2025/26 Step 2 constitution

[GlenSTFC]

13 minutes ago, rebelbrewer said:

So coming up will be Horsham and maybe Merthyr.

Who do we want from the play offs?

Isthmian; 1 from Billericay, Cray Valley, Dartford, Dover
Southern; 1 from AFC Totton, Walton & Hersham, Gloucester City, Dorchester

For me anyone but Dover. Obviously we have history with Walton and Hersham.

 Crap choice from the Isthmian! I’ll go with Cray just for somewhere new.

Southern, prefer Walton for locality, then AFC Totton, Dorchester, Gloucester.

 

[The Crowing Cockerel]

3 minutes ago, GlenSTFC said:

 Crap choice from the Isthmian! I’ll go with Cray just for somewhere new.

Having been to Cray last season I wouldn't get too excited about visiting there if I were you! No idea how they would ever manage to make the Step 2 ground grading.

[GlenSTFC]

1 minute ago, The Crowing Cockerel said:

Having been to Cray last season I wouldn't get too excited about visiting there if I were you! No idea how they would ever manage to make the Step 2 ground grading.

Got a new ground haven’t they? Yes looks quite basic but I’m sure they have plans to expand if they go up. Bored of visiting the other 3 who we’ve played alot over the years. Plus I’d expect Cray would be the weaker of all 4 sides.

[The Crowing Cockerel]

15 minutes ago, GlenSTFC said:

Got a new ground haven’t they? Yes looks quite basic but I’m sure they have plans to expand if they go up. Bored of visiting the other 3 who we’ve played alot over the years. Plus I’d expect Cray would be the weaker of all 4 sides.

I'm not aware of a new ground. The fact that they're looking at achieving back-to-back promotions tells you that they've got a decent manager, playing squad budget and side. So if they do make it up I wouldn't expect them to be push-overs. We shall see.

[GlenSTFC]

6 minutes ago, The Crowing Cockerel said:

I'm not aware of a new ground. The fact that they're looking at achieving back-to-back promotions tells you that they've got a decent manager, playing squad budget and side. So if they do make it up I wouldn't expect them to be push-overs. We shall see.

Sorry mixing them up with Cray Wanderers. No I meant they’d be weaker in terms of budget compared to those other 3.

[Reading Rebel]

2 hours ago, rebelbrewer said:

So coming up will be Horsham and maybe Merthyr.

Who do we want from the play offs?

Isthmian; 1 from Billericay, Cray Valley, Dartford, Dover
Southern; 1 from AFC Totton, Walton & Hersham, Gloucester City, Dorchester

For me anyone but Dover. Obviously we have history with Walton and Hersham.

I'll go for Cray Valley (somewhere new) and AFC Totton.

Pictures of Cray Valley's ground which looks pretty basic.

https://www.google.com/search?q=cray+valley+fc+ground&oq=cray+valley+fc+ground&aqs=chrome..69i57j0i22i30l2j0i751l2j0i512i546j0i546i649j0i512i546.9089j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#lpg=cid:CgIgAQ%3D%3D,ik:CAoSFkNJSE0wb2dLRUlDQWdJRHBoOE8wRXc%3D

Edited April 28 by Reading Rebel

[SloughFlyer]

Agree with Cray as somewhere new to go to. 

Walton or Gloucester for me. Walton for the locality and Gloucester's ground was decent and easy to get to last season when we played Truro there. Has to be a chance they'd end up back in the North with a re-structure though.

[grandad]

Purely from a selfish point of view, Gloucester City as it's only 10 miles away....   Having a feeling they and/or Merthyr may end up North though.

[rebelbrewer]

1 hour ago, grandad said:

Purely from a selfish point of view, Gloucester City as it's only 10 miles away....   Having a feeling they and/or Merthyr may end up North though.

I think one of them will. Particularly as all but Fylde of the Step 1 relegatees will come south.

[rebelbrewer]

Play off finals are

Dartford v Dover and Totton v Gloucester

Dartford over Dover for me. Totton and Gloucester both new experiences for me so happy with either.

[GlenSTFC]

26 minutes ago, rebelbrewer said:

Play off finals are

Dartford v Dover and Totton v Gloucester

Dartford over Dover for me. Totton and Gloucester both new experiences for me so happy with either.

Dover as although it’s a much further trip, i doubt budget wise they’d match Dartford. Prefer Totton as it’s a lot closer to home but they allegedly well financed.

[Nathan]

Following today's play-offs and the end of the NLP season, the picture looks a little clearer.

Going down from Step 1: Ebbsfleet United, AFC Fylde, Maidenhead United, Dagenham & Redbridge.

Going up from Step 3: Macclesfield, Worksop Town, Horsham, Dover Athletic, Bedford Town, AFC Telford, Merthyr Town, AFC Totton.

The constitution of Step 2 therefore may look as follows: 

North:
AFC Fylde (R)
AFC Telford (P)
Alfreton Town
Bedford Town (P)
Buxton
Chorley
Curzon Ashton
Darlington
Hereford
Leamington
Kidderminster Harriers
King's Lynn Town
Macclesfield (P)
Marine
Merthyr Town or Hemel Hempstead Town
Oxford City
Peterborough Sports
Radcliffe
Scarborough Athletic
Scunthorpe United or Chester City
Southport
South Shields
Spennymoor Town
Worksop Town (P)

South:
AFC Totton (P)
Bath City
Boreham Wood or Maidstone United
Chesham United
Chelmsford City
Chippenham Town
Dagenham & Redbridge (R)
Dorking Wanderers
Dover Athletic (P)
Eastbourne Borough
Ebbsfleet United (R)
Enfield Town
Farnborough
Hampton & Richmond Borough
Hemel Hempstead Town or Merthyr Town
Hornchurch
Horsham (P)
Maidenhead United (R)
Salisbury
Slough Town
Tonbridge Angels
Torquay United
Weston-Super-Mare
Worthing

I'd say it's now down to which one they put in the North: Merthyr or Hemel Hempstead; I'd still say Hemel as it's on the M1.

[Reading Rebel]

3 hours ago, Nathan said:

Following today's play-offs and the end of the NLP season, the picture looks a little clearer.

Going down from Step 1: Ebbsfleet United, AFC Fylde, Maidenhead United, Dagenham & Redbridge.

Going up from Step 3: Macclesfield, Worksop Town, Horsham, Dover Athletic, Bedford Town, AFC Telford, Merthyr Town, AFC Totton.

The constitution of Step 2 therefore may look as follows: 

North:
AFC Fylde (R)
AFC Telford (P)
Alfreton Town
Bedford Town (P)
Buxton
Chorley
Curzon Ashton
Darlington
Hereford
Leamington
Kidderminster Harriers
King's Lynn Town
Macclesfield (P)
Marine
Merthyr Town or Hemel Hempstead Town
Oxford City
Peterborough Sports
Radcliffe
Scarborough Athletic
Scunthorpe United or Chester City
Southport
South Shields
Spennymoor Town
Worksop Town (P)

South:
AFC Totton (P)
Bath City
Boreham Wood or Maidstone United
Chesham United
Chelmsford City
Chippenham Town
Dagenham & Redbridge (R)
Dorking Wanderers
Dover Athletic (P)
Eastbourne Borough
Ebbsfleet United (R)
Enfield Town
Farnborough
Hampton & Richmond Borough
Hemel Hempstead Town or Merthyr Town
Hornchurch
Horsham (P)
Maidenhead United (R)
Salisbury
Slough Town
Tonbridge Angels
Torquay United
Weston-Super-Mare
Worthing

I'd say it's now down to which one they put in the North: Merthyr or Hemel Hempstead; I'd still say Hemel as it's on the M1.

Logistically Hemel being put into the NLN would make sense but distance wise for us hopefully it's Merthyr.

[rebelbrewer]

On 05/05/2025 at 17:46, Nathan said:

I'd say it's now down to which one they put in the North: Merthyr or Hemel Hempstead; I'd still say Hemel as it's on the M1.

Exactly that

[Nathan]

https://www.thefa.com/news/2025/may/15/nls-allocations

It seems like I'm wrong and Merthyr are going north and Hemel staying south. Thank god!

[Reading Rebel]

3 hours ago, Nathan said:

https://www.thefa.com/news/2025/may/15/nls-allocations

It seems like I'm wrong and Merthyr are going north and Hemel staying south. Thank god!

I read somewhere that the NL don't like shifting an existing club if there's an alternative option with a new club which they seem to have found in Merthyr.

Edited May 15 by Reading Rebel