Non-League and Academy football writer

The new Thurlow Nunn League First Division South season (2025/26) starts very soon. Beginning on Friday the 25th of July, with two league matches taking place on that night, the new league season promises to be another very interesting and highly competitive one. Departing this step 6 league/division at the end of the 2024/25 season, was St Margaretsbury, who were relegated to the Premier Division of the Herts Senior County League. With last season’s league champions Harlow Town, and play-off winners Hackney Wick, winning promotion to the Premier Division of the Spartan League, and the Essex Senior League, respectively.

Joining the Thurlow Nunn League First Division South for the 2025/26 season, are FC Romania and Stansted, who were relegated from step 5 last season. Also, a welcome to Lymore Gardens, who won promotion from the Essex Alliance Football League Senior Division (step 7), and Lee Benjamin and Javel Green’s side have a lot of quality, experience and and depth in their squad, and I do think that they will have a good first season at this level. FC Romania and Stansted have a lot of experience, especially having dropped down from a higher level, and they will be two teams to watch out for this season. Finally, rejoining the league as the result of a move across from the SCEFL Division One, is a very good and talented Clapton Community side, who are managed by a very good head-coach, in Geoff Ocran.

Finishing in third place in last season’s table was AS London, who were one of the best footballing sides that I saw last season at step 6. In my opinion the north London club will be right up there near the top of the table again, this season. As I’m sure will Rayleigh Town, who did so well in 2024/25, after winning promotion from step 7 during the previous season. Rayleigh would make it to last season’s play-off final, which they lost to Hackney Wick. Moving from AS London to Hutton, another side who made the play-offs last season, is very experienced manager Francesco Zabotti. The club who play in Billericay, will be yet another club to watch out for this season.

Coggeshall Town missed out on making last season’s play-offs by a single point, with Cannons Wood finishing one place below them in the league table. I recently interviewed one of Cannons Wood’s owners on my blog – Sushel Miah, and they will definitely be going for the league title this season. They have also recruited new players well, so far. As I go through all of the teams individually, it becomes clear to me that this is going to be one of the most competitive step 6 leagues in southern England this season.

Hoddesdon Town, a historic non-League club, finished in eighth place in the league table last season, and they will be looking to improve further on last season’s finish, as will ninth placed Basildon Town. May & Baker ECFC are now under new management for this season, and they are always a side to watch out for, with a very talented squad of players playing for them last season under previous manager Jimmy Donald. Jimmy Donald and his coaching staff did a fantastic job during their time at the east London club.

Burnham Ramblers and Dunmow Town both finished around mid-table in the league last season, with Brimsdown and FC Baresi finishing just below them (in order) last season. Brimsdown have a new manager for this season in Emmanuel Ndaw, with FC Baresi another club who like Brimsdown will be looking build on and improve on last season’s respective league finishes. Regarding FC Baresi, who have shown some good signs in pre-season of starting this season well, I’d just like to wish their former assistant manager Tani, all the very best for the future. Tani left the club last week, after three great years with them, and he is a top man and one of the nicest people in non-League football.

Enfield Borough and NW London are two sides who play their football in north London. And both sides are very youthful, and they have shown over recent seasons their respective abilities to play great football, and also both sides are more than capable of beating any side at this level. NW London, as per their socials, have made some really good signings during the summer. Barkingside finished four points above the bottom three last season, and they will be looking to go again and improve this season. As will the clubs who finished below them in the table, with the exception of St Margaretsbury, who were relegated to step 7.

Southend Manor are under the management of the very experienced Billy Cove and his coaching staff, and I reckon that they will improve this season. So will Newbury Forest, in my opinion. Another really interesting season is ahead, and I would like to wish all of the clubs involved in the league, all the very best of luck for the new season. My game of the opening weekend of league fixtures, takes place on Friday the 25th of July, as league debutants Lymore Gardens face a very established Hoddedson Town, in what will be a really good home fixture for Lymore Gardens.