Ilkeston Town and Belper Town part ways and Nottinghamshire clubs move south as FA announce league allocations

The FA’s leagues committee have announced their allocations for each of the divisions at step three of the pyramid and below with the numerous promotion and relegation issues now having been resolved.

And given that many of Derbyshire’s clubs sit on the borderline of the north/south split, it is Belper who will join fellow Derbyshire club Matlock Town in the Northern Premier League Premier Division, while Ilkeston have been placed in the Southern Premier League Premier Central, alongside Mickleover and Basford United who have been laterally moved from the NPL.

So whilst long trips to the northernmost reaches of the country are now avoided for the Robins, they’ll instead face trips to clubs as far afield as Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire, although most of the SPLPC clubs are based in and around the West Midlands.

Long Eaton United and Gresley Rovers, both promoted from the United Counties League Premier North, have been placed in the NPL Division One East and Division One Midlands respectively.

Belper United and Kimberley MW, both promoted from the UCL Division One, will join Heanor Town and Selston in the UCL Premier North, where Nottinghamshire clubs AFC Mansfield and Sherwood Colliery have also been placed having previously been in the North East Counties League.

Clipstone and Rainworth MW have also been moved from the NCEL to the UCL where they’ll play in Division One.

Following their voluntary relegation, Staveley MW will play in the NCEL Division One next season alongside Shirebrook Town.

League allocations remain subject to appeal.

The full list of allocations nationally for steps three and four can be found in PDF format by clicking HERE

For steps five and six, click HERE