The 2021–22 season was the 115th in the history of the United Counties League, a football competition in England. The league operated three divisions in the English football league system for the first time since the 1979–80 season. These are the Premier Divisions North and South at Step 5, both firsts in the league, and Division One at Step 6.

The allocations for Steps 5 and 6 were announced by The Football Association on 18 May 2021,[1] and were subject to appeal.

After the abandonment of the 2019–20 and 2020–21 seasons due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England, numerous promotions were decided on a points per game basis over the previous two seasons.[2][3][4] As part of the National League System's restructure, the FA's Alliance and Leagues Committees recommended the league's expansion to gain another Step 5 division.[5] At the end of the past season, Shepshed Dynamo left the league through promotion to the new Northern Premier League Division One Midlands, the only former Premier Division club to do so.

Premier Division North

United Counties League
Premier Division North
Season2021–22
ChampionsLong Eaton United
PromotedGresley Rovers
Long Eaton United
RelegatedHolbeach United
Matches played306
Goals scored1,126 (3.68 per match)

In its first season the Premier Division North featured nine clubs which competed in the Premier Division last season, along with nine new clubs.

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
1 Long Eaton United 34 28 5 1 106 20 +86 89 Promoted to the Northern Premier League East
2 Gresley Rovers[lower-alpha 1] 34 27 5 2 91 31 +60 86 Promoted to the Northern Premier League Midlands
3 Anstey Nomads 34 23 6 5 95 33 +62 75
4 Loughborough University 34 21 5 8 90 35 +55 68
5 Deeping Rangers 34 16 5 13 53 56 −3 53
6 Heather St John's 34 16 5 13 66 70 −4 53
7 Melton Town 34 15 7 12 70 56 +14 52
8 Skegness Town 34 16 4 14 59 51 +8 52
9 Boston Town 34 14 8 12 62 64 −2 50
10 Heanor Town 34 14 5 15 62 57 +5 47
11 Leicester Nirvana 34 15 2 17 70 72 −2 47
12 Sleaford Town 34 14 3 17 55 63 −8 45
13 Quorn 34 11 8 15 59 62 −3 41
14 Eastwood 34 9 6 19 54 77 −23 33
15 Selston 34 8 4 22 37 79 −42 28
16 Newark 34 8 3 23 49 97 −48 24[lower-alpha 2]
17 Pinchbeck United 34 6 5 23 33 83 −50 23 Reprieved from relegation[lower-alpha 3]
18 Holbeach United 34 0 4 30 15 120 −105 4 Relegated to the Eastern Counties League
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[7]
Notes:
  1. ↑ Gresley Rovers were awarded a home win due to non-fulfilment of a fixture by Boston Town on 10 December 2021.
  2. ↑ Newark were deducted three points for fielding an ineligible player against Deeping Rangers on 2 October.
  3. ↑ Reprieved as one of 12 clubs with the most PPG out of 16 that were second-from-bottom at Step 5.[6]

Stadia and locations

Club Location Stadium Capacity
Anstey NomadsAnsteyCropston Road
Boston TownBostonTattershall Road6,000
Deeping RangersMarket DeepingHaydon Whitham Stadium2,000
EastwoodEastwoodCoronation Park
Gresley RoversChurch GresleyMoat Ground2,400
Heather St John'sHeatherSt John's Park
Heanor TownHeanorTown Ground
Holbeach UnitedHolbeachCarters Park4,000
Leicester NirvanaLeicesterHamilton Park
Long Eaton UnitedLong EatonGrange Park3,000
Loughborough UniversityLoughboroughLoughborough University Stadium3,000
Melton TownMelton MowbrayMelton Sports Village
NewarkNewark-on-TrentHawton Lane
Pinchbeck UnitedSpaldingSir Halley Stewart Field2,700
QuornQuornFarley Way Stadium1,400
SelstonSelstonMansfield Road
Skegness TownSkegnessVertigo Stadium
Sleaford TownSleafordEslaforde Park1,000

Premier Division South

United Counties League
Premier Division South
Season2021–22
ChampionsHarborough Town
PromotedHarborough Town
Hinckley Leicester Road
RelegatedNorthampton ON Chenecks
Matches played380
Goals scored1,333 (3.51 per match)

In its first season the Premier Division South featured ten clubs which competed in the Premier Division last season, along with eleven new clubs.

In September 2021 Leicester Road were renamed Hinckley LRFC.

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
1 Harborough Town 38 33 3 2 119 20 +99 102 Promoted to the Northern Premier League
2 Hinckley Leicester Road 38 32 3 3 108 29 +79 99
3 Rugby Town 38 25 4 9 82 50 +32 79
4 Coventry Sphinx 38 24 3 11 95 44 +51 75
5 Newport Pagnell Town 38 24 3 11 83 44 +39 75
6 Lutterworth Town 38 20 7 11 80 58 +22 67
7 Wellingborough Town 38 20 6 12 68 52 +16 66
8 Coventry United 38 18 6 14 76 59 +17 60
9 Eynesbury Rovers 38 14 7 17 55 59 −4 49
10 Potton United 38 13 7 18 57 68 −11 46 Transferred to the Spartan South Midlands League
11 Godmanchester Rovers 38 13 6 19 64 74 −10 45
12 Cogenhoe United 38 12 9 17 57 69 −12 45
13 Long Buckby 38 12 6 20 64 101 −37 42
14 Easington Sports 38 12 5 21 57 71 −14 41
15 Bugbrooke St Michaels 38 14 5 19 60 77 −17 41[lower-alpha 1]
16 GNG Oadby Town 38 11 8 19 51 74 −23 41
17 Desborough Town 38 11 8 19 53 72 −19 38[lower-alpha 2]
18 Rothwell Corinthians 38 5 8 25 36 78 −42 23
19 Biggleswade United 38 6 3 29 38 138 −100 21 Transferred to the Spartan South Midlands League
20 Northampton ON Chenecks 38 5 5 28 30 96 −66 20 Relegated to the Spartan South Midlands League[lower-alpha 3]
21 Peterborough Northern Star 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0[lower-alpha 4] Club folded, 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[7]
Notes:
  1. ↑ Bugbrooke St Michaels were deducted three points for fielding an ineligible player against Rothwell Corinthians on 3 August 2021 and an additional 3 points for the same infraction against Eynesbury Rovers on 20 November.
  2. ↑ Desborough Town were deducted three points also for fielding an ineligible player against Long Buckby on 9 October.
  3. ↑ Relegated as one of four clubs with the fewest PPG out of 16 that were second-from-bottom at Step 5.[6]
  4. ↑ Peterborough Northern Star resigned from the league on 15 November 2021 and their playing record of P20 W2 D1 L17 GF34 GA75 Pts7 was expunged.

Stadia and locations

Club Location Stadium Capacity
Biggleswade UnitedBiggleswadeSecond Meadow2,000
Bugbrooke St. MichaelsBugbrookeBirds Close2,500
Cogenhoe UnitedCogenhoeCompton Park5,000
Coventry SphinxCoventrySphinx Drive
Coventry UnitedButts Park Arena[lower-alpha 1]4,000
Desborough TownDesboroughWaterworks Field
Easington SportsBanburyAddison Road
Eynesbury RoversEynesburyAlfred Hall Memorial Ground
GNG Oadby TownOadbyWigston Road3,000
Godmanchester RoversGodmanchesterBearscroft Lane
Harborough TownMarket HarboroughBowden Park
Hinckley Leicester RoadHinckleyLeicester Road Stadium4,329
Long BuckbyLong BuckbyStation Road1,000
Lutterworth TownLutterworthDunley Way
Newport Pagnell TownNewport PagnellWillen Road2,000
Northampton ON ChenecksNorthamptonThe Old Northamptonians Sports Ground1,000
Peterborough Northern StarPeterboroughBranch Bros Stadium600
Potton UnitedPottonThe Hollow
Rothwell CorinthiansRothwellSergeants Lawn
Rugby TownRugbyButlin Road6,000
Wellingborough TownWellingboroughLondon Road2,500
  1. ↑ home of Coventry Rugby Club (groundshare)

Division One

United Counties League
Division One
Season2021–22
ChampionsKimberley Miners Welfare
PromotedBelper United
Kimberley Miners Welfare
RelegatedBorrowash Victoria
Matches played506
Goals scored1,991 (3.93 per match)

Division One featured nine clubs which competed in the division last season, along with 14 new clubs:

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
1 Kimberley Miners Welfare[lower-alpha 1] 44 36 4 4 137 33 +104 112 Promoted to the Premier Division North
2 Hinckley[lower-alpha 2] 44 33 4 7 148 56 +92 103 Qualified for the play-offs, then transferred to the Midland League
3 Belper United 44 31 5 8 126 50 +76 98 Qualified for the play-offs, then promoted to the Premier Division North
4 Radford 44 32 1 11 105 47 +58 97 Qualified for the play-offs
5 Hucknall Town 44 28 6 10 120 68 +52 90
6 Aylestone Park 44 25 11 8 144 52 +92 86
7 Dunkirk 44 22 8 14 94 77 +17 74
8 Barrow Town 44 20 10 14 87 69 +18 70
9 Kirby Muxloe 44 21 4 19 107 93 +14 67
10 Harrowby United 44 18 10 16 91 80 +11 64
11 Clifton All Whites 44 18 6 20 84 92 −8 60
12 Birstall United 44 17 8 19 65 80 −15 59
13 Gedling Miners Welfare 44 17 4 23 84 103 −19 55
14 Saffron Dynamo 44 14 10 20 76 96 −20 52
15 St Andrews[lower-alpha 3] 44 15 7 22 67 83 −16 51
16 Lutterworth Athletic 44 13 9 22 66 90 −24 48 Transferred to the Spartan South Midlands League
17 West Bridgford 44 14 5 25 73 104 −31 47
18 Ingles[lower-alpha 4] 44 13 6 25 57 96 −39 45 Transferred to the Midland League
19 Bourne Town 44 11 11 22 57 100 −43 44
20 Holwell Sports 44 10 5 29 61 108 −47 35
21 Graham Street Prims 44 8 8 28 57 116 −59 32 Demoted to the Central Midlands League[lower-alpha 5]
22 Blackstones 44 8 7 29 54 142 −88 31 Reprieved from relegation[lower-alpha 6]
23 Borrowash Victoria 44 5 5 34 31 156 −125 20 Relegated to the Nottinghamshire Senior League
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[7]
Notes:
  1. ↑ Kimberley Miners Welfare were awarded a home win due to non-fulfilment of a fixture by Aylestone Park on 18 December.
  2. ↑ Hinckley were awarded a home win due to non-fulfilment of a fixture by St Andrews on 17 December.
  3. ↑ St Andrews were awarded a home win due to abandoned fixture against Bourne Town on 19 October 2021. They were then deducted 1 point due to fielding an ineligible player against Aylestone Park on 28 December.
  4. ↑ Ingles were awarded an away win due to non-fulfilment of a fixture by Holwell Sports on 4 January 2022.
  5. ↑ Reprieved and transferred to the Midland League, but declined and demoted to the Central Midlands League.
  6. ↑ All third-from-bottom clubs at Step 6 were reprieved from relegation. The top 15 second-from-bottom sides were also reprieved on a PPG basis.[8]

Play-offs

Semi-finals Final
      
2 Hinckley 3
5 Hucknall Town 0
2 Hinckley 0
3 Belper United 1
3 Belper United 2
4 Radford 1

Stadia and locations

Club Location Stadium Capacity
Aylestone ParkLeicesterSaffron Lane1,128
Barrow TownBarrow upon SoarRiverside Park2,000
Belper UnitedBelperChristchurch Meadow[lower-alpha 1]2,650
Birstall UnitedBirstallMeadow Lane
BlackstonesStamfordLincoln Road1,000
Borrowash VictoriaSpondonBorrowash Road[lower-alpha 2]
Bourne TownBourneAbbey Lawn2,000
Clifton All WhitesNottingham (Clifton)Green Lane
DunkirkNottingham (Dunkirk)Lenton Lane1,500
Gedling Miners WelfareGedlingPlains Road
Graham Street PrimsSpondonBorrowash Road[lower-alpha 3]
Harrowby UnitedGranthamDickens Road
Hinckley AFCHeatherKirkby Road[lower-alpha 4]2,500
Holwell SportsAsfordby HillWelby Road1,000
Hucknall TownHucknallWatnall Road5,000
InglesShepshedThe Dovecote Stadium[lower-alpha 5]
Kimberley Miners WelfareKimberleyStag Ground
Kirby MuxloeKirby MuxloeRatby Lane3,000
Lutterworth AthleticLutterworthHall Park
RadfordNottingham (Radford)Selhurst Street
Saffron DynamoCosbyCambridge Road
St AndrewsLeicesterCanal Street1,000
West BridgfordWest BridgfordRegatta Way
  1. ↑ home of Belper Town (groundshare)
  2. ↑ part of the same complex as Graham Street Prims
  3. ↑ part of the same complex as Borrowash Victoria
  4. ↑ Groundshare with Barwell
  5. ↑ home of Shepshed Albion (groundshare)

References

  1. ↑ "We have provided an update on NLS allocations at Steps 3-6 for the 2021-22 season". The Football Association. 18 May 2021. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  2. ↑ "Coronavirus: All football below National League to end". BBC Sport. 26 March 2020. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  3. ↑ "FA provides update on NLS Steps 3-6". The Football Association. 24 February 2021. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  4. ↑ "EXPLAINED: The 2021-22 Non-League restructure". The Non-League Paper. 12 April 2021. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  5. ↑ "UCL to expand". Uhlsport United Counties Football League. 13 April 2021. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  6. 1 2 Miller, Pete. "Non League 21/22 Promotion and Relegation: Step 5 Relegation". Google Docs.
  7. 1 2 3 "The FA Handbook 2020/2021 Part 29 Standardised Rules Section 12.2". The FA.
  8. ↑ Miller, Pete. "Non League 21/22 Promotion and Relegation: Step 6 Relegation". Google Docs.
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