The 2020–21 season was the 114th in the history of the United Counties League, a football competition in England. The league operated two divisions in the English football league system, the Premier Division at Step 5 and Division One at Step 6, for the last time this season.

The allocations for Steps 5 and 6 for season 2020–21 were announced by the FA on 21 July 2020,[1] and were subject to appeal.

The league season was subsequently abandoned on 24 February 2021 after COVID-19 lockdown-originated restrictions were imposed.[2]

Promotion and restructuring

The scheduled restructuring of non-league football took place at the end of the season, to include a new division that was added to the United Counties League at Step 5 for 2021–22. Promotions from Steps 5 to 4 and 6 to 5 were based on points per game across all matches over the two abandoned seasons (2019–20 and 2020–21), while teams were promoted to Step 6 on the basis of a subjective application process.[3]

Premier Division

United Counties League
Premier Division
Season2020–21
PromotedShepshed Dynamo
Matches played110
Goals scored429 (3.9 per match)
2021–22 (North)
2021–22 (South) →

The Premier Division comprised 20 teams, the same set of teams which competed in the previous season's voided competition.

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or qualification
1 Anstey Nomads 10 9 1 0 32 5 +27 28 Placed in the Premier Division North
2 Loughborough University 13 8 2 3 42 17 +25 26
3 Lutterworth Town 13 8 2 3 35 18 +17 26 Placed in the Premier Division South
4 Quorn 11 6 4 1 37 17 +20 22 Placed in the Premier Division North
5 Shepshed Dynamo 9 6 2 1 23 8 +15 20 Promoted to the Northern Premier League[lower-alpha 1]
6 Wellingborough Town 14 5 5 4 23 23 0 20 Placed in the Premier Division South
7 Rugby Town 10 6 1 3 29 10 +19 19
8 Harborough Town 12 5 3 4 19 19 0 18
9 Northampton ON Chenecks 12 5 2 5 27 22 +5 17
10 Rothwell Corinthians 13 4 5 4 20 20 0 17
11 Deeping Rangers 9 5 1 3 14 17 3 16 Placed in the Premier Division North
12 Holbeach United 10 4 3 3 21 11 +10 15
13 Cogenhoe United 9 4 2 3 19 13 +6 14 Placed in the Premier Division South
14 Boston Town 11 4 1 6 23 15 +8 13 Placed in the Premier Division North
15 GNG Oadby Town 10 3 3 4 15 24 9 12 Placed in the Premier Division South
16 Desborough Town 11 3 2 6 16 36 20 11
17 Leicester Nirvana 10 2 0 8 9 23 14 6 Placed in the Premier Division North
18 Sleaford Town 11 1 1 9 9 44 35 4
19 Pinchbeck United 10 0 2 8 6 38 32 2
20 Peterborough Northern Star 12 0 2 10 10 49 39 2 Placed in the Premier Division South
Source: FA Full-time
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Number of matches won; 5) Head-to-head results[4]
Notes:
  1. Promoted based on points per game calculations from 2019–20 and 2020–21 seasons combined.

Stadia and locations

Club Location Stadium Capacity
Anstey NomadsAnsteyCropston Road
Boston TownBostonTattershall Road6,000
Cogenhoe UnitedCogenhoeCompton Park5,000
Deeping RangersMarket DeepingHaydon Whitham Stadium2,000
Desborough TownDesboroughWaterworks Field
GNG Oadby TownOadbyRiverside Football Ground
Harborough TownMarket HarboroughBowden Park
Holbeach UnitedHolbeachCarters Park4,000
Leicester NirvanaLeicesterHamilton Park
Loughborough UniversityLoughboroughLoughborough University Stadium3,000
Lutterworth TownLutterworthDunley Way
Northampton ON ChenecksNorthamptonThe Old Northamptonians Sports Ground1,000
Peterborough Northern StarPeterboroughBranch Bros Stadium600
Pinchbeck UnitedSpaldingSir Halley Stewart Field (groundshare with Spalding United)2,700
QuornQuornFarley Way Stadium1,400
Rothwell CorinthiansRothwellSergeants Lawn
Rugby TownRugbyButlin Road6,000
Shepshed DynamoShepshedDovecote Stadium2,500
Sleaford TownSleafordEslaforde Park1,000
Wellingborough TownWellingboroughLondon Road2,500

Division One

United Counties League
Division One
Season2020–21
PromotedBugbrooke St Michaels
Long Buckby
Melton Town
Matches played112
Goals scored502 (4.48 per match)

Division One comprised the same 20 teams which competed in the previous season's aborted competition.

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or qualification
1 Long Buckby 11 9 1 1 38 10 +28 28 Promoted to the Premier Division South[lower-alpha 1]
2 Melton Town 11 9 0 2 50 13 +37 27 Promoted to the Premier Division North[lower-alpha 1]
3 St Andrews 11 9 0 2 42 10 +32 27
4 Bugbrooke St Michaels 14 7 4 3 32 25 +7 25 Promoted to the Premier Division South[lower-alpha 1]
5 Harrowby United 10 7 2 1 27 10 +17 23
6 Blackstones 11 5 2 4 23 17 +6 17
7 Northampton Sileby Rangers 10 5 2 3 18 12 +6 17 Transferred to the Spartan South Midlands League
8 Saffron Dynamo 12 5 2 5 22 25 3 17
9 Whittlesey Athletic 12 3 6 3 25 23 +2 15 Transferred to the Eastern Counties League
10 Huntingdon Town 12 4 3 5 17 21 4 15
11 Aylestone Park 10 4 2 4 35 21 +14 14
12 Holwell Sports 11 4 2 5 23 19 +4 14
13 Lutterworth Athletic 11 3 4 4 28 25 +3 13
14 Birstall United 13 4 1 8 24 39 15 13
15 Wellingborough Whitworth 12 3 3 6 23 45 22 12 Transferred to the Spartan South Midlands League
16 Bourne Town 9 3 3 3 14 18 4 9[lower-alpha 2]
17 Raunds Town 11 2 2 7 19 35 16 8 Transferred to the Spartan South Midlands League
18 Irchester United 12 1 4 7 20 45 25 7
19 Burton Park Wanderers 10 1 2 7 10 36 26 5
20 Rushden & Higham United 11 1 1 9 12 53 41 4
Source: FA Full-time
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Number of matches won; 5) Head-to-head results[4]
Notes:
  1. 1 2 3 Promoted based on points per game calculations from 2019–20 and 2020–21 seasons combined.
  2. Bourne Town received a 3 point deduction for fielding an ineligible player during the match on 19 September.

Stadia and locations

Club Location Stadium Capacity
Aylestone ParkLeicesterSaffron Lane1,128
Birstall UnitedBirstallMeadow Lane
BlackstonesStamfordLincoln Road1,000
Bourne TownBourneAbbey Lawn2,000
Bugbrooke St. MichaelsBugbrookeBirds Close2,500
Burton Park WanderersBurton LatimerLatimer Park
Harrowby UnitedGranthamDickens Road
Holwell SportsAsfordby HillWelby Road1,000
Huntingdon TownHuntingdonJubilee Park
Irchester UnitedIrchesterAlfred Street1,000
Long BuckbyLong BuckbyStation Road1,000
Lutterworth AthleticLutterworthHall Park
Melton TownMelton MowbrayMelton Sports Village
Northampton Sileby RangersNorthamptonFernie Fields
Raunds TownRaundsKiln Park3,000
Rushden & Higham UnitedRushdenHayden Road1,500
Saffron DynamoCosbyCambridge Road
St AndrewsLeicesterCanal Street1,000
Wellingborough WhitworthWellingboroughVictoria Mill Ground2,140
Whittlesey AthleticWhittleseyFeldale Field

References

  1. "National League System club allocations – Steps 5–6, Season 2020–21" (PDF). Non League Paper. 21 July 2020.
  2. "FA Update On Steps 3-6". 24 February 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  3. "EXPLAINED: The 2021-22 Non-League restructure". The Non-League Paper. 12 April 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  4. 1 2 "The FA Handbook 2020/2021 Part 29 Standardised Rules Section 12.2". The FA. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
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