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Lye Town went top on Saturday thanks to their 2-1 home win over Rushden & Diamonds - It is their first at Step Four of the non-league ladder having been promoted from the Midland League Premier Division last season. They won 1-6 at St Neots Town in the Step 4/5 play off after finishing second to Walsall Wood. Manager Grant Joshua has been in charge since February 2020.
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Could they have two promotions in as many seasons and join their local rival's Stourbridge at Step Three next season? It's just over a mile between The Sports Ground in Lye and The Glassboy's War Memorial Ground who are currently in fouteenth place of the Premier Division Central. It's been a long time since they were in the same division as each other which was the 70/71 West Midland Premier Division which included Kidderminster Harriers, Bromsgrove Rovers and Wolverhampton Wanderers 'A'.
Harborough Town are in second place and seem a real club on the up as this is only their second season at Step Four having been promoted from the United Counties League in 2022. It was only a a little over a decade ago The Bees were in the Northants Combination where in 09/10 they won promotion to the UCL Division One. Mitch Austin has been Manager since late 2020 and has taken the club to their highest position in the non-league pyramid since they were formed in 1975.
They got to the Emirates FA Cup Second Qualifying Round where they narrowly lost at Vanarama North side Tamworth who won 2-1.
They got to the Isuzu FA Trophy Second Round this season beating Lye Town, Hinckley LRFC, Biggleswade FC and Avro before losing to Vanarama South side Chelmsford City in front of a bumper crowd of 653 at their Bowden Park ground.
Looking at their attendances they have averaged 250 for league games this season which is compared to the 71 they averaged in the 17/18 UCL Premier campaign is a huge increase.
They have showed their intent with the September signing of striker Kai Tonge who had started the season at Step Two for Rushall Olympic. The 26 year old scored 36 goals for Coleshill Town last season who lost out to Halesowen Town in the play-off semi-final last season.
Anstey Nomads are third and another progressive club as this is also their first season at Step Four having won the United Counties Premier North last season. The Nomads have only one defeat in the league so far which was a recent 4-2 loss at Sutton Coldfield Town who are currently in seventh place.
Spalding United are in fourth place - The Tulips finished in third place last season losing to Halesowen Town in the play-off final. Elliott Sandy was caretaker manager since March 2023 when Brett Whalley left the club - He was given the job permanently over the summer. Sandy, a striker by trade, played for Banbury United, Northampton Sileby Rangers, Newport Pagnell Town, Stamford, AFC Rushden & Diamonds, Kettering Town, Dunstable Town, Brackley Town, Oxford City and Brackley Town during his playing career.
Loughborough Dynamo are in fifth place who have played at Step Four since 2008 always in the Northern Premier League. Aside from the 20/21 season, which was cut short due to the pandemic where they were in second place after eight games played, they have never finished higher than eighth position.
Hinckley Leicester Road are in sixth place and another club having a promotion in the last few years. The Knitters were promoted from the United Counties League Premier South in 2022 and finished in thirteenth last season. The club were formed in 2013 after the sad demise of Hinckley United who had been playing in the Southern League Premier Division.
As their name suggests they play at Leicester Road which was the home of Hinckley United from 2005. Hinckley AFC were also formed upon United folding - they currently play in the Midland League Division One and are ground sharing at Barwell FC's Kirkby Road ground.
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