SPARTAN SOUTH MIDLANDS LEAGUE 2015/16

The following is the constitution for the 2015/16 Spartan South Midlands League which should be fully agreed and ratified at the league's forthcoming AGM.

PREMIER DIVISION  

1. AFC Dunstable
2. Bedford - Promoted from Division One
3. Berkhamsted
4. Biggleswade United
5. Cockfosters
6. Colney Heath
7. F.C.Broxbourne Borough - Promoted from Division One
8. Hadley
9. Harefield United
10. Hertford Town
11. Hoddesdon Town
12. Holmer Green
13. Leverstock Green
14. London Colney
15. London Tigers
16. Oxhey Jets
17. St Margaretsbury
18. Stotfold
19. Sun Postal Sports
20. Tring Athletic
21. Welwyn Garden City - Promoted from Division One
22. Wembley

It was reported that AFC Hayes, who finished bottom of the Evo Stik Southern League Division One (Central) would join the Premier Division but they have now been placed in the Combined Counties Premier Division. Wewlyn Garden City (Division One Champions), FC Broxbourne Borough (runner's up) and Bedford (3rd place) are all promoted to the Premier Division. The Citizens will play at Step 5 for the first time in five seasons. FC Broxbourne Brough will join the division Broxbourne Borough V&E left when they folded and reformed as Broxbourne Borough at the end of the 2011/12 season. The last time Bedford played in the Premier Division was in 2004/05 as Bedford United & Valerio when they finished second from bottom and were relegated.

DIVISION ONE  

1. Ampthill Town - Relegated from Premier Div.
2. Arlesey Town Reserves
3. Baldock Town
4. Broadfields United - Promoted from Middlesex County Premier Division
5. Brimsdown - Promoted from Division Two
6. Buckingham Athletic
7. Chesham United Reserves
8. Codicote
9. Crawley Green
10. Edgware Town
11. Harpenden Town
12. Hatfield Town
13. Hillingdon Borough - Relegated from Premier Div.
14. Langford
15. New Bradwell St Peter - Promoted from Division Two 
16. Risborough Rangers
17. Southall
18. Winslow United
19. Wodson Park
20. Woodford Town - Name change, previously Bush Hill Rangers 

Ampthill Town (second bottom in the Premier Division) and Hillingdon Borough (bottom of the Premier Division) are relegated and join Brimsdown (fourth place)  and New Bradwell St Peter (third) who move up from Division Two. Broadfields United (fourth place in the Middlesex County League Premier Division) also make the move up the pyramid.

The name "Woodford Town" will return to senior football for the first time since 2003 as Bush Hill Rangers have announced a name change and merger with Woodford Town who bring ten youth teams to the club to combine with the club's exisiting youth section. The old club finished rock bottom of the Essex Senior League in 2002/03. Soner Mustafa, who was Manager and Chairman of Bush Hill Rangers, has stood down but will remain as President. A new management team will be announced in due course. Alfie Long, who was coach, has also moved on to Premier Division Biggleswade United - More on that if you scroll down.

London Lions have unfortunately dropped out of the league and are reported to be joining the Hertfordshire Senior County League. 

DIVISION TWO  

1. Amersham Town  - Relegated from Division One
2. Aston Clinton
3. Aylesbury United Reserves - New Club
4. Clean Slate
5. Grendon Rangers
6. Hadley Wood & Wingate - New Club
7. Hale Leys United
8. Kent Athletic
9. Loughton Manor - New Club
10. Mursley United
11. Old Bradwell United
12. Pitstone & Ivinghoe
13. St Albans City Reserves - New Club
14. Stony Stratford Town - Relegated from Division One
15. The 61 FC (Luton)
16. Totternhoe
17. Tring Corinthians
18. Wolverton Town 

Amersham Town (bottom of Division One) and Stony Stratford Town (ground grading) are relegated from Division One to Division Two with four new clubs joining. Aylesbury United Reserves and St Albans City Reserves will compete along with Hadley Wood and Wingate who are a youth football club formed in 2003 with, as the name suggests, strong links to Wingate and Finchley. This is the first time the club have had a first team in senior football and will provide another bridge for players to progress from youth to adult football. 

Loughton Manor were formed as Loughton Athletic and were formed in 2003 playing in the North Buckinghamshire League. Since joining the Premier Division in 2006 they have made steady progress finishing in 11th, 6th, 6th, 6th, 3rd, 3rd, 2nd and 2nd position. They play at The Loughton Sports and Social Club in Milton Keynes. 

NEW MANAGEMENT LINE UP FOR BIGGLESWADE UNITED

There will be a new man in charge at Biggleswade United for the 2015/16 season. Cristian Colas Becerra who is a third level UEFA Pro Licence holder brings with him a wealth of experience. He has coached at CD Masnou and CE Europa in his native Spain who play in their equivalent of League Two. He was also Academy Chief at Segunda Division CE Sabadell before moving to Finland where he was Head Coach of Division Three side PKKU. He will be assisted by Fran Constancio (also Head of the club's Academy) and Alfie Long (who joins from Bush Hill Rangers) who is currently the youngest UEFA B licenced coach in England. It's exciting tiumes at Second Meadow following ex Chelsea midfielder Enrique De Lucas playing for the first team last season and well respected football journalist Guillem Balague being Director of Football. 

PEARMAN NEW MANAGER OF HATFIELD TOWN

Kevin Pearman is the new boss of Hatfield Town after Ashley Purser left the club at the end of last season. Pearman had been in charge of Hatfield Social who had been very successful in the Hertfordshire Senior County League - it was fitting his last game in charge of Social was the Aubery Cup Final victory against Standon and Puckeridge. 

GREGSON STEPS UP AT BALDOCK TOWN

Luke Gregson is the new manager at Baldock Town following Scott Grant stepping down after five successful seasons in charge of the club. Dean Gilbert will assist Gregson - both have a wealth of playing experience in local football having represented the likes of Arlesey Town and Hitchin Town as well as Baldock Town. The club will play at Stotfold from next season following three season's ground sharing at Hitchin's Top Field.

The following list is the pre-season friendly games that have been arranged so far involving teams from the league - 

Saturday 4 July 

Wembley vs Bedfont & Feltham

Wodson Park vs Evergreen

 
Tuesday 7 July
Leverstock Green vs Hanwell Town

Met Police Bushey vs AFC Dunstable 

New Bradwell St Peter vs Wellingborough Town

Thursday 9 July

Royston Town vs St Margaretsbury

Saturday 11 July

Bugbrooke St Michaels vs Stony Stratford Town

Colney Heath vs Bedfont & Feltham

Edgware Town vs Potters Bar Town

Hadley vs Langford

Herts Elite vs Wodson Park

Wembley vs Erith Town

Wolverton Town vs Buckingham Athletic  

Tuesday 14 July 

Bushey Sports vs Broadfields United 

Edgware Town Vs Kings Langley
Tring Athletic vs Hendon

Wolverton Town vs Thrapston

Friday 17 July 2015
Tring Athletic vs Royston Town 

Saturday 18 July

AFC Dunstable vs Dunstable Town

Ampthill Town vs Potters Bar Town

Berkhamsted vs Performance Global XI

Broadfields United vs Holmer Green

Buckingham Athletic vs Milton Keynes Dons (1st/U-18)

Buckingham Town vs Clean Slate

Chessington & Hook United vs Wembley

Cockfosters vs Clapton 

Edgware Town vs Wantage Town (Reserves)

Hadley vs Enfield 1893

Leverstock Green vs New Bradwell St Peter

London Colney vs Wingate & Finchley

London Lions vs FC Broxbourne

Stanway Rovers vs Stotfold

Wellingborough Town vs Hanwell Town

Welwyn Garden City vs Barton Rovers

Wodson Park vs Cheshunt
 
Tuesday 21 July

Amersham Town vs Aylesbury

Biggleswade United vs Haverhill Borough

Bushey Sports vs Edgware Town

Cockfosters vs Arlesey Town
Hertford Town vs Harlow Town

Ilford vs Hadley

London Colney vs Dunstable Town
New Bradwell St Peter vs Tring Athletic

St Margaretsbury vs Stansted

Winslow United vs Bekhamsted

Wodson Park vs FC Broxbourne Borough

Wednesday 22 July 

Clapton vs Welwyn Garden City

Thursday 23 July

AFC Dunstable vs Kings Langley 

Saturday 25 July

Ampthill Town vs Cogenhoe

Bedford Town vs Welwyn Garden City

Cockfosters vs Enfield Town

Colney Heath vs Haringey Borough

Hadley vs Great Wakering Rovers

Hertford Town vs Hanwell Town
London Colney vs Edgware Town

Northampton Spencer vs Tring Athletic

St Albans City XI vs Berkhamsted

Totternhoe vs Buckingham Town

Wembley vs Croydon
 
Tuesday 28 July

Berkhamsted vs Kings Langley

Codicote vs Hadley

Grendon Rangers vs Aylesbury FC (Reserves)

Newport Pagnell Town vs Ampthill Town

Thame United vs AFC Dunstable

Tring Athletic vs Aylesbury FC

Wivenhoe Town vs Wembley

Wolverton Town vs Arlesey Town (Reserves) 

Wormley Rovers vs Hertford Town

Wednesday 29 July

St Margaretsbury vs Enfield Town

Thursday 30 July 

AFC Dunstable vs Aylesbury FC 

Bovingdon vs Berkhamsted

Risborough Rangers vs Tring Athletic

Saturday 1 August

Bedfont Sports vs Edgware Town

Berkhamsted vs Aylesbury FC

Buckingham Athletic vs Wellingborough Town

Bugbrook St Michaels vs Wolverton Town

CB Hounslow United vs Broadfields United

Chalfont St Peter vs AFC Dunstable

Cranfield vs London Colney

Eynesbury Rovers vs Ampthill Town

Hertford Town vs Potters Bar Town

Hitchin Town vs Biggleswade United

Hoddesdon Town vs Stansted

Loughton Manor vs Buckingham Town
Tring Athletic vs Kidlington 

Tuesday 4 August

Cockfosters vs Langford

Edgware Town vs Borehamwood (U-21)

Grendon Rangers vs Brackley Sports

Hanwell Town vs Southall

Woverton Town vs Aylesbury FC (Reserves)

Tuesday 11 August

Grendon Rangers vs Heyford Athletic