30 | 96 | −66 | 20 | Relegated to the Spartan South Midlands League |
| 21 | Peterborough Northern Star | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Club folded, record expunged |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) number of matches won; 5) head-to-head results
Notes:
- Bugbrooke St Michaels were deducted three points for fielding an ineligible player against Rothwell Corinthians on 3 August 2021 and an additional 3 points for the same infraction against Eynesbury Rovers on 20 November.
- Desborough Town were deducted three points also for fielding an ineligible player against Long Buckby on 9 October.
- Relegated as one of four clubs with the fewest PPG out of 16 that were second-from-bottom at Step 5.
- Peterborough Northern Star resigned from the league on 15 November 2021 and their playing record of P20 W2 D1 L17 GF34 GA75 Pts7 was expunged.
Stadia and locations
Biggleswade UnitedBugbrooke St. MichaelsCogenhoe UnitedCoventrySphinx
Coventry UnitedDesborough TownEasington SportsEynesbury RoversGNG Oadby TownGodmanchester RoversHarborough TownHinckley Leicester RoadLongBuckby
Lutterworth TownNewport Pagnell TownNorthampton ON ChenecksPeterborough Northern StarPotton UnitedRothwell CorinthiansRugbyTown
Wellingborough Townclass=notpageimage| Location of the Premier Division South clubs
Division One
Football league season| Season | 2021–22 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Kimberley Miners Welfare |
| Promoted | Belper United Kimberley Miners Welfare |
| Relegated | Borrowash Victoria |
| Matches played | 506 |
| Goals scored | 1,991 (3.93 per match) |
| ← 2020–21 2022–23 → | |
Division One featured nine clubs which competed in the division last season, along with 14 new clubs:
- Transferred from the East Midland Counties League:
- Transferred from the Midland League:
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kimberley Miners Welfare | 44 | 36 | 4 | 4 | 137 | 33 | +104 | 112 | Promoted to the Premier Division North |
| 2 | Hinckley | 44 | 33 | 4 | 7 | 148 | 56 | +92 | 103 | Qualified for the play-offs, then transferred to the Midland League |
| 3 | Belper United | 44 | 31 | 5 | 8 | 126 | 50 | +76 | 98 | Qualified for the play-offs, then promoted to the Premier Division North |
| 4 | Radford | 44 | 32 | 1 | 11 | 105 | 47 | +58 | 97 | Qualified for the play-offs |
| 5 | Hucknall Town | 44 | 28 | 6 | 10 | 120 | 68 | +52 | 90 | |
| 6 | Aylestone Park | 44 | 25 | 11 | 8 | 144 | 52 | +92 | 86 | |
| 7 | Dunkirk | 44 | 22 | 8 | 14 | 94 | 77 | +17 | 74 | |
| 8 | Barrow Town | 44 | 20 | 10 | 14 | 87 | 69 | +18 | 70 | |
| 9 | Kirby Muxloe | 44 | 21 | 4 | 19 | 107 | 93 | +14 | 67 | |
| 10 | Harrowby United | 44 | 18 | 10 | 16 | 91 | 80 | +11 | 64 | |
| 11 | Clifton All Whites | 44 | 18 | 6 | 20 | 84 | 92 | −8 | 60 | |
| 12 | Birstall United | 44 | 17 | 8 | 19 | 65 | 80 | −15 | 59 | |
| 13 | Gedling Miners Welfare | 44 | 17 | 4 | 23 | 84 | 103 | −19 | 55 | |
| 14 | Saffron Dynamo | 44 | 14 | 10 | 20 | 76 | 96 | −20 | 52 | |
| 15 | St Andrews | 44 | 15 | 7 | 22 | 67 | 83 | −16 | 51 | |
| 16 | Lutterworth Athletic | 44 | 13 | 9 | 22 | 66 | 90 | −24 | 48 | Transferred to the Spartan South Midlands League |
| 17 | West Bridgford | 44 | 14 | 5 | 25 | 73 | 104 | −31 | 47 | |
| 18 | Ingles | 44 | 13 | 6 | 25 | 57 | 96 | −39 | 45 | Transferred to the Midland League |
| 19 | Bourne Town | 44 | 11 | 11 | 22 | 57 | 100 | −43 | 44 | |
| 20 | Holwell Sports | 44 | 10 | 5 | 29 | 61 | 108 | −47 | 35 | |
| 21 | Graham Street Prims | 44 | 8 | 8 | 28 | 57 | 116 | −59 | 32 | Demoted to the Central Midlands League |
| 22 | Blackstones | 44 | 8 | 7 | 29 | 54 | 142 | −88 | 31 | Reprieved from relegation |
| 23 | Borrowash Victoria | 44 | 5 | 5 | 34 | 31 | 156 | −125 | 20 | Relegated to the Nottinghamshire Senior League |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) number of matches won; 5) head-to-head results
Notes:
- Kimberley Miners Welfare were awarded a home win due to non-fulfilment of a fixture by Aylestone Park on 18 December.
- Hinckley were awarded a home win due to non-fulfilment of a fixture by St Andrews on 17 December.
- St Andrews were awarded a home win due to abandoned fixture against Bourne Town on 19 October 2021. They were then deducted 1 point due to fielding an ineligible player against Aylestone Park on 28 December.
- Ingles were awarded an away win due to non-fulfilment of a fixture by Holwell Sports on 4 January 2022.
- Reprieved and transferred to the Midland League, but declined and demoted to the Central Midlands League.
- All third-from-bottom clubs at Step 6 were reprieved from relegation. The top 15 second-from-bottom sides were also reprieved on a PPG basis.
Play-offs
| Semi-finals | Final | ||||||||
| 2 | Hinckley | 3 | |||||||
| 5 | Hucknall Town | 0 | |||||||
| 2 | Hinckley | 0 | |||||||
| 3 | Belper United | 1 | |||||||
| 3 | Belper United | 2 | |||||||
| 4 | Radford | 1 | |||||||
Stadia and locations
Aylestone ParkBarrowTown
Belper UnitedBirstall UnitedBlackstonesBorrowash Vic& Graham SP
BourneTown
Clifton All WhitesDunkirkGedling MWHarrowby UnitedHinckleyHolwell SportsHucknall TownInglesKimberley MWKirby MuxloeLutterworth AthleticRadfordSaffron DynamoSt AndrewsWest Bridgfordclass=notpageimage| Location of Division One clubs
| Club | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aylestone Park | Leicester | Saffron Lane | 1,128 |
| Barrow Town | Barrow upon Soar | Riverside Park | 2,000 |
| Belper United | Belper | Christchurch Meadow | 2,650 |
| Birstall United | Birstall | Meadow Lane | |
| Blackstones | Stamford | Lincoln Road | 1,000 |
| Borrowash Victoria | Spondon | Borrowash Road | |
| Bourne Town | Bourne | Abbey Lawn | 2,000 |
| Clifton All Whites | Nottingham (Clifton) | Green Lane | |
| Dunkirk | Nottingham (Dunkirk) | Lenton Lane | 1,500 |
| Gedling Miners Welfare | Gedling | Plains Road | |
| Graham Street Prims | Spondon | Borrowash Road | |
| Harrowby United | Grantham | Dickens Road | |
| Hinckley AFC | Heather | Kirkby Road | 2,500 |
| Holwell Sports | Asfordby Hill | Welby Road | 1,000 |
| Hucknall Town | Hucknall | Watnall Road | 5,000 |
| Ingles | Shepshed | The Dovecote Stadium | |
| Kimberley Miners Welfare | Kimberley | Stag Ground | |
| Kirby Muxloe | Kirby Muxloe | Ratby Lane | 3,000 |
| Lutterworth Athletic | Lutterworth | Hall Park | |
| Radford | Nottingham (Radford) | Selhurst Street | |
| Saffron Dynamo | Cosby | Cambridge Road | |
| St Andrews | Leicester | Canal Street | 1,000 |
| West Bridgford | West Bridgford | Regatta Way | |
| |||
References
- "We have provided an update on NLS allocations at Steps 3-6 for the 2021-22 season". The Football Association. 18 May 2021. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
- "Coronavirus: All football below National League to end". BBC Sport. 26 March 2020. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
- "FA provides update on NLS Steps 3-6". The Football Association. 24 February 2021. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
- "EXPLAINED: The 2021-22 Non-League restructure". The Non-League Paper. 12 April 2021. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
- "UCL to expand". Uhlsport United Counties Football League. 13 April 2021. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
- ^ Miller, Pete. "Non League 21/22 Promotion and Relegation: Step 5 Relegation". Google Docs.
- ^ "The FA Handbook 2020/2021 Part 29 Standardised Rules Section 12.2". The FA.
- Miller, Pete. "Non League 21/22 Promotion and Relegation: Step 6 Relegation". Google Docs.
External links
- United Counties League The FA Full-Time
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