With the Middlesex County Football League step 8 divisions starting in just over a week (on the Saturday of next week), I thought that it would be a good time to write a bit of a preview of the three step 8 divisions in the Middlesex County Football League, for the 2024/25 season. I have already written my season preview of the Essex Alliance Football League’s step 8 divisions, on my blog. The Middlesex County Football League Division One (East & Central) starts on Saturday of next week, with two fixtures, of which includes a fixture between Camden & Islington United Reserves and Soccer Stars Fennecs Ascenders (Soccer Stars Fennecs’ reserve side). The Division One (East & Central) from last season (2023/24) saw Soccer Stars Fennecs win that division as champions (they won promotion to step 7), by a hugely impressive total of 18 points.
OIR FC finished in fifth place in the Division One (East & Central), last season. However, they have since moved up, and subsequently been promoted to the Herts Senior County League Premier Division (step 7). Also, this division’s runners-up last season (Kulture FC) have since left the league, and they are now playing their football at step 7 of the Essex Alliance Football League. Furthermore, another new side who will be competing in this division during this season, are last season’s Division (South & West) runners up, LBS Lions, who have moved across to the East & Central Division, for the 2024/25 season. And then there is also Apollo London FC, who will be taking their first steps into Saturday football in the non-League system, also in this division this season.
Westminster & Kensington FC have a very good and talented squad of players, and I personally think they’ll improve further on their third place finish in the East & Central Division, last season. They did well in some of the cup competitions during last season, as well, and I think that the club who play their home matches at the Paddington Recreation Ground, will be really challenging and hoping to get promoted to step 7 for the 2025/26 season, and they’ll be one of the real favourites to achieve that. As will LBS Lions, who finished runners up to an outstanding SL Benfica side, in the South & West Division in 2023/24. However, this is a very competitive division at step 8 of the Middlesex Football League, and with sides such as Camden & Islington United Reserves, Apollo London and FC Marylebone, in in the division this season, one thing is for sure, that it will be a very interesting and competitive division to follow over the course of the season.
In the South & West division (I’m not an expert on this division) it will be another very interesting division to follow during this season, especially to see who will follow in SL Benfica’s footsteps from last season, and win this division. Obviously SL Benfica have since won promotion to the Premier Division, but similar to Soccer Stars Fennecs in the East & Central division, they will have a reserve/B (SL Benfica B) side competing in the South & West division this season. That SL Benfica B side will create a pathway into their senior side, at step 7. As mentioned previously, last season’s division runners-up, LBS Lions, have moved across to the East & Central division. However, FC Deportivo Galicia Reserves and Shepherds Bush Reserves will no longer be competing at step 8/this division in 2024/25.
Other new teams to the South & West division for 2024/25, are Feltham FC (they were relegated from the Premier Division at the end of last season), Hayes Town and CB Hounslow & Abbots A. FH Whistlers were in this division last season, but they have since moved across to the North & West division, and Harrow United have done the opposite, by moving from that division, into the South & West for 2024/25. This particular division of the Middlesex League, is one that will be very competitive and unpredictable, with sides such as Feltham FC and Ickenham just some of the clubs who are likely to be up there trying to win the division, and ultimately promotion to step 7. However, sides such as Ruislip Town and Brentham will be looking to improve on their respective finishes in this division last season.
FC Irish of London would win the North & West Division last season, on goal difference and in dramatic fashion on the final day of last season, as they finished above London Cheetahs in the league standings. London Cheetahs have since moved up to step 7 of the Herts Senior County League Premier Division, but FC Irish of London since appear to have folded, not long before the Middlesex Premier Division had started. New teams in the North & West Division for 2024/25, are Brook House Reserves, Bessingby Park Rangers (they were promoted from step 9), Brent United, Eagles Land Cricklewood XI (Eagles Land Cricklewood’s reserve side), Bloomsbury FC and Portobello FC (they were promoted from step 9). Also, FH Whistlers, a side who will be hoping to be up their challenging near the top of this division, have moved across to this division for the start of this season.
Just like the previously mentioned other two divisions, the North & West Division will be very competitive. Third placed finishers from last season, Celtic are the highest ranked team in the division from last season, and they’ll be hoping to challenge even higher up in the league this season, in what is I believe only their second season in senior Saturday football. Portobello are another side who I personally think will be up there in the league standings, come the end of the season, but the promotion race from this division will surely be wide open, and clubs such as Hillside AFC and Harrow Bhoys will be looking to improve further on their respective finishes last season. And finally, from last season: UKTSU and St Lawrence Seniors have all left the Middlesex League, with Elite Football Club London moving down to step 9. I would like to wish all clubs from across all three of these divisions, all the very best for the 2024/25 season. I will be hoping to cover as many games as I can at this level, during the season.
Teams who are competing in the Middlesex County Football League Division One (East & Central) in 2024/25:
- Alexandra Knights
- Aloysius
- Apollo London
- Camden & Islington United Reserves
- Estudiantes
- FC Marylebone
- FC Wood Green
- Hackney Wick Reserves
- LBS Lions
- Soccer Stars Fennecs Ascenders
- Stonewall Reserves
- Westminster & Kensington
Teams who are competing in the Middlesex County Football League Division One (South & West) in 2024/25:
- AFC Southall
- Brentham
- CB Hounslow & Abbots A
- Feltham FC
- Harrow United
- Hayes Town
- Ickenham
- Ruislip Town
- SL Benfica B
- Sporting Duet Academy
- West London Athletic
Teams who are competing in the Middlesex County Football League Division One (North & West) in 2024/25:
- Bessingby Park Rangers
- Bloomsbury FC
- Brent United
- Brook House Reserves
- Celtic
- Eagles Land Cricklewood XI
- FH Whistlers
- Harrow Bhoys
- Hillside AFC
- Portobello
- Wood Lane
Non-League and Academy football writer 
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