United Counties League

Ninth and Tenth tier of English league football

Football league

United Counties League

Founded| 1895
Country| England
Divisions| Premier Division North
Premier Division South
Division One
Number of clubs| 63
Level on pyramid| Levels 9–10
Feeder to| Southern League Division One Central
Northern Premier League Division One East and Midlands
Domestic cup(s)| United Counties League Cup
FA Vase
FA Cup
Current champions| Lincoln United (Premier Division North)
St Neots Town (Premier Division South)
Clay Cross Town (Division One)
(2024–25)
Website| https://theucl.co.uk/
Current: 2025–26 season

The United Counties League (also known after its sponsor as the GCE Hire Fleet Ltd. United Counties League) is an English football league covering an area including the English counties of northern Bedfordshire, northern Buckinghamshire, most of Cambridgeshire, southern Derbyshire, Huntingdonshire, southern Leicestershire, most of Lincolnshire, western Norfolk, Northamptonshire, southern Nottinghamshire, northern Oxfordshire, Rutland, eastern Staffordshire, eastern Warwickshire and eastern West Midlands. It has a total of five divisions, three for first teams and two for reserve teams, but the reserves' divisions were merged into a single division for the 2013–14 season and remains so at present.

Clubs in the Premier Divisions are eligible to enter the FA Cup in the preliminary round stages. The clubs in the league are eligible for the FA Vase, and there are knockout cups for the Premier/Division One clubs and for the Reserve Divisions clubs.

## History

[edit]

The United Counties League was formed in 1895 as the Northamptonshire Junior League, dropping the 'Junior' one year later. It took its current name in 1934 as teams from other counties had long since been a part of the league. Over the years the UCL has 'united' teams from Northamptonshire, Rutland and Bedfordshire with those from parts of Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire and even Norfolk. Northampton Town joined the league in 1897 and became champions in their second season before moving up to the Southern League. They would become the league's first former member to reach the Football League in 1920. In 1900 Bedford Queens became the first club from outside the county to join the league.

The Football Association announced on 12 April 2021 that United Counties League would administer a new Step 5 division since the 2021–22 season after the scheduled National League System restructure had a one-season postponement due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England.[1]

## Current members

[edit]

AFC Mansfield

Ashby Ivanhoe

Belper United

Blackstones

Boston Town

Clay Cross

Deeping Rangers

Eastwood

Grantham Town

Gresley Rovers

Harrowby United

Heanor Town

Hucknall Town

Kimberley Miners Welfare

Melton Town

Newark and Sherwood United

Newark Town

Sherwood Colliery

Skegness Town

Wisbech Town

Atherstone Town

Aylestone Park

Bugbrooke St. Michaels

Coventry United

Daventry Town

Easington Sports

Eynesbury Rovers

GNG Oadby Town

Godmanchester Rovers

Hinckley

Histon

Leicester Nirvana

Lutterworth Town

March Town United

Moulton

Newport Pagnell Town

Northampton ON Chenecks

Northampton Sileby Rangers

Nuneaton Town

Yaxley

Clifton All Whites

Clipstone

Coalville Town

Dronfield Town

Dunkirk

FCV Grace Dieu

Gedling Miners Welfare

Holwell Sports

Harrowby United

Holwell Sports

Pinchbeck

Pinxton

Radford

Rainworth Miners Welfare

Retford

Retford United

Sandiacre Town

Shirebrook Town

Sleaford Town

South Normanton Athletic

Southwell City

Stapleford Town

Staveley Miners Welfare

Swallownest

West Bridgford

class=notpageimage|

Locations of the United Counties League clubs by division
– Premier Division North  – Premier Division South  – Division One

### Step 5

[edit]

The league has two divisions at level 9 (step 5) of the National League System (NLS). Member clubs take part in cup competitions organised by the county FA to which they are affiliated and other cup competitions. The north division currently has 20 clubs, feeding into the Northern Premier League Division One Midlands and East. The south division currently has 20 clubs, feeding into the Northern Premier League Division One Midlands and Southern Football League Division One Central.

Premier Division North  | Club  | Home ground  | Ground capacity

|
|

AFC Mansfield | Forest Town Stadium, Forest Town |
Ashby Ivanhoe | NFU Sports Ground, Ashby de la Zouch |
Belper United | Coronation Park, Eastwood | 2,500
Blackstones | Seven Bespoke Joinery Stadium, Stamford | 1,250
Boston Town | Tattershall Road, Boston | 6,000
Clay Cross Town | The Adalynne Haye Stadium, Old Tupton | 500
Deeping Rangers | The Haydon Whitham Stadium, Market Deeping | 2,000
Eastwood | Coronation Park, Eastwood | 2,500
Grantham Town | South Kesteven Sports Stadium, Grantham | 7,500
Gresley Rovers | Moat Ground, Church Gresley | 2,400
Harrowby United | Dickens Road, Grantham | 1,500
Heanor Town | Town Ground, Heanor | 2,700
Hucknall Town | Aeriel Way, Hucknall | 4,000
Kimberley Miners Welfare | The Stag Ground, Kimberley | 1,000
Melton Town | Melton Sports Village, Melton Mowbray | 1,000
Newark and Sherwood United | Harrowby Football & Social Club, Grantham | 1,000
Newark Town | YMCA Sports Village, Newark-on-Trent | 1,000
Sherwood Colliery | Debdale Park Sports & Recreational Club, Mansfield Woodhouse |
Skegness Town | MKM Stadium, Skegness | 1,000
Wisbech Town | Fenland Stadium, Wisbech |
Premier Division South  | Club  | Home ground  | Ground capacity

|
|

Atherstone Town | Sheepy Road, Atherstone |
Aylestone Park | Gary Lineker Pavillion, Wigston | 1,128
Bugbrooke St Michaels | Birds Close, Bugbrooke | 2,500
Coventry United | Butts Park Arena, Coventry | 4,000
Daventry Town | Master Abrasives Stadium, Daventry | 1,855
Easington Sports | Addison Road, Banbury | 1,000
Eynesbury Rovers | Alfred Hall Memorial Ground, Eynesbury | 1,000
GNG Oadby Town | Riverside, Oadby | 3,000
Godmanchester Rovers | The Peter Hodson Community Ground, Godmanchester | 1,050
Hinckley | Kirby Road Sports Ground, Barwell | 2,500
Histon | Bridge Road, Impington | 4,300
Leicester Nirvana | Hamilton Park, Hamilton | 1,000
Lutterworth Town | Dunkley Way, Lutterworth | 1,000
March Town United | GER Sports Ground, March |
Moulton | Brunting Road, Moulton |
Newport Pagnell Town | Willen Road, Newport Pagnell | 2,000
Northampton Old Nothamptonian Chenecks | Old Northamptonians Sports Ground, Northampton |
Northampton Sileby Rangers | O'Riordan Bond Stadium, Northampton |
Nuneaton Town | The Oval, Bedworth | 3,000
Yaxley | APG Park, Yaxley | 1,000

### Step 6 (Division One)

[edit]

Division One is at level 10 (step 6) in the football pyramid above five smaller local leagues below the recognised NLS: Central Midlands League, Leicestershire Senior League, Lincolnshire League, Northamptonshire Combination League and Nottinghamshire Senior League. There are currently 23 clubs in this division.

Club  | Home ground  | Ground capacity

|
|

Clifton All Whites | Norman Archer Memorial Ground, Clifton | 1,000
Clipstone | Lido Ground, Clipstone |
Coalville Town | Mander Cruickshank Solicitors Stadium, Coalville | 2,000
Dronfield Town | Stonelow Stadium, Dronfield | 500
Dunkirk | Empire Sports Ground, Nottingham | 1,500
FCV Grace Dieu | FCV Academy, Grace Dieu Manor Park |
Gedling Miners Welfare | Mapperley Plains Sports Club, Mapperley | 2,000
Holwell Sports | Welby Road, Asfordby Hill | 1,000
Pinchbeck United | MKM Stadium, Sleaford | 1,000
Pinxton | Pinxton Miners Welfare, Pinxton | 2,000
Radford | Oakfield Arena, Nottingham | 1,000
Rainworth Miners Welfare | Kirklington Road Ground, Mansfield |
Retford | SL2 Rail Stadium, Retford | 3,500
Retford United | Cannon Park, Retford | 2,000
Sandiacre Town | St Giles Park, Sandiacre |
Shirebrook Town | WH Davis Stadium, Shirebrook | 2,000
Sleaford Town | Eslaforde Park, Sleaford | 1,000
South Normanton Athletic | Transcare Arena, South Normanton | 3,000
Southwell City | Centenary Ground, Brinkley |
Stapleford Town | Hickings Lane Recreation Ground, Stapleford |
Staveley Miners Welfare | Inkersall Road, Staveley | 5,000
Swallownest | Swall-Siro Stadium, Swallownest |
West Bridgford | Regatta Way Sports Ground, Gamston | 1,000

### Reserve Division

[edit]

The membership of the Reserve Division is made up largely of the reserve teams of clubs in the Premier Division and Division One of the United Counties League. It has run as a single division since season 2013–14, and currently contains sixteen teams.

## Recent champions

[edit]

Season | Premier Division  | Division One  | Reserves Division 1  | Reserves Division 2  | League Cup  | Reserve Divisions Cup

|
|
|
|
|
|

1980–81 | Stamford | Stevenage Borough | Wootton Blue Cross | Not Formed  | Irthlingborough Diamonds | Long Buckby
1981–82 | Stamford | Newport Pagnell Town | Irthlingborough Diamonds | Not Formed  | Stamford | Irthligborough Diamonds
1982–83 | Irthlingborough Diamonds | Raunds Town | Irthlingborough Diamonds | Not Formed  | Wootton Blue Cross | Desborough Town
1983–84 | Buckingham Town | Brackley Town | Arlesey Town | Raunds Town | Buckingham Town | Stamford
1984–85 | Arlesey Town | Northampton Spencer | Long Buckby | Brackley Town | Long Buckby | Raunds Town
1985–86 | Buckingham Town | Kempston Rovers | Irthlingborough Diamonds | Wootton Blue Cross | Stamford | Rushden Town
1986–87 | Potton United | Baker Perkins  | Irthlingborough Diamonds | Wellingborough Whitworths | Stewarts & Lloyds Corby | Irthlingborough Diamonds
1987–88 | Spalding United | British Timken Duston  | Stotfold | Kettering Town | Arlesey Town | Kettering Town
1988–89 | Potton United | Ramsey Town | Raunds Town | Cogenhoe United | Northampton Spencer | Raunds Town
1989–90 | Holbeach United | Daventry Town | Mirrlees Blackstone | Northampton ON Chenecks | Holbeach United | Mirrlees Blackstone
1990–91 | Bourne Town | Daventry Town | Northampton Spencer | Wellingborough Town | Raunds Town | Northampton Spencer
1991–92 | Northampton Spencer | Harrowby United | Stotfold | Hamlet S & L Corby | Rothwell Town | Stotfold
1992–93 | Rothwell Town | Ford Sports Daventry | Rushden & Diamonds | Burton Park Wanderers | Rothwell Town | Rushden & Diamonds
1993–94 | Rothwell Town | Northampton Vanaid | Rothwell Town | Bourne Town | Northampton Spencer | Rothwell Town
1994–95 | Boston Town | St Neots Town | Northampton Spencer | Wootton Blue Cross | Spalding United | Cogenhoe United
1995–96 | Raunds Town | Ford Sports Daventry | Raunds Town | Wellingborough Whitworths | Cogenhoe United | Mirrlees Blackstone
1996–97 | Stamford | Yaxley | Stotfold | Northampton Vanaid | Desborough Town | Rothwell Town
1997–98 | Stamford | Higham Town | Rothwell Town | St Neots Town | Ford Sports Daventry | Rothwell Town
1998–99 | Spalding United | Bugbrooke St Michaels | Rothwell Town | Kettering Town | Stotfold | Northampton Spencer
1999–2000 | Ford Sports Daventry | Cottingham  | Rothwell Town | King's Lynn | Cogenhoe United | King's Lynn
2000–01 | Boston Town | Daventry Town | Cogenhoe United | Stamford | Desborough Town | Rothwell Town
2001–02 | Ford Sports Daventry | Newport Pagnell Town | Stotfold | Holbeach United | Raunds Town | Wootton Blue Cross
2002–03 | Holbeach United | Northampton Sileby Rangers | Bugbrooke St Michaels | Olney Town | Blackstones | Stewarts & Lloyds Corby
2003–04 | Spalding United | Potton United | Raunds Town | Bourne Town | Boston Town | Blackstones
2004–05 | Cogenhoe United | Northampton Sileby Rangers | Yaxley | Ford Sports Daventry | Potton United | Stotfold
2005–06 | Woodford United | Sleaford Town | Bourne Town | Woodford United | Yaxley | Northampton Sileby Rangers
2006–07 | Deeping Rangers | Whitworths | Cogenhoe United | St Neots Town | Boston Town | Cogenhoe United
2007–08 | Stotfold | Daventry Town | Stotfold | Huntingdon Town | Desborough Town | Blackstones
2008–09 | Stewarts & Lloyds Corby | Peterborough Northern Star | Stotfold | Peterborough Northern Star | Stotfold | Blackstones
2009–10 | Daventry Town | Irchester United | St. Neots Town | Northampton ON Chenecks | St Ives Town | Stotfold
2010–11 | St. Neots Town | AFC Kempston Rovers | Cogenhoe United | King's Lynn Town | Peterborough Northern Star | Thrapston Town
2011–12 | Long Buckby | Huntingdon Town | King's Lynn Town | Bugbrooke St Michaels | St Ives Town | Whitworth
2012–13 | Holbeach United | Northampton Sileby Rangers | Cogenhoe United | Oadby Town | Spalding United | AFC Kempston Rovers
Season | Premier Division  | Division One  | Reserves Division  | League Cup  | Reserve Divisions Cup

|
|
|
|
|

2013–14 | Spalding United | Oadby Town | Cogenhoe United | Huntingdon Town | Peterborough Northern Star
2014–15 | AFC Rushden & Diamonds | Northampton Spencer | Bugbrooke St Michaels | AFC Rushden & Diamonds | Bugbrooke St Michaels
2015–16 | AFC Kempston Rovers | Peterborough Sports | Rushden & Higham United Reserves | Peterborough Sports | Rothwell Corinthians Reserves
2016–17 | Peterborough Sports | Daventry Town | Lutterworth Athletic Reserves | Yaxley | Raunds Town Reserves
2017–18 | Yaxley  | Pinchbeck United | Bugbrooke St Michaels Reserves  | Leicester Nirvana | Yaxley Reserves
2018–19 | Daventry Town  | Lutterworth Town | Desborough Town Reserves  | Daventry Town | Cogenhoe Reserves
2019–20 | Season abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England | Not played
2020–21
Season | Premier Division North  | Premier Division South  | Division One  | Reserves Division  | League Cup  | Reserve Divisions Cup

|
|
|
|
|
|

2021–22 | Long Eaton United | Harborough Town | Kimberley Miners Welfare | Bugbrooke St Michaels Reserves  | Not played
2022–23 | Anstey Nomads | Coventry Sphinx | Aylestone Park | Harborough Town Reserves  | Anstey Nomads  | Newport Pagnell Town Reserves
2023–24 | Sherwood Colliery | Wellingborough Town | Bourne Town | Kempston Rovers Reserves  | Skegness Town | Buckingham Development
2024–25 | Lincoln United | St Neots Town | Clay Cross Town | Desborough Town Reserves  |  | Bugbrooke St Michaels Reserves

## Defunct clubs

[edit]

These include:

* British Timken Athletic F.C.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "EXPLAINED: The 2021-22 Non-League restructure". The Non-League Paper. 12 April 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2021.

## External links

[edit]

* United Counties League – official website
* United Counties League at FA Full Time

* v
* t
* e

United Counties League

2025–26
clubs|

| Premier Division North|

* AFC Mansfield
* Ashby Ivanhoe
* Belper United
* Blackstones
* Boston Town
* Clay Cross Town
* Deeping Rangers
* Eastwood
* Grantham Town
* Gresley Rovers
* Harrowby United
* Heanor Town
* Hucknall Town
* Kimberley Miners Welfare
* Melton Town
* Newark and Sherwood United
* Newark Town
* Sherwood Colliery
* Skegness Town
* Wisbech Town

|

Premier Division South|

* Atherstone Town
* Aylestone Park
* Bugbrooke St Michaels
* Coventry United
* Daventry Town
* Easington Sports
* Eynesbury Rovers
* GNG Oadby Town
* Hinckley
* Histon
* Leicester Nirvana
* Lutterworth Town
* March Town United
* Moulton
* Newport Pagnell Town
* Northampton ON Chenecks
* Northampton Sileby Rangers
* Nuneaton Town
* Yaxley

Division One|

* Clifton All Whites
* Clipstone
* Coalville Town
* Dronfield Town
* Dunkirk
* Grace Dieu
* Gedling Miners Welfare
* Holwell Sports
* Pinchbeck United
* Pinxton
* Radford
* Rainworth Miners Welfare
* Retford
* Retford United
* Sandiacre Town
* Shirebrook Town
* Sleaford Town
* South Normanton Athletic
* Southwell City
* Stapleford Town
* Staveley Miners Welfare
* Swallownest
* West Bridgford

Seasons|

| as Northamptonshire League|

* 1895–96
* 1896–97
* 1897–98
* 1898–99
* 1899–00
* 1900–01
* 1901–02
* 1902–03
* 1903–04
* 1904–05
* 1905–06
* 1906–07
* 1907–08
* 1908–09
* 1909–10
* 1910–11
* 1911–12
* 1912–13
* 1913–14
* 1914–15
* 1915–16
* 1916–17
* 1917–18
* 1918–19
* 1919–20
* 1920–21
* 1921–22
* 1922–23
* 1923–24
* 1924–25
* 1925–26
* 1926–27
* 1927–28
* 1928–29
* 1929–30
* 1930–31
* 1931–32
* 1932–33
* 1933–34

|

as United Counties League|

* 1934–35
* 1935–36
* 1936–37
* 1937–38
* 1938–39
* 1939–40
* 1940–41
* 1941–42
* 1942–43
* 1943–44
* 1944–45
* 1945–46
* 1946–47
* 1947–48
* 1948–49
* 1949–50
* 1950–51
* 1951–52
* 1952–53
* 1953–54
* 1954–55
* 1955–56
* 1956–57
* 1957–58
* 1958–59
* 1959–60
* 1960–61
* 1961–62
* 1962–63
* 1963–64
* 1964–65
* 1965–66
* 1966–67
* 1967–68
* 1968–69
* 1969–70
* 1970–71
* 1971–72
* 1972–73
* 1973–74
* 1974–75
* 1975–76
* 1976–77
* 1977–78
* 1978–79
* 1979–80
* 1980–81
* 1981–82
* 1982–83
* 1983–84
* 1984–85
* 1985–86
* 1986–87
* 1987–88
* 1988–89
* 1989–90
* 1990–91
* 1991–92
* 1992–93
* 1993–94
* 1994–95
* 1995–96
* 1996–97
* 1997–98
* 1998–99
* 1999–00
* 2000–01
* 2001–02
* 2002–03
* 2003–04
* 2004–05
* 2005–06
* 2006–07
* 2007–08
* 2008–09
* 2009–10
* 2010–11
* 2011–12
* 2012–13
* 2013–14
* 2014–15
* 2015–16
* 2016–17
* 2017–18
* 2018–19
* 2019–20
* 2020–21
* 2021–22
* 2022–23
* 2023–24
* 2024–25
* 2025–26

* v
* t
* e

Football in England

The Football Association

National teams|

* England
* B
* C
* U-21
* U-20
* U-19
* U-18
* U-17
* U-16

League competitions|

| Level 1|

* Premier League

|

Levels 2–4|

* English Football League
* EFL Championship
* EFL League One
* EFL League Two

Levels 5–6|

* National League
* National League (division)
* National League North
* National League South

Levels 7–8|

* Isthmian League
* Northern Premier League
* Southern League

Levels 9–10|

* Combined Counties League
* Eastern Counties League
* Essex Senior League (level 9 only)
* Hellenic League
* Midland League
* Northern Counties East League
* Northern League
* North West Counties League
* Southern Combination League
* Southern Counties East League
* South West Peninsula League (level 10 only)
* Spartan South Midlands League
* United Counties League
* Wessex League
* Western League

Cup competitions|

| FA cups|

* FA Cup
* FA Community Shield
* FA Trophy
* FA Vase
* FA Sunday Cup
* FA Inter-League Cup

|

League cups|

* EFL Cup
* EFL Trophy
* National League Cup
* Northern Premier League Cup
* Isthmian League Cup
* Southern League Cup

County cups|

* List of county cups

Others|

* National League System
* Reserve and youth football
* Defunct leagues
* Defunct cups

Lists|

* Appearances (500+)
* Clubs
* Honours won
* Current managers
* Clubs in international competitions
* Goals (200+)
* Record home attendances
* Stadiums by capacity

* Venues
* Competitions
* Trophies and awards
* History
* Records

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*[e]: Edit this template