Non-League and Academy football writer

Following on from my end of season review of the Premier Division of the Middlesex County Football League, the following piece is a review of the three step 8 divisions of the league.

Division One East & Central:

This step 8 division of the Middlesex League is always highly competitive, and during the 2024/25 season, it was another really interesting season. Maher Al Ahmadieh’s LBS Lions side would win that division by five points to second place FC Marylebone, who also had an excellent season. LBS Lions were excellent throughout the season, following a fine season in the Division One South & West, during the previous 2023/24 season. With an excellent squad, LBS Lions only lost one game throughout the entirety of last season, in the league.

After FC Marylebone (Jevonte Deabreau was the top goalscorer in this division, with 24 goals) who finished in second place, Westminster & Kensington finished in a respectable third place, with league debutants Apollo London finishing in fourth place in the division, and in my opinion they did well. I was impressed with Apollo London on the occasion that I saw them play last season, and I really think that they will improve further next season.

In mid-table of Division One East & Central, was Alex Harris’ Stonewall Reserves, who went on an impressive and consistent run from December until March, and they are a team with a good squad. Luca Malagigi’s Camden & Islington United Reserves side finished one place and six points behind Stonewall Reserves, in the table. A youthful side, Camden & Islington United Reserves provides a real pathway in to the first team, and they did record some big wins last season.

Tied on points with Camden & Islington United Reserves, was Hackney Wick Reserves. The reserve team of the now step 5 club, Rory Adler’s side is another team who has a lot of talent, and like Camden & Islington Reserves, they are a youthful side. In this very talented division, there is another team who impressed me when I saw them last season, and in their first season in the FA pyramid, the Soccer Stars Fennecs Ascenders showed plenty of promise, and if I’m not mistaken, they have one of the youngest squads in the league. The Ascenders are another side in this division, who play some really good football, and with real confidence.

Three points behind Soccer Stars Fennecs Ascenders were Alexandra Knights, who finished in ninth place in the table. I attended some of their games last season, and they are another talented side who will be looking to improve further, next season. The north London club really impressed me in their 2-2 draw with FC Marylebone, towards the end of last season. Finally, another north London club – FC Wood Green, finished the season in tenth place in the table.

Division One South & West: 

In what was a really good and interesting title race in the Division One South & West, Sporting Duet Academy came out on top, over second place Harrow United, who finished one point behind them in the title, with 44 points. Sporting Duet Academy and Harrow United (I’m hoping to see Harrow United in a pre-season friendly this summer) were two of the strongest sides in the division last season, and then in third place was AFC Southall. AFC Southall had a fine league season, and they ended the season with some silverware, winning the 2024/25 Jim Rogers President’s Division One Cup.

CB Hounslow & Abbots A finished in fourth place (Ismael Ehui would finish the season as top goalscorer in the Division One South & West – with 16 goals), followed by Ruislip Town and then Hayes Town, in the standings. A youthful SL Benfica B finished one place below Hayes Town, and then there was Ickenham, Brentham (Brentham won their final league fixture of the season against Feltham) and Feltham (in order) who finished in the resulting league positions.

Division One North & West: 

Wood Lane’s first full season in the FA pyramid, was one of great success. The young squad of Wood Lane, has so much quality, and they were one of the very best step 8 sides that I saw last season. The champions of the Division One North & West, Wood Lane showed their quality throughout the season, and they would finish  the season two points ahead of another very talented side, in Bloomsbury.

Sam Brown’s Harrow Bhoys side (With 17 league goals, Rhys Murphy was the top goalscorer in the division) improved greatly on the previous season in this division, and they also reached the final of the Jim Rogers President’s Division One Cup, last season, which was a really good achievement. Harrow Bhoys have good balance to their game, and they were a very difficult side to play against. However, they are very effective with the ball.

In fourth place in the Division One North & West table, was a fine FH Whistlers side, who were followed by Brookhouse, Bessingby Park Rangers, and Hillside AFC, in the table. And then, Celtic (1995), Portobello, Brent United, and Eagles Land Cricklewood XI, finished in the resulting league positions. During the previous 2023/24 season, FC Irish of London won the Division One North & West, and in the season just gone, it was another really well contested division, of the Middlesex League.