Non-League and Academy football writer

My third and final review of the 2024/25 Middlesex County Football League season, is focusing on The Russell Grant Division 2, Saturday Combination, and The Jeff Nardin Division. The 2024/25 season’s Russell Grant Division 2 (step 9) title was won by Eastcote British Legion, who finished the season with 30 points from 14 league matches played. A very good side who would definitely do well at a higher level of the Middlesex League, the team who from next season will be known as Ruislip Rangers, also won The Eddy Mee Division Two Challenge Cup, during the same season, and they will be a team to watch out for again, next season.

Finishing just below Eastcote British Legion in the table, was another side who on the occasion that I saw them last season, demonstrated that they would do well at a higher level of the Middlesex League, and that team is Townmead. Like Eastcote British Legion, Townmead have good experience within their side, and they are a good side. Two points behind Townmead (on 26 points) was Wiseman West (Wiseman West player Kevin Boje ended the season as this division’s top goalscorer – with 15 goals.), with a fine Kodak (Harrow) Reserves side finishing just below them in the table. Kodak (Harrow) Reserves would reach the final of this division’s cup final, last season.

Below Kodak (in order), was FC Sunbury, Southall Athletic, London Saracens, and Kensington Dragons Blues, in the table. Moving on to the Saturday Combination, and in what was a very successful season for LBS Lions, their reserve team would win this division by three points to second place London Athletic. The top goalscorer of this division was the overall league’s top goalscorer, Andrei Pogan, who scored 17 goals from eight appearances last season.

Hounslow Lions had a good season in the Saturday Combination, finishing in third place, and below them in the table was the Old Isleworthians, a well established side in Middlesex. Then in order, AFC Heathrow finished one point ahead of Feltham Town, in the standings. Both fine sides, AFC Heathrow and Feltham Town played out the most incredible Jeff Nardin & Combination Cup final last season, which finished 4-4 in 90 minutes, as Feltham Town, in their debut season in this division, then won on penalties in dramatic fashion. Cuckoo Hill and then CB Hounslow & Abbots Reserves would end the season in seventh and eighth places, respectively.

Finishing the season with seven teams within their division, this was how the 2024/25 Jeff Nardin Division finished. Well done to Sudbury Court, who won the title, with 35 points to their name. The old Sudbury Court FC were a well known club within the Middlesex League in the latter 20th century, with former England international John Barnes playing for them for a year, as a youngster. Just below Sudbury Court in the table, was second place Kodak (Harrow) 3rds, who had a really good season.

Tied on points with Kodak (Harrow) 3rds, but finishing in third place, was Foxes. Then there was Heston, CB Hounslow & Abbots 3rds, Old Isleworthians Reserves, and WOW RDM, who made up the rest of The Jeff Nardin Division, in order of where they finished. CB Hounslow & Abbots 3rds player Raul Ivanescu and Sudbury Court player, Shikib Nouri, ended the season as this divison’s joint top goalscorers, with 13 goals.