2022–23 United Counties League
Football league season
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The 2022–23 season was the 116th in the history of the United Counties League, a football competition in England. The league operated 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 12 May 2022,[1] and were subject to appeals.
Premier Division North
| Season | 2022–23 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Anstey Nomads |
| Promoted | Anstey Nomads Quorn |
| Relegated | Heather St John's Selston |
| Matches | 380 |
| Goals | 1,278 (3.36 per match) |
← 2021–22 2023–24 → | |
The Premier Division featured 15 clubs which competed in the division last season, along with five new clubs.
- Promoted from Division One:
- Transferred from the Northern Counties East League
- Plus:
- Wisbech Town, relegated from the Northern Premier League
Also, Newark were renamed Newark and Sherwood United.
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anstey Nomads | 38 | 29 | 6 | 3 | 91 | 20 | +71 | 93 | Promoted to the Northern Premier League |
| 2 | Quorn | 38 | 25 | 7 | 6 | 96 | 53 | +43 | 82 | Qualified for an inter-step play-off, then promoted to the Northern Premier League |
| 3 | Loughborough Students | 38 | 24 | 9 | 5 | 98 | 32 | +66 | 81 | |
| 4 | Melton Town | 38 | 25 | 4 | 9 | 84 | 49 | +35 | 79 | |
| 5 | Sleaford Town | 38 | 24 | 5 | 9 | 77 | 38 | +39 | 77 | |
| 6 | Boston Town | 38 | 19 | 10 | 9 | 58 | 46 | +12 | 67 | |
| 7 | Sherwood Colliery | 38 | 22 | 3 | 13 | 76 | 42 | +34 | 63 | |
| 8 | Newark and Sherwood United | 38 | 17 | 11 | 10 | 78 | 54 | +24 | 62 | |
| 9 | Skegness Town | 38 | 19 | 5 | 14 | 52 | 42 | +10 | 62 | |
| 10 | Kimberley Miners Welfare | 38 | 16 | 11 | 11 | 78 | 61 | +17 | 59 | |
| 11 | Wisbech Town | 38 | 16 | 5 | 17 | 64 | 85 | −21 | 53 | |
| 12 | Deeping Rangers | 38 | 14 | 7 | 17 | 74 | 74 | 0 | 49 | |
| 13 | Heanor Town | 38 | 14 | 5 | 19 | 73 | 75 | −2 | 47 | |
| 14 | Belper United | 38 | 11 | 10 | 17 | 59 | 84 | −25 | 43 | |
| 15 | Leicester Nirvana | 38 | 9 | 8 | 21 | 46 | 75 | −29 | 35 | Transferred to the Premier Division South |
| 16 | Eastwood | 38 | 7 | 7 | 24 | 41 | 100 | −59 | 28 | |
| 17 | Pinchbeck United | 38 | 8 | 3 | 27 | 40 | 86 | −46 | 27 | |
| 18 | AFC Mansfield | 38 | 5 | 8 | 25 | 35 | 88 | −53 | 23 | |
| 19 | Heather St John's | 38 | 4 | 9 | 25 | 31 | 74 | −43 | 21 | Relegated to the Midland League |
| 20 | Selston | 38 | 3 | 5 | 30 | 27 | 100 | −73 | 14 | Relegated to Division One |
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[2]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) number of matches won; 5) head-to-head results[2]
Inter-step play-off
| 29 April 2023 | Great Wakering Rovers | 0–5 | Quorn | Great Wakering |
| 15:00 | Report |
|
Stadium: Burroughs Park Attendance: 230 Referee: Christopher Hastings |
Stadia and locations
Location of the Premier Division North clubs
| Club | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| AFC Mansfield | Mansfield (Forest Town) | Forest Town Stadium | |
| Anstey Nomads | Anstey | Cropston Road | |
| Belper United | Belper | Christchurch Meadow[a] | |
| Boston Town | Boston | Tattershall Road | 6,000 |
| Deeping Rangers | Market Deeping | Haydon Whitham Stadium | 2,000 |
| Eastwood | Eastwood | Coronation Park | |
| Heanor Town | Heanor | Town Ground | |
| Heather St John's | Heather | St John's Park | |
| Kimberley Miners Welfare | Kimberley | Stag Ground | |
| Leicester Nirvana | Leicester | Hamilton Park | |
| Loughborough Students | Loughborough | Loughborough University Stadium | 3,000 |
| Melton Town | Melton Mowbray | Melton Sports Village | |
| Newark and Sherwood United | Collingham | Station Road | |
| Pinchbeck United | Spalding | Sir Halley Stewart Field | 2,700 |
| Quorn | Quorn | Farley Way Stadium | 1,400 |
| Selston | Selston | Mansfield Road | |
| 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
| Season | 2022–23 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Coventry Sphinx |
| Promoted | Coventry Sphinx Rugby Town |
| Relegated | Long Buckby Rothwell Corinthians |
| Matches | 306 |
| Goals | 1,078 (3.52 per match) |
← 2021–22 2023–24 → | |
The Premier Division featured 15 clubs which competed in the division last season, along with three new clubs:
- Histon, relegated from the Northern Premier League
- March Town United, transferred from the Eastern Counties League
- Milton Keynes Irish, transferred from the Spartan South Midlands League
The club finishing the season in second position was initially required to play in an inter-step playoff with a team from step 4. Due to ground grading failures higher up the pyramid, three step 4 clubs were reprieved, and the three step 5 runners-up with the highest PPG (points per game) were automatically promoted. Rugby Town were one of those three.
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coventry Sphinx | 34 | 28 | 2 | 4 | 106 | 22 | +84 | 86 | Promoted to the Northern Premier League |
| 2 | Rugby Town | 34 | 26 | 5 | 3 | 99 | 36 | +63 | 83 | |
| 3 | Newport Pagnell Town | 34 | 22 | 7 | 5 | 83 | 34 | +49 | 73 | |
| 4 | Wellingborough Town | 34 | 20 | 7 | 7 | 74 | 47 | +27 | 67 | |
| 5 | Milton Keynes Irish | 34 | 19 | 8 | 7 | 67 | 38 | +29 | 65 | Transferred to the Spartan South Midlands League |
| 6 | Histon | 34 | 17 | 6 | 11 | 73 | 53 | +20 | 57 | |
| 7 | March Town United | 34 | 15 | 7 | 12 | 68 | 54 | +14 | 52 | |
| 8 | Coventry United | 34 | 15 | 3 | 16 | 69 | 68 | +1 | 48 | |
| 9 | Desborough Town | 34 | 12 | 8 | 14 | 48 | 59 | −11 | 44 | |
| 10 | Bugbrooke St Michaels | 34 | 13 | 5 | 16 | 44 | 59 | −15 | 44 | |
| 11 | Easington Sports | 34 | 12 | 5 | 17 | 38 | 46 | −8 | 41 | |
| 12 | Cogenhoe United | 34 | 10 | 8 | 16 | 53 | 58 | −5 | 38 | |
| 13 | GNG Oadby Town | 34 | 10 | 4 | 20 | 54 | 85 | −31 | 34 | |
| 14 | Godmanchester Rovers | 34 | 8 | 8 | 18 | 39 | 70 | −31 | 32 | |
| 15 | Eynesbury Rovers | 34 | 9 | 4 | 21 | 52 | 88 | −36 | 31 | |
| 16 | Lutterworth Town | 34 | 9 | 4 | 21 | 45 | 91 | −46 | 31 | |
| 17 | Rothwell Corinthians | 34 | 5 | 7 | 22 | 35 | 74 | −39 | 22 | Relegated to the Spartan South Midlands League |
| 18 | Long Buckby | 34 | 4 | 6 | 24 | 31 | 96 | −65 | 18 |
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[2]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) number of matches won; 5) head-to-head results[2]
Stadia and locations
| Club | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bugbrooke St. Michaels | Bugbrooke | Birds Close | 2,500 |
| Cogenhoe United | Cogenhoe | Compton Park | 5,000 |
| Coventry Sphinx | Coventry | Sphinx Drive | |
| Coventry United | Butts Park Arena[a] | 4,000 | |
| Desborough Town | Desborough | Waterworks Field | |
| Easington Sports | Easington | Addison Road | |
| Eynesbury Rovers | Eynesbury | Alfred Hall Memorial Ground | |
| GNG Oadby Town | Oadby | Wigston Road | 3,000 |
| Godmanchester Rovers | Godmanchester | Bearscroft Lane | |
| Histon | Impington | Bridge Road | 4,300 |
| Long Buckby | Long Buckby | Station Road | 1,000 |
| Lutterworth Town | Lutterworth | Dunley Way | |
| March Town United | March | GER Sports Ground | |
| Milton Keynes Irish | Milton Keynes | Manor Fields | |
| Newport Pagnell Town | Newport Pagnell | Willen Road | 2,000 |
| Rothwell Corinthians | Rothwell | Sergeants Lawn | |
| Rugby Town | Rugby | Butlin Road | 6,000 |
| Wellingborough Town | Wellingborough | London Road | 2,500 |
| |||
Division One
| Season | 2022–23 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Aylestone Park |
| Promoted | Aylestone Park Hucknall Town |
| Relegated | Grantham Town academy |
| Matches | 420 |
| Goals | 1,697 (4.04 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Paul Pallett (Birstall United) (39 goals) |
← 2021–22 2023–24 → | |
Division One featured 16 clubs which competed in the division last season, along with six new clubs.
- Promoted from the Central Midlands Alliance:
- Transferred from the Northern Counties East League:
- Plus:
- Grantham Town academy, promoted from the Lincolnshire League
- Southwell City, promoted from the Nottinghamshire Senior League
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aylestone Park (C, P) | 40 | 30 | 5 | 5 | 153 | 41 | +112 | 95 | Promoted to the Premier Division South |
| 2 | Birstall United | 40 | 27 | 8 | 5 | 123 | 42 | +81 | 89 | Qualified for the play-offs |
| 3 | Bourne Town | 40 | 27 | 7 | 6 | 118 | 47 | +71 | 88 | |
| 4 | Hucknall Town (O, P) | 40 | 25 | 7 | 8 | 96 | 46 | +50 | 82 | Qualified for the play-offs, then promoted to the Premier Division North |
| 5 | Newark Town | 40 | 25 | 5 | 10 | 115 | 56 | +59 | 80 | Qualified for the play-offs |
| 6 | Radford | 40 | 25 | 7 | 8 | 107 | 44 | +63 | 79[a] | |
| 7 | Clipstone | 40 | 24 | 3 | 13 | 83 | 55 | +28 | 75 | |
| 8 | Blackstones | 40 | 17 | 13 | 10 | 76 | 62 | +14 | 64 | |
| 9 | Harrowby United | 40 | 14 | 11 | 15 | 76 | 85 | −9 | 53 | |
| 10 | Kirby Muxloe | 40 | 16 | 3 | 21 | 84 | 99 | −15 | 51 | |
| 11 | Dunkirk | 40 | 15 | 5 | 20 | 82 | 82 | 0 | 50 | |
| 12 | Clifton All Whites | 40 | 14 | 8 | 18 | 70 | 95 | −25 | 50 | |
| 13 | Rainworth Miners Welfare | 40 | 14 | 5 | 21 | 62 | 93 | −31 | 47 | |
| 14 | Southwell City | 40 | 13 | 7 | 20 | 67 | 88 | −21 | 46 | |
| 15 | Barrow Town (R) | 40 | 12 | 5 | 23 | 60 | 89 | −29 | 41 | Resigned to the Leicestershire Senior League |
| 16 | West Bridgford | 40 | 13 | 1 | 26 | 56 | 88 | −32 | 40 | |
| 17 | Holwell Sports | 40 | 11 | 7 | 22 | 73 | 111 | −38 | 40 | |
| 18 | Saffron Dynamo | 40 | 12 | 4 | 24 | 53 | 98 | −45 | 40 | |
| 19 | Gedling Miners Welfare | 40 | 10 | 6 | 24 | 62 | 106 | −44 | 36 | |
| 20 | St Andrews | 40 | 9 | 5 | 26 | 46 | 133 | −87 | 32 | |
| 21 | Grantham Town academy (R) | 40 | 4 | 4 | 32 | 35 | 137 | −102 | 16 | Relegated to feeder league |
| 22 | Blidworth Welfare | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0[b] | Resigned from the league, record expunged |
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[2]
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) number of matches won; 5) head-to-head results[2]
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:
Play-offs
| Semi-finals | Final | ||||||||
| 2 | Birstall United | 3 | |||||||
| 5 | Newark Town | 2 | |||||||
| 2 | Birstall United | 1 (3) | |||||||
| 4 | Hucknall Town | 1 (5) | |||||||
| 3 | Bourne Town | 1 (2) | |||||||
| 4 | Hucknall Town | 1 (4) | |||||||
Semifinals
| 22 April | Bourne Town | 1–1 (a.e.t.) (2–4 p) | Hucknall Town | Bourne |
| 15:00 |
|
Report |
|
Stadium: Abbey Lawn Attendance: 893 Referee: Thomas Burt |
| 22 April | Birstall United | 3–2 | Newark Town | Birstall |
| 15:00 |
|
Report |
|
Stadium: Meadow Lane Attendance: 400 Referee: Ryan Allison |
Final
| 29 April | Birstall United | 1–1 (a.e.t.) (3–5 p) | Hucknall Town | Birstall |
| 15:00 |
|
Report |
|
Stadium: Meadow Lane Attendance: 850 Referee: Gary Caley |
Stadia and locations
Grantham Town academy
Location of Division One clubs
| Club | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aylestone Park | Leicester | Saffron Lane | 1,128 |
| Barrow Town | Barrow upon Soar | Barrow Road | |
| Birstall United | Birstall | Meadow Lane | |
| Blackstones | Stamford | Lincoln Road | 1,000 |
| Blidworth Welfare | Blidworth | Welfare Ground | |
| 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 | |
| Grantham Town academy | Grantham | South Kesteven Sports Stadium | 7,500 |
| Harrowby United | Grantham | Dickens Road | |
| Holwell Sports | Asfordby Hill | Welby Road | 1,000 |
| Hucknall Town | Hucknall | Watnall Road / RM Stadium | |
| Kirby Muxloe | Kirby Muxloe | Ratby Lane | 3,000 |
| Newark Town | Newark-on-Trent | YMCA Sports Village | |
| Radford | Nottingham (Radford) | Selhurst Street | |
| Rainworth Miners Welfare | Rainworth | Welfare Ground | |
| Saffron Dynamo | Cosby | Cambridge Road | |
| Southwell City | Southwell | Centenary Ground, Brinkley | |
| St Andrews | Leicester | Canal Street | 1,000 |
| West Bridgford | West Bridgford | Regatta Way |
League Cup
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Country | England |
| Teams | 60 |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | Anstey Nomads (1st title) |
| Runners-up | Deeping Rangers |
Quarter-finals
| 21 February 2023 | Kirby Muxloe (D1) | 0–2 | Anstey Nomads (PN) | Kirby Muxloe |
| 19:45 | Report |
|
Stadium: Ratby Lane Attendance: 206 Referee: Gary Lord |
| 21 February 2023 | Godmanchester Rovers (PS) | 1–1 (a.e.t.) (2–3 p) | March Town United (PS) | Godmanchester |
| 19:45 |
|
Report |
|
Stadium: Bearscroft Lane Attendance: 75 Referee: Chris Walton |
| 22 February 2023 | Sleaford Town (PN) | 3–2 | Newark and Sherwood United (PN) | Sleaford |
| 19:45 |
|
Report |
|
Stadium: Boston Road Attendance: 230 Referee: James Astley |
| 25 February 2023 | Deeping Rangers (PN) | 1–1 (a.e.t.) (5–4 p) | Cogenhoe United (PS) | Market Deeping |
| 15:00 |
|
Report |
|
Stadium: Haydon Whitham Stadium Attendance: 134 Referee: Aimee Keir |
Semi-finals
| 18 April 2023 | Deeping Rangers (PN) | 2–2 (a.e.t.) (5–4 p) | March Town United (PS) | Market Deeping |
| 19:45 |
|
Report |
|
Stadium: Haydon Whitham Stadium Attendance: 232 Referee: Mehul Karia |
| 26 April 2023 | Sleaford Town (PN) | 1–3 | Anstey Nomads (PN) | Sleaford |
| 19:45 |
|
Report |
|
Stadium: Boston Road Attendance: 178 Referee: Nick Elliott |
Final
| 1 May 2023 | Anstey Nomads (PN) | 3–0 | Deeping Rangers (PN) | Stamford |
| 15:00 |
|
Report | Stadium: Blackstone Sports and Social Club Attendance: 450 Referee: Harry Price |