Kearns: We will win this league
ST NEOTS Town’s place in the Southern League Division One Central for 2011/12 has been confirmed by the FA.
ST NEOTS Town’s place in the Southern League Division One Central for 2011/12 has been confirmed by the FA.
Among the teams the United Counties League conquerers will face at Step 4 next season are Spartan South Midlands League winners Chalfont St Peter and a reunion with Daventry Town.
Daventry just pipped Saints to the UCL crown in 2010 – before missing out on back-to-back promotions with defeat in the play-offs to Hitchin Town earlier this month.
And, on hearing league confirmation, St Neots owner and chairman Mike Kearns reasserted his prediction that Saints will be celebrating another promotion in 12 months time.
He said: “We built a team last year for the division we’ve just come out of (UCL) and the division we’ll play in next season.
“And I still maintain my view that we’ll win the league above and, the better standard we play at, the better we’ll be.
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“I see no reason why we won’t win the Southern League Division One Central.”
Kearns had initially hoped to enter the club into the Ryman League but, with the decision now made, he is more than happy with it and admits there are some strong teams vying for promotion too.
He continued: “Unfortunately there aren’t any relegated teams coming in to it - a couple (Ware and Fleet Town) have moved across while ourselves, Chertsey (Combined Counties League) and Chalfont are the promoted sides.
“Our only concern was about the travelling when we go through this division, but we’re more than comfortable with that league, no problem.
“Chalfont, in particular, will be pretty strong as, at one stage last year, they put together something like a 17-game run of wins together.
“Slough have just got to the play-offs, Aylesbury will do well – perhaps Biggleswade Town also and, of course, we know all about Daventry.
“But we’re reasonably confident that, even if teams strengthen, we’ll handle this league and we’re very happy with the squad we’ve got.”
> Neots have this week confirmed that goalkeeper Luke McShane has been released.
WHO WILL NEOTS BE FACING?
Step Four Southern League Central Division
AFC Hayes
Ashford Town (Middx)
Aylesbury
Barton Rovers
Beaconsfield
Bedfont Town
Biggleswade Town
Burnham
Chalfont St Peter
Chertsey
Daventry Town
Fleet Town
Leighton Town
Marlow
North Greenwood Utd
Northwood
Slough Town
Soham Town
St Neots Town
Uxbridge
Ware
Woodford Utd
ONES TO WATCH
The teams to look out for.
n Aylesbury
n Chalfont St Peter
n Slough Town
n Daventry Town
n Biggleswade Town