Division One Central Preview

Clubs in the Pitching In Southern League Division One Central and Division One South begin their league campaign on Saturday.

Berkhamsted have to start as favourites for promotion after finishing runners-up last season and some 8 points ahead of the third-placed team.

Manager Chris Devane has raided league rivals Thame United for four good players and has also made one of the coup signings of the summer in midfielder and former Luton Town favourite Jake Howells.

New Signings:

Luke Andrews – Crawley Green
Ryan Blake – Thame United
Lynton Goss – Thame United
Craig Hill – Thame United

Jake Howells – Kings Langley
Ross Oulton – Stratford Town
Tom Silford – AFC Dunstable
Lorrell Smith – AFC Rushden & Diamonds
Jack Tompkins – Thame United

Robbie O’Keefe’s Biggleswade Town side will also be expected to feature strongly come the end of the season after being relegated.

The former Stevenage academy boss has leaned heavily on his Boro contacts but has also made three shrewd signings from rivals Welwyn Garden City in the experienced trio of striker Jon Clements, defender Lee Close and midfielder Dave Keenleyside.

There has been almost a complete overhaul of players at Langford Road this summer.

New Signings:

Aaron Austin – St Albans City
Daniel Brathwaite – Royston Town
Jake Bunyan – Hertford Town
Jon Clements – Welwyn Garden City
Lee Close – Welwyn Garden City
Harry Draper -Stevenage
Marcus Gouldbourne – Royston Town
Max Granville - Stevenage
Ashley Hay – Baldock Town
Dave Keenleyside – Welwyn Garden City
Harry Smart – Westfield
Charlie Smith – Barton Rovers
Timmy Smith – Stevenage
Liam Smyth – Wingate & Finchley

AFC Dunstable finished third last season and will also be expected to be there or thereabouts again this term.

Manager Steve Heath has managed to hold onto the majority of his squad, most crucially prolific marksman BJ Christie, and Max Hercules could prove to be a good new signing.

New Signings:

Louie Collier – Leighton Town
Jordan Frederick – Berkhamsted
Max Hercules – Banbury United
Lucas Kirkpatrick – Berkhamsted

Paul Halsey’s Ware ended up in fourth spot in 2021/22 and enjoyed an excellent campaign.

He has made a fantastic acquisition in striker Rene Howe, whose goals helped Bedford Town to win the title last season, and it would be hard to see the Wodson Park outfit being out of the promotion race.

New Signings:

Richard Bryan – Detroit City (USA)
Fred Burbidge – Hendon
Rene Howe – Bedford Town
Shaquille Ishmael – Colney Heath
Jarvis Monk - Stansted
Jordon Watson – Welwyn Garden City

Welwyn Garden City were the other side to finish in the top five last season but, of course, off-the-field issues not only cost them a place in the play-offs, but also led to successful manager Nick Ironton quitting the club.

Max Mitchell has come in and has undertaken something of an overhaul of the squad, with Josh Hutchinson from Billericay Town being an especially decent-looking signing.

New Signings:

Eddie Corbit – Luton Town
Daniel Eziegwe – Frimley Green
Gil Barunda Fal - Walthamstow
Cheyce Grant – Berkhamsted
Josh Grantham – New Salamis
Gavin Hinds-Cadette – Enfield Borough
Josh Hutchinson – Billericay Town
Max Jessop – Colney Heath
Karl Kayembe – Heybridge Swifts
Phil Lowen – New Salamis
Makei Murray – Royston Town
Brett O’Connor - Walthamstow
Archie Sayer – Arlesey Town

Cirencester Town, who were switched across from Division One South by the FA in the summer, will also be expected to feature in the promotion race.

John Brough’s men finished third last season and are another club who have made minimal changes to a good squad of players, with Theo Lewis being a decent signing from Premier Division Central champions Banbury United.

New Signings:

Theo Lewis – Banbury United
Jordan Lymn – Evesham United
Sergio Mills – Gloucester City

Of the league newcomers, Essex Senior League champions Walthamstow look to have the strongest credentials to do well at Step 4 level.

However, John Mackie and Terry Spillane’s side were victims of an Emirates FA Cup upset last Saturday when Essex Senior League new boys Buckhurst Hill knocked them out at the Extra Preliminary Round stage 2-1.

A number of the title-winning squad have stayed, whilst the joint bosses have brought in a number of new signings to add strength in depth.

New Signings:

Demaray Anyadike – Southend United
George Beattie – Cockfosters
Dan Brock – Southend Manor
Reuben Campbell - Cockfosters
Bradley Empson – Hertford Tow
Micah Jackson – Cockfosters
Lamar Joseph-Johnson - Tilbury
Kaidyn Michael – Cockfosters
Reece Mosanya - Cockfosters
Emmanuel Olajide - Harpenden Town
Lucas Schreiber - Cockfosters
Matthew Walsh – Hoddesdon Town
Ben Ward-Cochrane – Potters Bar Town

Biggleswade FC are quite a few pundits` choice as `dark horses` for promotion.

And certainly, if stability means anything, then the Greens have that in abundance as the majority of Dave Northfield and Mark Inskip’s squad have been together for several years.

A creditable ninth place in 2021/22 represents steady progress.

New Signings:

Lewis Crosbie – Wantage Town
Sam Doolan - Harpenden Town
Craig Grieve – Bedford FC
Charlie Hayford – Kempston Rovers
Tom Rowley - Daventry Town

Will Harlow Town flatter to deceive again this season?

Danny Chapman’s side finished seventh in the end last term but fell 10 points short of a top five spot.

They have lost a few players and as yet haven’t made many new signings of note.

New Signings:

Aleko Aliaj – Hayes & Yeading United
Narcis-Florin Filip – Cray Wanderers
Alex Luque – Bishop’s Stortford Swifts
Dante McIntosh – Hackney Wick
Franklin Nzeh – Cambridge United

Aylesbury United are another of the `big` clubs who seem to have got themselves stuck at this level.

Of course, the Ducks major concern is to get back playing in the town rather than at Chesham and until that happens, manager Ben Williams will find it tough to mount a promotion challenge.

At least they got off to a decent start by beating Toolstation Western League Premier Division side Ashton & Backwell United 2-0 in the FA Cup last weekend.

New Signings

Matt Clifford – Chalfont St Peter
Patrick Zidanne Gourgel-Sequeira – Hitchin Town
Ryan Holmes – MK Dons (Work Experience)
Evans Lamboh – Risborough Rangers
Tom McElroy – Shepshed Dynamo
Nasha Mukwada – AFC Rushden & Diamonds

Thame United flirted with the top five at times last season before falling to eighth in the end.

But for long-serving boss Mark West, it’s a case of who he has lost this summer that is of most concern.

He has, however, managed to ensure his goalscoring son Dan has remained a Red Kite!

New Signings:

Dan Collins – Loughborough Dynamo
Conor Ferguson – Didcot Town
Jack Gardner – Gottne IF (Sweden)
Josh Hill – Biggleswade Town
Luke Massingham – Kempston Rovers
Clinton Nosakhare – Oxford United
Adam Smith – Oxford United

It’s been all-change on and off-the-field at FC Romania, so it’s hard to know quite were they are.

Now under the ownership of former Braintree Town manager Ryan Maxwell, they did manage to beat Spartan South Midlands Leaguers London Lions 2-0 on Sunday in the FA Cup.

However, they have virtually a whole new squad that needs to gel.

New Signings:

Samuel Adetiba - Wembley
Ruben Bartlett-Antwi – Walthamstow
Patrick Campbell - Hadley
Mohammed Dabo - Sutton Common Rovers
Rimmel Daniel – Grays Athletic
Tommy Dixon-Hodge – Braintree Town
Luke Edgar - Takeley
Kyan Gulliver – Coggeshall Town
Euphrapy Kalonga - Kensington & Ealing Borough
Gael Kileba – Dunmow Town
Darnell Luke – New Salamis
Mitchell May – Dunmow Town
Manuchim Oke-William - Wembley
Ekow Owusu-Boakye – Little Oakley
Daniel Ungudi – Waltham Abbey
Alex Yearwood – Dunmow Town

Hadley, who were promoted from the Spartan South Midlands League, became the first FA Cup `upset` of the 2022/23 competition after losing 1-0 at Essex Senior League side Stansted on Friday night!

They have kept faith with their promotion-winning squad, manager Anthony Clark adding only a couple of players to date.

New Signings:

Juan Gonzalez Valasco – Bedfont Sports
Kai Omoko Brosnan – North Greenford United

Highworth Town finished tenth in Division One South last season before being switched across with Cirencester by the FA in the summer.

Manager Gareth Davies has made several new signings as they embark on their new challenge.

New Signings:

Alex Avenell - Gloucester City (Loan)
Tom Ballard - Wantage Town
Riegan Cook - Wantage Town
Will Davidson - Slimbridge
Antonio Gerrish – Royal Wootton Bassett Town
Sam Ockwell - Kidlington
Sol Pryce – Melksham Town
Nick Stanley - Fairford Town

Kempston Rovers had to endure a nervy end to the 2021/22 season by being involved in the play-off to decide who were relegated to Step 5.

The Walnut Boys survived and then made a shrewd managerial appointment in former Biggleswade Town boss Chris Nunn.

Nunn’s men beat Thurlow Nunn League side Long Melford 2-0 in the FA Cup last weekend and they have some decent new signings, so one would anticipate a better season ahead at Hillgrounds.

New Signings:

Dean Dummett – Barton Rovers
James Hatch – Eynesbury Rovers
Kyle Lincoln – Aylesbury Vale Dynamos
Magloire Muyembe – Histon
James Peters – Hitchin Town
George Rose – Crawley Green
Harry Riley – MK Dons
Seb Simpson – Cambridge City
Ben Stevens – Luton Town

Waltham Abbey finished in mid-table last season after being switched across from the Isthmian League North by the FA.

They made FA Cup progress last Saturday by beating Essex Senior League side Woodford Town 4-1 and have a pretty stable squad.

New Signings:

Rhys-Elian Hajro – Hartley Wintney
Ross Helcke - Hadley
Arthur Janata – East Thurrock United
Osaretin Otote - Barking

Jamie Heapy’s Didcot Town side looked like being top five challengers at one stage before falling away badly after the New Year to end up in 13th.

Another youthful squad will begin 2022/23 and the Railwaymen will be competitive.

New Signings:

Charlie Hawtin – Banbury United
Ollie Nadin – Milton Rovers
Andi Noka – Oxford City
George Palmer – Loughborough Students
Ben Putland – Oxford University

It’s hard to see Barton Rovers bettering last season’s 15th-place finish, although striker Elliot Bailey’s return from Berkhamsted could boost their goal tally.

New Signings:

Elton Anning – Aylesbury Vale Dynamos
Joe Babbage - Hitchin Town
Elliot Bailey - Berkhamsted
Kit Brown – Hertford Town
Conor Clarke – Welwyn Garden City
Lincoln Gilmartin - Langford
Jonas Kalonda – Cambridge City
Denzil Ossai-Emmanuel - Rayners Lane
Max Ryan – Cambridge City

Ben Herd’s young Hertford Town squad did well in the end to survive relegation.

He again goes with much the same to start 2022/23, with just three new additions to date.

New Signings:

Jamaal Radway – Bush Hill Rangers
Ronnie Sandford – MK Dons (Season’s Loan)
Jesse Waller-Lassen – Hashtag United

Ben Sadler’s Kidlington also flirted with the drop zone for the majority of the 2021/22 campaign.

However, the Greens have backed their young manager and they had a decent 4-2 away win at Hellenic League Premier Division side Lydney Town in the FA Cup last weekend.

They are a club somewhat punching above their weight and struggle to attract people through the gate.

New Signings:

Lewis Baldwin – Wantage Town
Matt Cheetham – Highworth Town
Dan Comer – Highworth Town
Olly Goddard – Wantage Town
Joe Gorman – Wantage Town
Sam Jenkins – Heyford Park
Pelumi Maxwell – Oxford City (Loan)
Luke Noble – British Army
Lucas Northover – Easington Sports
Piers Walton – Easington Sports