The United Counties League (also known for sponsorship reasons 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, south Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Huntingdonshire, Leicestershire, most of Lincolnshire, western Norfolk, Northamptonshire, 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 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.
Current members, 2026–27 season
Step 5 The league has two divisions at Step 5 of the National League System (level 9 of the English football league system). 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 18 clubs, feeding into the Northern Premier League Division One Midlands and East. The south division currently has 19 clubs, feeding into the Northern Premier League Division One Midlands and Southern Football League Division One Central.
+Premier Division NorthClubHome groundGround capacityAFC MansfieldForest Town Stadium, Forest TownAshby IvanhoeNFU Sports Ground, Ashby de la ZouchAylestone ParkGary Lineker Pavillion, Wigston1,128Belper UnitedCoronation Park, Eastwood2,500BlackstonesSeven Bespoke Joinery Stadium, Stamford1,250Clay Cross TownThe Adalynne Haye Stadium, Old Tupton500Deeping RangersThe Haydon Whitham Stadium, Market Deeping2,000EastwoodCoronation Park, Eastwood2,500Gresley RoversMoat Ground, Church Gresley2,400Heanor TownTown Ground, Heanor2,700HinckleyKirby Road Sports Ground, Barwell2,500Hucknall TownAeriel Way, Hucknall4,000Kimberley Miners WelfareThe Stag Ground, Kimberley1,000Leicester NirvanaHamilton Park, Hamilton1,000Newark TownYMCA Sports Village, Newark-on-Trent1,000SheffieldHome of Football Ground, Dronfield2,000Sherwood CollieryDebdale Park Sports & Recreational Club, Mansfield WoodhouseSkegness TownMKM Stadium, Skegness1,000
+Premier Division SouthClubHome groundGround capacityAtherstone TownSheepy Road, AtherstoneCoton GreenThe Dave Henderson Memorial Ground, FazeleyCoventry SphinxSphinx Drive, CoventryDaventry TownMaster Abrasives Stadium, Daventry1,855Desborough TownWaterworks Field, DesboroughEynesbury RoversAlfred Hall Memorial Ground, Eynesbury1,000FC PeterboroughThe Focus Centre, PeterboroughFC StratfordArden Garages Stadium, Knights Lane, TiddingtonGodmanchester RoversThe Peter Hodson Community Ground, Godmanchester1,050Highgate UnitedThe Coppice, ShirleyHistonBridge Road, Impington4,300KnowleRobins' Nest, KnowleLutterworth TownDunley Way, Lutterworth1,000MoultonBrunting Road, MoultonNorthampton Old Nothamptonian ChenecksOld Northamptonians Sports Ground, NorthamptonNorthampton Sileby RangersO'Riordan Bond Stadium, NorthamptonRugby TownButlin Road, Rugby, Warwickshire5,000St Neots TownRowley Park, St Neots3,500YaxleyAPG Park, Yaxley1,000
Step 6 (Division One) 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 22 clubs in this division. ClubHome groundGround capacityClifton All WhitesNorman Archer Memorial Ground, Clifton1,000ClipstoneLido Ground, ClipstoneCotgraveCotgrave WelfareDronfield TownStonelow Stadium, Dronfield500DunkirkEmpire Sports Ground, Nottingham1,500Gedling Miners WelfareMapperley Plains Sports Club, Mapperley2,000Harrowby UnitedDickens Road, Grantham1,500Louth TownMKM Louth Stadium, SaltfleetbyMaltby MainMuglet Lane, Maltby2,000Pinchbeck UnitedMKM Stadium, Sleaford1,000PinxtonPinxton Miners Welfare, Pinxton2,000RadfordOakfield Arena, Nottingham1,000Sandiacre TownSt Giles Park, SandiacreSelstonThe Parish Hall GroundShirebrook TownWH Davis Stadium, Shirebrook2,000Sleaford TownEslaforde Park, Sleaford1,000South Normanton AthleticTranscare Arena, South Normanton3,000Southwell CityCentenary Ground, BrinkleyStapleford TownHickings Lane Recreation Ground, StaplefordStaveley Miners WelfareInkersall Road, Staveley5,000SwallownestMiners Welfare Ground, SwallownestWest BridgfordRegatta Way Sports Ground, Gamston1,000
Reserve Division The membership of the Reserve Division is made up largely of the reserves and development 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
Season Premier DivisionDivision OneReserves Division 1Reserves Division 2League CupReserve Divisions Cup1980–81StamfordStevenage BoroughWootton Blue CrossNot FormedIrthlingborough DiamondsLong Buckby1981–82StamfordNewport Pagnell TownIrthlingborough DiamondsNot FormedStamfordIrthligborough Diamonds1982–83Irthlingborough DiamondsRaunds TownIrthlingborough DiamondsNot FormedWootton Blue CrossDesborough Town1983–84Buckingham TownBrackley TownArlesey TownRaunds TownBuckingham TownStamford1984–85Arlesey TownNorthampton SpencerLong BuckbyBrackley TownLong BuckbyRaunds Town1985–86Buckingham TownKempston RoversIrthlingborough DiamondsWootton Blue CrossStamfordRushden Town1986–87Potton UnitedBaker PerkinsIrthlingborough DiamondsWellingborough WhitworthsStewarts & Lloyds CorbyIrthlingborough Diamonds1987–88Spalding UnitedBritish Timken DustonStotfoldKettering TownArlesey TownKettering Town1988–89Potton UnitedRamsey TownRaunds TownCogenhoe UnitedNorthampton SpencerRaunds Town1989–90Holbeach UnitedDaventry TownMirrlees BlackstoneNorthampton ON ChenecksHolbeach UnitedMirrlees Blackstone1990–91Bourne TownDaventry TownNorthampton SpencerWellingborough TownRaunds TownNorthampton Spencer1991–92Northampton SpencerHarrowby UnitedStotfoldHamlet S & L CorbyRothwell TownStotfold1992–93Rothwell TownFord Sports DaventryRushden & DiamondsBurton Park WanderersRothwell TownRushden & Diamonds1993–94Rothwell TownNorthampton VanaidRothwell TownBourne TownNorthampton SpencerRothwell Town1994–95Boston TownSt Neots TownNorthampton SpencerWootton Blue CrossSpalding UnitedCogenhoe United1995–96Raunds TownFord Sports DaventryRaunds TownWellingborough WhitworthsCogenhoe UnitedMirrlees Blackstone1996–97StamfordYaxleyStotfoldNorthampton VanaidDesborough TownRothwell Town1997–98StamfordHigham TownRothwell TownSt Neots TownFord Sports DaventryRothwell Town1998–99Spalding UnitedBugbrooke St MichaelsRothwell TownKettering TownStotfoldNorthampton Spencer1999–2000Ford Sports DaventryCottinghamRothwell TownKing's LynnCogenhoe UnitedKing's Lynn2000–01Boston TownDaventry TownCogenhoe UnitedStamfordDesborough TownRothwell Town2001–02Ford Sports DaventryNewport Pagnell TownStotfoldHolbeach UnitedRaunds Town Wootton Blue Cross2002–03Holbeach UnitedNorthampton Sileby RangersBugbrooke St MichaelsOlney TownBlackstonesStewarts & Lloyds Corby2003–04Spalding UnitedPotton UnitedRaunds TownBourne TownBoston TownBlackstones2004–05Cogenhoe UnitedNorthampton Sileby RangersYaxleyFord Sports DaventryPotton UnitedStotfold2005–06Woodford UnitedSleaford TownBourne TownWoodford UnitedYaxleyNorthampton Sileby Rangers2006–07Deeping RangersWhitworthsCogenhoe UnitedSt Neots TownBoston TownCogenhoe United2007–08StotfoldDaventry TownStotfoldHuntingdon TownDesborough TownBlackstones2008–09Stewarts & Lloyds CorbyPeterborough Northern StarStotfoldPeterborough Northern StarStotfoldBlackstones2009–10Daventry TownIrchester UnitedSt. Neots TownNorthampton ON ChenecksSt Ives TownStotfold2010–11St. Neots TownAFC Kempston RoversCogenhoe UnitedKing's Lynn TownPeterborough Northern StarThrapston Town2011–12Long BuckbyHuntingdon TownKing's Lynn TownBugbrooke St MichaelsSt Ives TownWhitworth2012–13Holbeach UnitedNorthampton Sileby RangersCogenhoe UnitedOadby TownSpalding UnitedAFC Kempston Rovers Season Premier DivisionDivision OneReserves Division League CupReserve Divisions Cup2013–14Spalding UnitedOadby TownCogenhoe UnitedHuntingdon TownPeterborough Northern Star2014–15AFC Rushden & DiamondsNorthampton SpencerBugbrooke St MichaelsAFC Rushden & DiamondsBugbrooke St Michaels2015–16AFC Kempston RoversPeterborough SportsRushden & Higham United ReservesPeterborough SportsRothwell Corinthians Reserves2016–17Peterborough SportsDaventry TownLutterworth Athletic ReservesYaxleyRaunds Town Reserves2017–18YaxleyPinchbeck UnitedBugbrooke St Michaels ReservesLeicester NirvanaYaxley Reserves2018–19Daventry TownLutterworth TownDesborough Town ReservesDaventry TownCogenhoe Reserves2019–20Season abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic in EnglandNot played2020–21 Season Premier Division NorthPremier Division SouthDivision OneReserves Division League CupReserve Divisions Cup2021–22Long Eaton UnitedHarborough TownKimberley Miners WelfareBugbrooke St Michaels ReservesNot played2022–23Anstey NomadsCoventry SphinxAylestone ParkHarborough Town ReservesAnstey NomadsNewport Pagnell Town Reserves2023–24Sherwood CollieryWellingborough TownBourne TownKempston Rovers ReservesSkegness TownBuckingham Development2024–25Lincoln UnitedSt Neots TownClay Cross TownDesborough Town ReservesEynesbury RoversBugbrooke St Michaels Reserves2025–26Boston TownNuneaton TownRetford
Committee +League CommitteeNamePositionAlan PoulainChairmanTrevor MitchellVice Chairman Appointments DirectorWendy NeweyCompany Secretary / TreasurerRoger WalkerFixture DirectorIan HughesFacility DirectorJim SharpReferee Appointment Officer/Discipline DirectorJamie ShawDevelopment DirectorKatie DayMarketing Director & Registrations OfficerRussell MatthewsCommittee memberEddie SlinnCommittee member & Club RepSteve HarrisCommittee memberDavid LumleyCommittee memberStuart ColesCommittee memberDavid HolmesCommittee member& Club RepCliff MillsCommittee MemberStacy CroftsOffice AdminMatt BerryOffice AdminIan ColliinsCommittee Member & Club Rep Source
Defunct clubs These include: British Timken Athletic F.C.
References
External links
United Counties League at FA Full Time