2023–24 United Counties League

The 2023–24 season was the 117th in the history of the United Counties League, a football competition in England. The United Counties League operates three divisions in the English football league system, the Premier Divisions North and South at Step 5 and Division One at Step 6.

The allocations for Steps 5 and 6 this season were announced by The Football Association on 15 May 2023.[1] Starting this season, the two Step 5 divisions in the league promote two clubs each; one as champions and one via a four-team play-off. This replaced the previous inter-step play-off system. For this season only, there was only one club relegated from each of the two premier divisions.[2]

Premier Division North

United Counties League
Premier Division North
Season2023–24
ChampionsSherwood Colliery
PromotedSherwood Colliery
Loughborough Students
RelegatedPinchbeck United
Matches played306
Top goalscorerCraig Westcarr (27)
Biggest home winAFC Mansfield 8–0 Pinchbeck United
(30 September 2023)
Biggest away winPinchbeck United 0–11 Loughborough Students
(9 September 2023)
Highest scoringPinchbeck United 0–11 Loughborough Students
(9 September 2023)

The Premier Division North featured 15 clubs which competed in the division last season, along with three new clubs:

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
1 Sherwood Colliery (C, P) 34 26 6 2 97 18 +79 84 Promoted to the Northern Premier League
2 Lincoln United 34 24 1 9 67 35 +32 73 Qualified for the play-offs
3 Loughborough Students (O, P) 34 21 7 6 83 32 +51 70
4 Melton Town 34 21 3 10 74 40 +34 66
5 Skegness Town 34 15 9 10 50 41 +9 54
6 Sleaford Town 34 17 2 15 44 48 −4 53
7 Boston Town 34 15 7 12 48 38 +10 52
8 Eastwood 34 14 8 12 56 58 −2 50
9 Deeping Rangers 34 13 8 13 54 43 +11 47
10 Heanor Town 34 14 6 14 65 67 −2 45[a]
11 Ashby Ivanhoe 34 13 3 18 63 66 −3 42
12 Newark and Sherwood United 34 11 9 14 51 55 −4 42
13 Belper United 34 11 8 15 48 67 −19 41
14 Kimberley Miners Welfare 34 10 5 19 40 59 −19 35
15 Wisbech Town 34 8 10 16 52 62 −10 34
16 AFC Mansfield 34 9 4 21 50 87 −37 31
17 Hucknall Town 34 4 9 21 32 74 −42 21
18 Pinchbeck United (R) 34 6 3 25 29 113 −84 21 Relegated to the Eastern Counties League
Source: The FA Full-Time
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) number of matches won; 5) head-to-head results[3]
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ Heanor Town were deducted 3 points for fielding an ineligible player against Pinchbeck United on 4 November 2023.

Play-offs

Semi-finals Final
      
2 Lincoln United 1
5 Skegness Town 3
3 Loughborough Students 7
5 Skegness Town 0
3 Loughborough Students 1
4 Melton Town 0

Semifinals

20 April Loughborough Students 1–0Melton TownLoughborough
15:00
  • Bangura 78'
Report Stadium: Loughborough University Stadium
Attendance: 265
Referee: Paul Mcvey
20 April Lincoln United1–3 Skegness Town Lincoln
15:00
Report
Stadium: Ashby Avenue
Attendance: 251
Referee: Brian O'Sullivan

Final

27 April Loughborough Students 7–0Skegness TownLoughborough
15:00
Report Stadium: Loughborough University Stadium
Attendance: 672
Referee: Ryan Haynes

Stadia and locations

Club Location Stadium Capacity
Ashby Ivanhoe Ashby-de-la-Zouch NFU Sports Ground
Belper United Eastwood Coronation Park
Eastwood
Boston Town Boston Tattershall Road 6,000
Deeping Rangers Market Deeping Haydon Whitham Stadium 2,000
Heanor Town Heanor Town Ground 2,700
Hucknall Town Hucknall RM Stadium 4,000
Kimberley Miners Welfare Kimberley Stag Ground
Lincoln United Lincoln Ashby Avenue 2,200
Loughborough Students Loughborough Loughborough University Stadium 3,000
AFC Mansfield Mansfield (Forest Town) Forest Town Stadium
Melton Town Melton Mowbray Melton Sports Village
Newark and Sherwood United Newark-on-Trent Hawton Lane
Pinchbeck United Spalding Sir Halley Stewart Field 2,700
Sherwood Colliery Mansfield Woodhouse Debdale Park
Skegness Town Skegness Vertigo Stadium
Sleaford Town Sleaford Eslaforde Park 1,000
Wisbech Town Wisbech Fenland Stadium 1,118

Premier Division South

United Counties League
Premier Division South
Season2023–24
ChampionsWellingborough Town
PromotedWellingborough Town
Racing Club Warwick
RelegatedDesborough Town
Matches played380
Top goalscorerLeon Lobjoit
(Daventry Town)
Nehemiah Richard-Noel
(Wellingborough Town)
(25 goals)
Biggest home winDaventry Town 7–0 GNG Oadby Town
(15 August 2023)
Biggest away win
Highest scoring

The Premier Division South featured 13 clubs which competed in the division last season, along with seven new clubs.

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
1 Wellingborough Town (C, P) 38 29 5 4 92 32 +60 92 Promoted to the Northern Premier League
2 Racing Club Warwick (O, P) 38 24 8 6 90 44 +46 80 Qualified for the play-offs
3 Aylestone Park 38 25 5 8 103 60 +43 80
4 St Neots Town 38 22 9 7 74 35 +39 75
5 March Town United 38 22 9 7 69 40 +29 75
6 Newport Pagnell Town 38 20 5 13 74 54 +20 62[a]
7 Yaxley 38 16 8 14 78 63 +15 56
8 GNG Oadby Town 38 16 7 15 74 89 −15 55
9 Daventry Town 38 16 3 19 79 69 +10 51
10 Bugbrooke St Michaels 38 15 5 18 72 81 −9 50
11 Histon 38 14 8 16 64 73 −9 50
12 Lutterworth Town 38 15 4 19 57 72 −15 49
13 Easington Sports 38 14 8 16 60 59 +1 47[b]
14 Coventry United 38 13 7 18 74 75 −1 46
15 Cogenhoe United 38 12 9 17 43 71 −28 45 Resignation from the league
16 Rugby Borough 38 10 6 22 68 92 −24 36
17 Eynesbury Rovers 38 9 5 24 48 88 −40 31[c]
18 Godmanchester Rovers 38 9 4 25 44 87 −43 31
19 Leicester Nirvana 38 6 11 21 50 88 −38 29
20 Desborough Town (R) 38 6 8 24 35 76 −41 26 Relegated to the Spartan South Midlands League
Source: The FA Full-Time
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) number of matches won; 5) head-to-head results[3]
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ Newport Pagnell Town were deducted 3 points for fielding an ineligible player against Godmanchester Rovers on 18 November 2023.
  2. ^ Easington Sports were deducted 3 points for fielding an ineligible player against Daventry Town on 31 January 2024.
  3. ^ Eynesbury Rovers were deducted 1 point for fielding an ineligible player against St Neots Town on 26 December 2023.

Play-offs

Semi-finals Final
      
2 Racing Club Warwick 4
5 March Town United 0
2 Racing Club Warwick 2
3 Aylestone Park 1
3 Aylestone Park 2 (7)
4 St Neots Town 2 (6)

Semifinals

20 April Aylestone Park 2–2 (a.e.t.)
(7–6 p)
St Neots TownLeicester
15:00
Report
Stadium: Saffron Lane
Attendance: 597
Referee: Paul Mihalache
20 April Racing Club Warwick 4–0March Town UnitedWarwick
15:00
Report Stadium: Townsend Meadow
Attendance: 552
Referee: Phoebe Horner

Final

27 April Racing Club Warwick 2–1Aylestone ParkWarwick
15:00
Report
Stadium: Townsend Meadow
Attendance: 1,024
Referee: Chris Walton

Stadia and locations

Club Location Stadium Capacity
Aylestone Park Leicester Saffron Lane 1,128
Bugbrooke St Michaels Bugbrooke Birds Close 2,500
Cogenhoe United Cogenhoe Compton Park 5,000
Coventry United Coventry Butts Park Arena[a] 4,000
Daventry Town Daventry Elderstubbs 1,855
Desborough Town Desborough Waterworks Field
Easington Sports Easington Addison Road
Eynesbury Rovers Eynesbury Alfred Hall Memorial Ground
GNG Oadby Town Leicester Riverside 3,000
Godmanchester Rovers Godmanchester Bearscroft Lane
Histon Impington Bridge Road 4,300
Leicester Nirvana Leicester Hamilton Park
Lutterworth Town Lutterworth Dunley Way
March Town United March GER Sports Ground
Newport Pagnell Town Newport Pagnell Willen Road 2,000
Racing Club Warwick Warwick Townsend Meadow 1,280
Rugby Borough Rugby Kilsby Lane
St Neots Town St Neots New Rowley Park 3,500
Wellingborough Town Wellingborough London Road 2,500
Yaxley Yaxley Leading Drove 1,000
  1. ^ home of Coventry Rugby Club (groundshare)

Division One

United Counties League
Division One
Season2023–24
ChampionsBourne Town
PromotedBourne Town
Harrowby United
Newark Town
RelegatedAsfordby
Top goalscorerJack Thatcher
(Dunkirk)
(38 goals)
Biggest home win
Biggest away winSandiacre Town 1–7 Kirby Muxloe
(29 July 2023)
Highest scoring
  • Bourne Town 8–0 Clifton All Whites (6 April 2024)
  • Rainworth Miners Welfare 6–2 Sandiacre Town (19 March 2024)
  • Kirby Muxloe 6–2 West Bridgford (2 March 2024)
  • Kirby Muxloe 3–5 Radford (16 December 2023)
  • Kirby Muxloe 8–0 Clifton All Whites (9 December 2023)
  • Clipstone 4–4 Radford (1 November 2023)
  • Bourne Town 7–1 Holwell Sports (4 October 2023)
  • Clipstone 7–1 Kirby Muxloe (30 September 2023)
  • Rainworth Miners Welfare 2–6 Newark Town (22 August 2023)
  • Sandiacre Town 1–7 Kirby Muxloe (29 July 2023)

Division One featured 17 clubs which competed in the division last season, along with four new clubs:

Also, St Andrews changed name to Leicester St Andrews.

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
1 Bourne Town (C, P) 40 35 3 2 110 25 +85 108 Promoted to the Premier Division North
2 Clipstone 40 30 4 6 119 50 +69 94 Qualified for the play-offs
3 Newark Town (P) 40 21 11 8 108 65 +43 74
4 Dunkirk 40 22 6 12 85 60 +25 72
5 Harrowby United (O, P) 40 21 8 11 88 48 +40 71
6 Kirby Muxloe 40 21 6 13 99 71 +28 69 Transferred to the Midland League
7 Blackstones 40 20 8 12 75 47 +28 68
8 Radford 40 18 10 12 78 56 +22 64
9 Saffron Dynamo 40 18 10 12 60 44 +16 64 Transferred to the Midland League
10 Birstall United 40 17 9 14 73 60 +13 60
11 Leicester St Andrews 40 14 10 16 57 69 −12 52
12 Gedling Miners Welfare 40 15 6 19 79 75 +4 51
13 Clifton All Whites 40 14 8 18 61 77 −16 50
14 Selston 40 12 8 20 54 82 −28 44
15 Holwell Sports 40 12 5 23 59 109 −50 41
16 Southwell City 40 11 7 22 56 85 −29 40
17 Lutterworth Athletic 40 10 7 23 50 85 −35 37 Transferred to the Midland League
18 Rainworth Miners Welfare 40 10 7 23 61 101 −40 37
19 West Bridgford 40 8 9 23 51 84 −33 33
20 Sandiacre Town 40 9 3 28 44 108 −64 30
21 Asfordby (R) 40 7 5 28 40 106 −66 26 Relegation to the Leicestershire Senior League
Source: The FA Full-Time
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) number of matches won; 5) head-to-head results[3]
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated


Play-offs

Semi-finals Final
      
3 Newark Town 3
4 Dunkirk 2
3 Newark Town 1
5 Harrowby United 2
2 Clipstone 1
5 Harrowby United 4

Semifinals

27 April Newark Town 3–2DunkirkNewark-on-Trent
15:00
Report
Stadium: YMCA Sports Village
Attendance: 509
Referee: Lewis Saunders-Johnson
27 April Clipstone1–4 Harrowby United Clipstone
15:00
Report
Stadium: The Lido Ground
Attendance: 298
Referee: Robert Pealing

Final

4 May Newark Town1–2 Harrowby United Newark-on-Trent
15:00
Report
Stadium: YMCA Sports Village
Attendance: 983
Referee: Tim Eagles

Stadia and locations

Club Location Stadium Capacity
Asfordby Asfordby Asfordby Acres
Birstall United Birstall Meadow Lane
Blackstones Stamford Lincoln Road 1,000
Bourne Town Bourne Abbey Lawn 2,000
Clifton All Whites Nottingham (Clifton) Green Lane
Clipstone Clipstone Lido Ground
Dunkirk Nottingham (Dunkirk) Lenton Lane
Gedling Miners Welfare Gedling Plains Road
Harrowby United Grantham Dickens Road
Holwell Sports Asfordby Hill Welby Road 1,000
Kirby Muxloe Kirby Muxloe Ratby Lane 3,000
Leicester St Andrews Leicester Canal Street 1,000
Lutterworth Athletic Lutterworth Hall Park
Newark Town Newark-on-Trent YMCA Sports Village
Radford Nottingham (Radford) Selhurst Street
Rainworth Miners Welfare Rainworth Welfare Ground
Saffron Dynamo Cosby Cambridge Road
Sandiacre Town Sandiacre St Giles Park
Selston Selston Mansfield Road
Southwell City Southwell Centenary Ground, Brinkley
West Bridgford West Bridgford Regatta Way

References

  1. ^ "The FA releases National League System club allocations for Steps 3-6 in 2023-24 term". The Football Association. 15 May 2023.
  2. ^ "Step 5 to 4 promotion/relegation update". The FA. 16 March 2023. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  3. ^ a b c "The FA Handbook 2022/2023 Part 29 Standardised Rules Section 12.2". The FA.